Topic: Tomato cuttings, when?

[fluffygrue]

I was thinking about taking some cuttings of my 'Tumbler' tomatoes... but does anyone know the latest I can do this for them to be successful? I know they won't crop until light levels are good anyway, so don't particularly want some sat in my kitchen from now until spring! Can I just take cuttings when I get rid of my plants come the end of cropping?

In northern UK. And yes, I could grow from seed, but I like taking cuttings.. :D

Melanie

[adam04]

you could just grow a plants from seed next spring (maybe seed collected from your toms this year?) and then pinch out the sideshoots, i would only say a couple per plant tho. dont need anything doing to them, just straight in compost and they will get roots pretty quick. by doing iut in thew spring you will hvae hte plants when you want them.

[northener]

I would say your a bit late for taking cuttings.Like Adam says you would have to do it early spring, i know i'm going to try next year.

[fluffygrue]

Hm, okay, I'm convinced. Hopefully I can get the seeds growing okay..! Ta for your advice. :)

Melanie

[jennym]

Fluffygrue, you could take cuttings at the end of the season if you wanted. Tomatoes are sometimes propagated from cuttings commercially. You would need to keep them indoors, say a bright windowsill, not too warm or they'll grow a lot and get too leggy. If you do have somewhere like that, you can also try sowing seeds in December/January so they'll get a good early start, but again, once germinated they don't want to be too warm until the natural light levels increase.

[adam04]

i think lots of people actually do this, as a way to get more plants. especially on you normal cordon types. with an early sowing you can get all the plants you need simply by pinching out the side shoots, all from a couple of seed. and if saved form last year....well free plants all around!