Another update in my container grown tomatoes.

It’s been a while since I showed my first tomato, but it hadn’t grown much ‘til lately. I realize it is a late season variety, but I had hoped it would grow a little faster. It is currently growing noticeably each day. Below are pictures at different stages.

1st Tomato Update

Also, I wanted to give an update on those rooted tomato cuttings. As you can see, both are doing quite well. They are still developing their root system, but they are also perked up and growing to boot. Not too bad for about 3 weeks from cuttings stage. Soon, I’ll place them in a bucket of their own. I just wanted to be able to compare them side by side.

Update on Tomato Cuttings

Well that’s about it for now. However I do have beans sprouting! I’ll post some pics shortly on those wonderful heirlooms.

It will be another long planting weekend, starting today and hopefully I’ll have another "Sea Of White" to share. I still have more than 200 plants to get in not to mention all the other veggies. So off to planting.

Happy Gardening!!!

Yesterday, I potted up the test cuttings of the Cherokee Chocolate tomato plant. Cutting number 1, or the cutting from the jar with Willow, is on the right and cutting number 2, or the chamber cutting, is on the left.

Potted up Rooted Heirloom Tomato Cuttings

There is a very noticeable difference in the health of the two at this point. I’m sure cutting 2 will perk up, but I’m amazed at the difference between the two. I took pictures of cutting 2 before planting it, and there are a number of roots that finally began forming up the stem. Cutting 1 was much more advanced with a much larger and stronger root system, as you can see here on April 30th, all the way up the stem.

Rooted Cutting 2 May 3rd

As you can see in this post, the cuttings were comparable in size and health, however cutting 2 grew toward the light and bent half way up the stem.

This has been a great gardening experiment and a whole lot of fun. I plan on expanding my tomato garden each season, with all the tips I’ve learned and experimented with along the way. Gardening is so rewarding and the best part is, you never stop learning!

It has been a couple of days since my last update on the tomato cuttings tests. So, I thought I would give you a quick update.

On April 28th, I took a comparative picture of the two tests. Tomato cutting 1 is the one in the water with Willow cuttings. Tomato cutting 2 is the one out of the rooting chamber.

Both Tomato Cuttings April 28th

As you can see, the cutting on the left side is cutting 2 and on the right, in the water, is cutting 1. Cutting 2 is beginning to develop roots under the stem surface, however cutting 1 has many emerged roots showing.

Now this AM (April 30, 2010) I took another comparative picture of both Tomato Cuttings. Tomato cutting 1 is on the left and tomato cutting 2 is on the right.

both Tomato Cuttings April 30th

Tomato Cutting 1 April 30th

Tomato Cutting 2 April 30th

As you can see, Tomato cutting 1 has significantly longer and more roots than Tomato cutting 2. It’s clear that the Willow cuttings have helped to decrease the rooting time frame on these cuttings. It also appears that the root system on cutting 1 is far stronger than on cutting 2.

April 21st, took tomato cuttings. As of April 27th, the rooting chamber cutting has simply turned toward the top, but no sign of roots yet. However, the cutting in water, with the Willow cuttings accompanying it, is looking quite positive. We are at 6 days and roots appear to be forming.

The below image is the very image (zoomed in) from my 4-23 post. The shiny spots on the stem are air bubbles.

Tomato Cutting 1 4-21-10

This AM I took the below picture. I would have to say the Willow is really helping those roots form. I'll post again when they pop through. No air bubbles left, but there sure are non shiny white spots

Tomato Cutting 1 4-27-10

As you may have noticed, my larger tomatoes are currently in white buckets. Well there is a reason for this. Not only did I need to give them plenty of growing room in the greenhouse, but we’re due to move, to a new house, soon and I didn’t want to begin them in the ground.

Well, what can we do to help those poor plants along? I came up with an idea that may just boost them along. Not that they really need it, but I love to see my plants THRIVE!

First I created a collar, from a plastic 2 liter pop bottle, by cutting the top and bottom of the bottle off.

Then, I sliced down the side vertically in order to be able to wrap it around the tomato plant.

At that point, I clipped off all of the tomato branches, below the height of where the top of the collar would be, once wrapped around the stem. Then I placed it around the stem of the tomato plant and used 2 inch packaging tape to taped it together, back to its original shape.

After placing the collar, I used a good rich mix of composted horse manure and Sphagnum to fill in the collar around the stem of the tomato. This should give the tomato plant an even healthier root system, thus creating a healthier, and more sturdy plant with more tomatoes.

I’ll keep you updated on the growth and pics of when I see roots growing.

Soil Collar

A quick update on my tomato cuttings: They are now potted up and ready to grow. Below are some pictures of the nicely started root system. As you can see, the growth is very rapid when you compare the images from April 20th to the ones taken this morning. They will continue to get root nodes up the stem, so I’ve buried the stem as far up as I could to create a nice healthy root system.

After finding so many new roots starting on my cuttings from the 9th, I thought I would try working two methods at the same time, in order to compare the results.

So here’s what I have going so far. I took two lower sucker cuttings from my Cherokee Chocolate tomato plant. It’s nearly 5 feet tall now, so there are many suckers coming out. Anyway, I clipped the two suckers and clipped all but the top leaves off. At that point, I took 3 cuttings from a Corkscrew Willow and stripped all lower leaves from the stems. Those branches were placed in the jar and will accompany one of the tomato suckers. As you may recall, I posted that Willows contain a natural rooting hormone and aid in the root growth on other items in the same water.

For the second tomato sucker cutting, again, I removed all but the top leaves and placed it in the small rooting chamber. This is the very box that grew roots on my last cuttings in 11 days. So we shall see which get roots more quickly.

I’ll post my findings as soon as I have data.

So if you're interested in trying some rooting experiments yourself, this easy little box will do the trick for you. It's not expensive to make, probably about $6-$10 depending on where you purchase the items for it, but it will create far more plants with no further expense.

There have been many variations of this little guy, but regardless, it's easy and it works. After experimenting around with different soil/soil less mixes, I've found the mix listed here to be the best for rooting.

What you’ll need…

• Clear Plastic container with lid – About $3-4 at your local Dept Store. I purchased the tall one, it's about 10-12 inches deep.
• Non Sealed / Non Painted terra cotta pot – About $1 at your local Dept Store.
• Cork or Silicone Caulking
• Sphagnum / Peat
• Vermiculite
• Perlite

Make sure you have plenty of height in your clear container, cause some cuttings need 6-8 inches in height, and the more space for circulation, the better.

Items Needed

If the cork you have is too large, it can be cut down with a knife or scissors, in order to fit tightly into the hole in the bottom of the terra cotta pot. As I did, you can seal around the cork, with silicone, if it leaks when you add water. Another method is to simply fill the hole with silicone and allow it to set up.

Terra Cotta Pot With Cork

Place the terra cotta pot in the center of your box. Use a 3:1 ratio of Sphagnum/Vermiculite mix and place about 2-3 inches around the pot and smooth the mix out around the bottom of the box. The best filler is fluffy because it enables the roots to form more easily with space to grow. After a number of tests, the more dense the mixture, without air pockets, the less success in rooting. This is the exact reason I began using Sphagnum and Vermiculite.

Terra Cotta pot in Box

Cover the top of the Sphagnum mix with about .5-1 inch of Perlite. Smooth out so the top is fairly level.

Fill the pot with water and this will gradually seep through the terra cotta sides and water the rooting mix in the plastic box. As you add your cuttings, be sure to cover completely with the lid. This will keep the moisture inside the box and the plants will only use what they need.

Perlite Over The Top

On April 9th, I took cuttings from my Cherokee Chocolate tomato. The very pictures I posted on April 15th. Today was the first day I checked on the status in my rooting chamber and guess what……

Are you ready?

ROOTS!!!! That’s right only 11 days and roots are already forming. Not to mention, the rooted cuttings are larger than what the local nurseries are selling for seedlings. Though the pictures aren't that great, you can clearly see little white roots growing at the bottom of the stem. I'll add better pictures later, but I had to share this.

I can absolutely see that one plant wintered over, of each variety you want to keep growing, will give you as many plants as you would like for your garden. Unless unforeseen circumstances – and things can happen – harm the cuttings over the winter, I can’t see growing varieties I currently have growing, from seed. Only new varieties will be on my list of grown out seeds next year. What a wonderful method of keeping these babies going.

On another note, with a few extra steps, you can actually have tomatoes in your greenhouse all year long!

How to propagate your tomatoes with Cuttings….

There are several methods of rooting tomato cuttings and some work better than others. Personally, I find the propagation box method the easiest, most successful and once you have it set up, you can utilize it throughout the season for cuttings of all sorts of plants. I have also found that the propagation box works the most quickly.

Because several methods work, I’ll explain how to do all three methods and you can either test them all or choose which ever method you’d like to try.

Keep in mind that you’ll want to use indeterminate types of tomatoes and not determinate. If you take cuttings from determinate varieties, it will lower the production of tomatoes. So only try this with indeterminate varieties.

For each method, I tend to advocate taking lower branches and here is why. Because of the tomato root system, I like to take all lower branches off the tomato plant, when I transplant it. This serves two purposes; 1. It enables me to plant the stem deeper in the ground thus creating a healthier root system and 2. It enables me to keep space between the ground and the vegetation of the plant, ensuring leaves and moisture won’t be trapped under the plant and begin rotting underneath. It also helps when placing mulch beneath the plants to help them retain water in the root system, due to the extra space between the ground and the leaves. And lastly, my yummy tomatoes won’t be lying on the ground when they ripen.

When taking tops from any branch, it tends to force the energy back down into the tomato plant, thus making a bushier plant. Now as you can see from the picture, there are branches that will grow between main branches and the stem.

Tomato branch sucker

Much like suckers, they will continue to come out between each branch and the stem. Tops can be taken from these, or you can even take top cuttings from the main branches, just remember that it will slow the growth in height and will form a bushier plant.

What you’ll need….

Method 1: Propagation box –

• 1. 1 large tomato plant – Either one wintered over or buy 1 large plant that you would like more than 1 of in early Spring.
• 2. Propagation Box – Simple designed one will work fine.
1. a. Clear Plastic Box with lid
1. b. Non coated terra cotta pot
1. c. Cork or Silicone
1. d. Peat Sphagnum
1. e. Vermiculite
1. f. Perlite
• 3. Pencil

OR

Method 2: Water and Vase

• 1. 1 Large Tomato plant
• 2. 2-3 small cuttings of Willow. This can be weeping willow, corkscrew willow, plain lake or riverside wild willow, even pussy willow.
• 3. Vase or Jar

OR

Method 3: Direct Sow into soil

• 1. 1 Large Tomato plant
• 2. 4” Pot
• 3. Good, rich, organic potting soil

AND

• 4. Scissors or very sharp clippers

Method 1: Propagation Box-
Get your propagation box ready:
Plug the hole of the terra cotta pot with silicone or a cork, or both. Place the pot in the center bottom of the plastic box. Fill the pot with water.

Place a 3-4 inch layer of Sphagnum mixed at a 3:1 ratio with vermiculite, around the pot and level over entire bottom, surrounding the pot. Cover with a layer of Perlite about 1-2 inches thick.

Clipping the branch off

Clip a branch from the large tomato plant, strip all but the top 2-3 leaves and keep the stem as long as possible. Be sure to also remove all buds from the cutting. Using a pencil, push a hole into the perlite, down through the sphagnum mix and to the bottom of the box. Carefully place the cutting into the hole and gently firm the perlite and sphagnum mixture around it. Cover with the lid and place in a warm shaded area. I use the underneath section of my table in my greenhouse.

Cutting in rooting mix

After 2-4 weeks, you will be able to see roots forming on the cuttings. The cuttings can then be transplanted into your pots with organic potting soil and you’ll have additional plants or clones of the same exact variety, whether hybrids or heirlooms. Be sure to fertilize your tomato plants. An immediate watering with fish emulsion will give it a nice boost. I also like to add a bit of compost or composted/aged horse manure to the organic soil.

Method 2: Water and Vase

Clip a 6-8 inch branch from the large tomato plant. Strip all but the top 2-3 leaves and keep the stem as long as possible. Be sure to remove all buds from the cutting.

Take the vase or jar and fill about half way with water. Place the cuttings into the water and fill to about 2 inches below the leaves.

Take a cutting or two from a willow tree – any type will do. Place these cuttings in with the tomato cuttings. Willow contains a natural rooting hormone and will distribute this hormone in the water, thus aiding in the rooting of any cuttings placed in with it.

After 2-4 weeks, you will be able to see roots forming on the cuttings. The cuttings can then be transplanted into your pots with organic potting soil and you’ll have additional plants or clones of the same exact variety, whether hybrids or heirlooms. Be sure to fertilize your tomato plants. An immediate watering with fish emulsion will give it a nice boost. I also like to add a bit of compost or composted/aged horse manure to the organic soil.

Method 3: Direct Sow in Pot-

This one is quite simple, but I do recommend you do several extra cuttings, just in case some don’t take. I have actually taken the lower branches from my transplanted tomatoes and simply placed them in the ground to promote more tomato plants. Some take, some don’t.

Clip about a 6-8 inch branch from your tomato plant. Strip all leaves off except the top 2-3 and be sure to remove any buds from the cutting. Fill a 4 inch pot with organic soil and with a pencil, push a hole down to the bottom of the pot. Insert the cutting down into the hole and gently firm the soil around the stem.

Water the cutting well and keep it moist. Misting is a great way to aid root growth in the first few weeks. You’ll be able to see if the plants wilt or not, after a few days. If they don’t wilt, this will most likely mean they’ve taken successfully. When you start seeing new growth on your cuttings, you can transplant them into the garden.

This is a wonderful way to increase your tomato garden without the expense of buying tons of starts from the nursery. Also, if you see an interesting variety of tomato growing in someone else’s garden, this method can enable the cloning or multiplying of that plant to your garden. Simply get permission from the garden owner and snip a couple of branches. Just keep them moist between that time and when you place them in any method mentioned.