Does Anyone Use Root Hormone

[Keiththibodeaux]

Originally Posted by Sun City Linda

I imagine they would root readily in water but I read somewhere that does not build a good root system. I stick them in potting soil, in the shade. Then they die. I will try water next. A poor root system is better than a dead cutting.

Not the best root system, but do them likes seedlings when you move them to pots and stick them deep. They will root all along the stem.

[Sun City Linda]

Thanks Keith there may be hope for me (and my tomato cuttings) yet!

[Keiththibodeaux]

And thank you. I have an exceptional tomato still flowering out (it has been a very warm winter here in So Louisiana thus far) not realizing how different it was compared to my other tomatoes, had not collected seed.. I was worried this late about getting any mature tomatoes to collect seeds from. It never crossed my mind till this thread to just go take some cuttings and root them for spring. After reading this thread the big "duh" went off in my head. Old age is not kind on the mind, lol.

[Worth1]

Put them I very wet muddy soil in part sun works every time.
they will wilt but will come out of it in no time.

Worth

[Sun City Linda]

OK Worth, I will try, again. Here is my system for starting tomato cuttings: I put them in wet soil, they wilt. Then they die. The end.

[efisakov]

Hi, Linda, the secret is not to overwater them (light airy soil) and to keep them away from the direct sun (at 70 degree is the best) for at least 2 weeks. Make sure to leave very few leafs, so they do not loose moisture. But otherwise treat them like seedlings, I agree on that with Keith...
Do not give up 2 easily. What are you gone loose?
Good luck.
Ella

[lakelady]

Originally Posted by Sun City Linda

OK Worth, I will try, again. Here is my system for starting tomato cuttings: I put them in wet soil, they wilt. Then they die. The end.

Hey Linda, I had success with tomato cuttings in plain old water with a little hormone powder, and also in a peat mix with a plastic bag over the top with holes poked in it (for humidity) and OUT of the sun. within a week it had rooted. try the peat mix and plastic bag method, worked great for tomatoes.

[Sun City Linda]

Thanks for all the tips guys. I actually do not have a black thumb, just when it comes to tomato cuttings lol. I will try all suggested techniques.

[Redbaron]

Originally Posted by Sun City Linda

I think I am the ONLY person in the world who cannot seem to root tomato cuttings.

I am going to help you Linda! A sure fire way that can not fail, no matter how brown your thumb may be in handling cuttings.


Take some cotton (or shredded fluffed up burlap), soak it in willow juice, lightly wrap it around the stem of the cutting BEFORE you cut it, while it is still on the mother plant. It should be moist not dripping. Take paper masking tape and wrap it around the cotton below and above several wraps until you have something that looks like a cast. The tape will not stick too well at first due to it being wet, but after a couple wraps you'll finally get dry tape on dry tape and it will stick. Be careful not to press out all the moisture and air. So have your strips of tape pre cut to manageable length. Wait 1 week. Cut off the one or two main leaves just above "cast". Wait one more day. Cut below your "cast" and immediately put it in a glass of willow juice. It shouldn't even wilt. The water will make the paper tape start to fall apart. After just a few days take the cutting out of the willow juice and pot it in a moist potting mix well deeper than the new roots that should be forming. Don't mess with the cotton or tape. Any that remains on entangled with the new young roots will decompose later anyway. The newly potted cutting should be kept out of direct harsh sunlight for a couple days. Treat like any other seeding after that.

Personally I don't go all through that for tomatoes. Tomatoes cuttings are fairly easy to root. But that is a method I use for other harder to root cuttings. It lets small roots start to form BEFORE you cut it off the mother plant. That should work with Tomatoes, which like to root easily, 100% of the time, even for you.

Note: To make willow juice, just cut a few tender "switches" from the tips of willow. (willow grows almost everywhere in the country around streams) Strip and throw away the leaves. Cut the switches into 3 to 6 inch pieces. Smash them with a hammer. Put the whole mess in a bucket of water for 3 days to one week. Take out the willow and use the water.

[BarbJ]

For those who have cuttings rooting in water; I also have heard that the roots aren't as strong when started in plain water, but also pulling them out and trying to separate the roots evenly in soil can damage them.
Try this;
over period of several days, add a little more potting soil, mix, sand or what ever you're going to use. Add some each day and swirl the water so it mixes gently and evenly. When it's a thick slurry stop and just let the rest of the water evaporate until it's just damp. Slide it out of the glass and into a pot. Done.

[mcsee]

I find cuttings very easy to strike and do quite a few each season. I prefer to place them into a pot with wet potting soil, keeping them out of direct sunlight. Believe it or not, they like it moist and will strike readily.

[Keiththibodeaux]

OK, I took my cuttings, so this calls for experimentation. Pictures to come.

[ChrisK]

Shot glass of tap water, no hormones, sitting on the windowsill for 5-7 days. Two roots already visible. Easy!

[kilroyscarnival]

Agreed,most of my cut suckers have rooted just fine so far with just water then transplanted to soil. I did buy rooting hormone but mostly for the herbs which are slower to root.