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Glenna Rose · 17-08-2008, 06:53 PM posted to rec.gardens.edible

writes:
In article 9ceb9e48-00cf-4f5f-b7c9-0d01f5276536
, says...
OK, there was a thread on this last year, but I'm not sure we got
closure on it.

What's the most effective way to do tomato cuttings? I took six inch
young stems off a very healthy overgrown red cherry, and stuck them
five inches deep in moist potting soil indoors with indirect light.
They looked happy for more than a week (with no growth), and finally
decided to die (with no obvious growth or new shoots). What gives? I
want a fall crop!

Rootone? Bay leaves? Water soak?

Water has worked for us.

Just plain water has worked for me as well. Sometimes I put a bit of good
composted soil in the bottom for extra nourishment but that is really for
me rather than the tomato as it seems to make no difference at all. Plant
when the roots look healthy and able to support the plant (depends on how
much stem and leaf growth is there, the more there is, the more root is
needed (Maybe?).

One year, when a plant got split in half, the half I rooted in water (stem
and leaves) turned out to produce better than the half (with roots) that
was able to stay in the ground. I have even had them bear (lightly!) when
I just left them in the water.

Tomato plants are hardy, very, and survive under incredible conditions -
then we can have nightmares with them when all is right and mother nature
has other ideas!

Glenna