Cloning fruiting Tomato Suckers?

[Montray Davis]

Hello, thank you in advance for your tips and taking the time to read my thread!

What I want to know is, if I cloned a sucker that was fruiting, would it grow without killing the fruit? I want to start off saying that I am aware that it is not practical to clone fruiting suckers, and that it would probably result in smaller fruit, but that is ok! I am only caring that the fruit survives.

I know, it seems silly, but, I have a few suckers which I waited far too long, and now they have fruit. I typically never discard cuttings. I always clone the suckers, and it works out really nicely. I've never, however, cloned a fruiting sucker.

What are your suggestions? I want to cut it ASAP so that the indeterminate Tomato (Big boy hybrid) grows larger! However, if the fruit will die, I'd rather just allow it to finish.

Thank you!

 

[zigs]

Good question.

Thinking about it, might be best to layer the suckers if you can. Bend them over and peg them into a pot of soil till they produce roots before cutting them from the parent plant.

 

[Montray Davis]

Good question.

Thinking about it, might be best to layer the suckers if you can. Bend them over and peg them into a pot of soil till they produce roots before cutting them from the parent plant.

I discovered a technique similar to this, and have been waiting for the opportunity to do it .... Not sure why it never occurred to me that I could do this with the sucker! Thanks for the suggestion! Great minds think alike.

But I guess the challenge is how to do that considering it's at the top of the plant, which is about 2'-3' (probably much closer to two feet) in the air... Hmmm... Maybe I could apply a damp paper towel to an area where the cambium is exposed? Maybe wrap it in paper towels and plastic (while also caring for it daily, or course.... Any suggestions on that?

 

[Montray Davis]

I found this, which may be helpful!

 

[headfullofbees]

Tomatoes are so easy to clone from side shoots (suckers), I don't see the need for all this palaver:
Prepare a 3" or 4" pot with compost, and press a hole, 2 joints deep with your index finger in the middle.
Break off the side shoot at the base.
Run your thumb-nail along the bottom 1/2 inch of the stem of the side shoot twice, on opposite sides, to facilitate uptake of water etc.
Place the side shoot into the hole, and fill the hole, making sure some leaf and the peri-stem are above the surface.
Soak the compost.
Wait a week.
Transplant.

 

[Montray Davis]

Tomatoes are so easy to clone from side shoots (suckers), I don't see the need for all this palaver:
Prepare a 3" or 4" pot with compost, and press a hole, 2 joints deep with your index finger in the middle.
Break off the side shoot at the base.
Run your thumb-nail along the bottom 1/2 inch of the stem of the side shoot twice, on opposite sides, to facilitate uptake of water etc.
Place the side shoot into the hole, and fill the hole, making sure some leaf and the peri-stem are above the surface.
Soak the compost.
Wait a week.
Transplant.

Thank you! I am probably making this more difficult than it needs to be (and wasting time). I will go ahead and just root it ! Thanks!