How To Propagate Tomato Plants from Cuttings

An expert gardener shares how to propagate tomato plants from existing plants for a bountiful crop at a great price.

If you love tomatoes like we do, you can lay out a lot of money for plants every year.

However, propagating your own tomato plants is easy, and after purchasing one or more plants of each variety, these simple steps can provide a bountiful yield of luscious tomatoes.

Here's How to Propagate your Own Tomato Plants

First, purchase one or more of each tomato plant variety early in the season.

And get an early start!

Second, plant the purchased plant and allow it to put on new growth.

Third, when it reaches enough size, remove cuttings from the lower branches of the plant.

Take the cutting as close to the main plant stem to provide the longest possible stem for the cutting.

Fourth, plant the cuttings.

These cuttings may be set in a small bed, or plant cups, but you must have the lower part of the cutting as deep into the planting medium as possible.

Every part that is under soil will generate roots. The more roots generated, the more drought-tolerant the plants will be.

I always plant my tomato plants as deep as possible for this same reason. They will tolerate dry conditions better, and the plants will be more vigorous.

The soil should be tilled first to loosen it and then it is recommended to dig very deep holes for planting.

I place fertilizer and a handful of fertile potting soil in the bottom of a hole at least a foot deep. Then put a handful of soil over the fertilizer to avoid shocking the roots of the plants.

Next, place the plant into the hole and gently place soil around it. If the plants are small, the tops may be below the surrounding soil level.

As the plant grows, add soil around the stem until it reaches the surrounding soil level. The plant will generate root on all of the stem submerged in the soil, making a healthier, drought-resistant plant.

Benefits of Using Cuttings

One of the most obvious benefits is the cost savings.

A few purchased plants can yield a garden full of tomatoes.

Another benefit is that the plants will be vigorous and healthy. I have noticed in many cases that the cutting may yield a stronger plant than the original donor plant.

I can remember my maternal grandmother, Laura Boyter, taking tomato and flower cuttings then using a stick to press a hole into the soil.

She would tamp the soil around the cutting and keep them watered and shaded. I couldn’t believe how well they did.

As a child, I thought she had miraculous skills, but later learned from my own experience that it is an easy practice.

Uses for Tomatoes

One of the reasons for our use of this method of propagation is our love of the tomato and the many ways that they can be used to enhance a meal or even constitute the main course.

A few of the ways that we use them are:

•       Sliced as a side dish
•       Tomato sandwiches, or added to other sandwiches
•       Tomato soup
•       A component in vegetable soup
•       A main ingredient in spaghetti sauce

Now You Know The Secrets To Propagating Your Own Tomato Plants

This spring, try this method of tomato propagation and reap the benefit of savings and increasing your yield of the ripe, red luscious tomatoes that will grace your table.

It is an easy, economical method to increase your yield and reduce your out-of-pocket expense.