cuttings

[Itoero]

Which part of the tomato is fit to use as cutting?
Can you use leaves? Or the branch with the fruits on?
There is one commerrcial variety I want to grow.
It's a pretty new variety so when I plant the seeds from the fruits, it may give somethn different...
That's why I'm wondering if the branch with the fruits on could grow roots and turn into a plant.

[NarnianGarden]

A branch will do fine once it's been in a water for a few days and has grown its own root system.
If it has fruits, they might not develop normally, but the branch will soon shoot other flower buds. Last summer, I rooted several branches, and did everything wrong still, they grew very well, and the tomatoes were even tastier than those in 'the mother plant' ..

[Labradors2]

I sometimes root suckers in water. (They sprout between the main stem and a leaf).

Linda

[Worth1]

I remove any fruit or blooms.
I also root in soil that stays very wet not water.
You can do this in a clear plastic cup so you can see the root growth.
When I see a good amount of growth I plant in a container or directly in the garden.
I have broken off limbs and just stuck them back in the soil and they did fine.
The reason is that if you root in water the plant then has to make the transition from water to soil.
This can delay growth.
I have also seen plants not doing well and noticed that the main stem was busted at ground level.
This is most commonly due to the wind whipping the plant around in circular motion.
((If you see a plant doing this in the wind tie it or use a short stake to stop the oscillation.))
I then heaped up soil around the stem for new root growth above the effected area.


Worth

[Itoero]

And a branch like this?
If I remove the tomatoes...

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Itoero

And a branch like this?
If I remove the tomatoes...

Not a chance.

Only branches that have leaves and forked stems where new growth will occur.
You will be able to see tiny little leaves in these forks.

They will look like they are going to die for a wee bit but will grow out of it.

Worth

[Worth1]

I want to add that the stem that the fruit is on is called a truss.
It would be the equivalent of trying to root the stem coming out of an apple.
On very rare occasions you might see new growth coming from a truss but not very often.

Worth

[NarnianGarden]

OT, but I had several such 'supertrusses' on my plants last summer - a sucker coming out of the stem end of a fruit. Quite creepy looking, if I may say so.

[Itoero]

I remember seeing some weird growth where it shouldn't be, at a truss. It's only now I remember.
I think, I'm not sure, it was a sucker coming out on a truss, in the area between the fruits and the main stem.

I remember thinking it would increase the growth and sweetness of the tomatoes on that truss...because of the extra photosynthesis close to the fruits.