Propagating tomatoes from side shoots

[Millymollymandy]

I'm sure I've mentioned this before but this is the first year I've gone into this in a big way and believe me it really does work! Leave some of your toms to develop a few side shoots then remove them, either pot them up or if they are quite big and tough (from those naughty ones that got away) just shove in the soil and water. They'll droop for several days but even under warm conditions you'll see them start to right themselves - quite amazing actually. I've even seen side shoots that I picked off and dropped on soil start to root!

My first Sungold side shoot toms are starting to ripen up and the others are coming along very well and they are much bigger and chunkier and further advanced than the spindly things I grew from seed, before I propagated half these side shoot ones. All of this was done since beginning of May.

And I would also like to state that Epsom Salts really do work as well - first time I've ever had toms with green bottom leaves! I gave them all a liquid feed with it as I didn't want to spray them, and the last two side shoot toms had it sprinkled into the planting hole.

[Green Aura]

Great stuff, MMM - fresh tomatoes for Christmas yet!!!

The Epsom salt thing is amazing isn't it. When we first started growing toms we spent years trying to find a tomato food that contained magnesium because our plants were always a slightly sickly colour - now seaweed tea with Epsom Salts works a treat.

[Odsox]

It's very easy to do but ....
I have found that they tend to be very leggy and the first truss is way up the stem, or maybe it's just the varieties that I grow, but I think I will stick to seed sowing.
It's certainly a quick, easy and free way to increase your plants though.

Toms for Christmas ? This year I'm determined to achieve my 12 months continuous supply.

[Green Aura]

Do your side shoot plants produce side shoots? Theoretically you could keep replacing your plants all year round without ever sowing seeds Hmm.

[Odsox]

Of course they do Maggie, they are exact clones of the plant you took the cutting from.
The problem I have is that the only variety that I grow continuously doesn't produce side shoots as such, the side shoots are actually flower trusses. Other than that I'm still looking for the perfect tomato and want to keep trying other varieties, not the same one forever. One day I might though

[Millymollymandy]

Do your side shoot plants produce side shoots? Theoretically you could keep replacing your plants all year round without ever sowing seeds Hmm.

There is a little problem with the all year round theory and that's called winter.

(Obviously we all know that doesn't apply to Tony!)

[Millymollymandy]

It's very easy to do but ....
I have found that they tend to be very leggy and the first truss is way up the stem, or maybe it's just the varieties that I grow, .

Maybe, cos some of the side shoots I've taken off have already got flower buds on so they are flowering/fruiting really early and are very chunky. Think it also depends on the age of the tom and whether it was an early little side shoot or a big chunky one.

My sown variety is the leggy one with the first truss at 2 foot high! But I don't have a greenhouse so they always go all spindly and pathetic on windowsills, that's mostly why I'm buying plants from the garden centre (that and the fact that an April holiday is somewhat in the way of sowing toms!).

And I did have a few teeny Sungolds left which I ate on Boxing Day last year, cos they are so hardy and tough and carry on ripening up in cool weather despite mild frosts. Outside.