Here’s a step-by-step guide that will help you on How to Grow Tomatoes from Suckers easily. It is easy, and you can enjoy a juicy harvest!
Tomato plants can produce a lot of suckers — shoots that emerge between the stem and the branch of the plant? These suckers sap valuable energy from the main plant and hinder its growth, which is why it’s often recommended to prune them.
If you’re removing them anyway, why not use them to grow whole new tomato plants from suckers?
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How to Grow Tomatoes from Suckers?
As suckers *usually* don’t produce any flowers or fruits, it is best to use them to grow new plants.
What You’ll Need:
- Tomato plants with suckers
- Clean shears or scissors
- Pots
- Potting soil
- Water
Step 1: Identify and Choose Tomato Suckers
Tomato suckers are easy to spot – they are the small shoots that grow between the main stem and the branch of the plant.
When choosing suckers to root, look for those that are young, healthy, and around 4-6 inches long.
It’s best to do this in the morning when the plants are hydrated and the suckers are plump with moisture.
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Step 2: Cut the Sucker Off
Once you’ve identified the sucker you want to root, use clean shears or scissors to cut it off from the main plant.
It’s important to make a clean cut as close to the main stem as possible without damaging the main plant. This helps the plant heal quickly and minimizes the risk of infection.
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Step 3: Remove the Bottom Leaves
Next, remove the bottom leaves from the sucker so that only the top leaves remain. This helps the sucker focus its energy on developing roots rather than maintaining its leaves.
Ensure the top leaves remain intact to allow the sucker to continue photosynthesizing and producing energy.
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Step 4: Plant the Sucker in Soil
Now it’s time to plant the sucker in the soil. Fill a pot or container with potting soil and create a hole in the soil. Gently insert the sucker into the hole, making sure to bury the stem up to where you removed the leaves.
This helps ensure the sucker remains stable and receives enough water and nutrients to grow.
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Step 5: Water the Sucker
Water the sucker well, but be careful not to overwater it. The soil should be moist but not waterlogged. Place the container in a warm, sunny location where the sucker can get plenty of light.
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Taking Care
Check the soil regularly to ensure it stays moist, and water the sucker when the soil starts to feel dry. Once the sucker has rooted and starts to grow new leaves, you can transplant it into a larger pot or container or into the ground if the weather permits.
With proper care, your sucker will grow into a healthy, mature tomato plant that produces delicious fruit.
Pro Tip: One of the best things about rooting tomato suckers is that you can do it again and again to create new plants. As your tomatoes grow and produce more suckers, you can repeat the process to increase your tomato yield and enjoy a continuous harvest of fresh, home-grown tomatoes.
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How to Grow Tomatoes from Suckers – Conclusion
Growing tomatoes is a rewarding and enjoyable hobby that produces delicious results. By learning how to root tomato suckers, you can make the most of your tomato plants and create a whole new generation of plants from the suckers that would otherwise go to waste.
With a little bit of care and attention, your tomato suckers will grow into mature plants that produce juicy, flavorful fruit.
