Honestly if I had more time I would break them off but I barely get the garden weeded as it is. Hopefully this summer I will have more time to deal with my garden this year. I hoping.
Honestly if I had more time I would break them off but I barely get the garden weeded as it is. Hopefully this summer I will have more time to deal with my garden this year. I hoping.
Thanks for the replies, everyone. I think this year I might at least let one grow a large sucker and try planting it.
mom, that was probably a sucker you heard snapping because I was reading that when they get to that size, they'll snap off cleanly. If there's lots of messy rough edges with fibers, it wasn't a sucker apparently.Last year, I was leaving the nursury after purchasing a new tomatoe plant. We had strong winds that day and I heard a snap from the plant. I was concerned I had broken my tomatoe plant at the base, but when I looked I could not see a break. The nursury owner said to make sure that I heaped plenty of dirty around the base when planting it and it would "heal." That makes me think they will root in dirt for propagation.
I'm always up for experimenting in the garden - thanks again for the input!
It's useful to know that new plants can be rooted from suckers, but I normally have so many self seeded tomato plants shooting up that I have an abundance & no need for extras.
My aunt used to give away her "suckers" to neighbors. Everyone had tomatoes on her block. It's a great way to help those in need.
Sage:
Do you just put them in the ground? I know this was mentioned earlier and I think it would work, but I'm not sure if there is a better method. Sprouting in water first? I'm off to read up on propogation of tomatoe plants. I'll post what I come up with.
I once had a tomato plant ravished by tomato worms, nothing but stems were left, I cut some of the stems off and put them in water and they rooted and grew more leaves, rather quickly too. It seems like they rooted quicker in water, has anyone else done this before?
I pick suckers off until about 12 inches off the ground also all leaves... it helps prevent blight for me. after that I leave the suckers.. yes my fruit may be smaller but I like lots of tomatoes and I get lots from each plant..... Now the plants do get heavy but I use 5 ft high cages and also tie part of the plant to the cage.
I thought you go bigger and less tomatoes by pruning to a single stem.
As far as starting plants from suckers... I have done it and it works.. I just stick it in the ground and keep it watered and shaded until it roots..it will wilt for a few days and then perks right up... it is handy do have some going when You know you may lose some from blight each year.
No but thanks for sharing this. I was wanting to learn about tomato plant propagation. Now I won't have to search for it. This sounds so easy!
Originally Posted by msmeg
Thanks msmeg, that's very useful to know! I've grown them tall enough to need a stepladder to pick the fruit and had one plant break with the weight of them despite being staked and tied up. Removing the suckers didn't seem to inhibit the growth of fruit at all.
I'll definitely give it a try once I grow one big enough, thanks again for the information.
I know what you mean. My tomatoes are always outgrowing their cages by the end of the season. I'm always reading of new ways to support the plant hoping to come up with a better way to do it. I haven't measured my cages, but I'd guess them to be 5 feet as they are almost as tall as me. I always use panty hose to tie the plant because I've read that they panty hose won't cut into the plant. The plants are still all over the place.
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