Grow an Infinite Amount of Tomato Plants from One Plant!!!

[Bettyboop7499]

One interesting thing to try with the vine is as it grows longer, slowly overtime clip off small branches (you can clone them) and bury the stalk/trunk/main stem of the tomato plant. It will grow roots, meaning the entire plant has a larger root system so it will keep growing larger and longer, so more nutrients shoot through it. Don't do it on all of them or if you only have one. It takes a while and it stunts growth and fruit growth. They do that it hydroponic green houses.

So, you would not stake the plant up & just let it crawl along the ground? Does it produce any fruit or does all it's energy go into spreading? I planted a ton of seeds so if they are successful I am going to try it. I'll take pictures to share.

Do you know if strawberries behave the same way? I planted three plant last year and all they did was spread which is good for this year cause I have a bed full of plants but they didn't flower! Thinking they were focusing on spreading instead of producing I cut some of the vines... so far the plants have gotten bigger more lush And, I think I have buds!?! I hope I didn't screw up!

 

[Nelson-Collier]

So, you would not stake the plant up & just let it crawl along the ground? Does it produce any fruit or does all it's energy go into spreading? I planted a ton of seeds so if they are successful I am going to try it. I'll take pictures to share.

Do you know if strawberries behave the same way? I planted three plant last year and all they did was spread which is good for this year cause I have a bed full of plants but they didn't flower! Thinking they were focusing on spreading instead of producing I cut some of the vines... so far the plants have gotten bigger more lush And, I think I have buds!?! I hope I didn't screw up!

Sorry, wish I could help with the strawberries! Last time I had grown them was about 8 years ago when I was 8 years old.

For the tomato vine (I might could draw a diagram but I can't right now so I will best try to explain it)
Basically you let it grow 2 feet (planted in the ground, I hope) clip the branches off in a one foot area with sharp scissors or pruning shears, dig a small hole beside the base of the plant, bend it to the side (like you would tip it over) put it in the hole just enough for some leaves and stalk/stem to be above ground, put dirt in the trench/hole, water it, and put a couple of rocks on it so it doesn't pop back up. In a day or two it will straighten up and the freshly buried stalk will begin developing new roots. The plant will grow fruit, it just slows down the maturing. It gets more nutrients this way (more roots) and might even pop new sprouts. Overall I wouldn't do this too much or it will stunt the flowering cycl. If you have a lot of vine tomatoes you could use one as a guinea pig and experiment with it.

 

[Nelson-Collier]

You stake it up every time you finish putting a new stock in the ground. Sorry for not answering I didn't understand when I read. When you are satisfied with the length you can let it climb a trellis. I also recommend some YouTube videos since I can't show you

 

[Bettyboop7499]

Sorry, wish I could help with the strawberries! Last time I had grown them was about 8 years ago when I was 8 years old.

For the tomato vine (I might could draw a diagram but I can't right now so I will best try to explain it)
Basically you let it grow 2 feet (planted in the ground, I hope) clip the branches off in a one foot area with sharp scissors or pruning shears, dig a small hole beside the base of the plant, bend it to the side (like you would tip it over) put it in the hole just enough for some leaves and stalk/stem to be above ground, put dirt in the trench/hole, water it, and put a couple of rocks on it so it doesn't pop back up. In a day or two it will straighten up and the freshly buried stalk will begin developing new roots. The plant will grow fruit, it just slows down the maturing. It gets more nutrients this way (more roots) and might even pop new sprouts. Overall I wouldn't do this too much or it will stunt the flowering cycl. If you have a lot of vine tomatoes you could use one as a guinea pig and experiment with it.

Got it! It is exactly what I do with my house plant, I bend it to the soil clip it down with a wide hair pin and it grows roots and spreads beautifully!

So you are only sixteen? That is great! I'm always impressed with youth who are so envolved with growing their own food especially in today's society! Good job!

 

[Nelson-Collier]

Thank you, I really appreciate it, it means a lot, especially with many other people on this forum getting the foolish idea that I have no knowledge whatsoever because of my age. It's quite depressing.

 

[Nelson-Collier]

I'm sick with some stomach bug so I get that... I just cut off a branch on one of my tomato plants and was thinking I should've planted it yesterday, instead I just tossed it. I wasn't thinking that's for sure.

Hey, how's that stomach? Are you doing alright now?

 

[Kris5902]

Strawberries also propagate by runners, and when you remove the runners it gets the mother plant to focus more on its own growth/fruiting. Im also so very happy to see younger people getting involved in food production and gardening. I started working in indoor growing and greenhouses in my teens, and have now finally have *almost* accomplished my lifelong ambition to have a farm. It will never be done, there’s always more to do and more to grow and learn about. Don’t discount all the advice of your elders, but also don’t be constrained by it. The worst that can happen is you fail, and maybe kill some plants along the way... but you might find something that works even better than the “way it’s always been done” you never know!

 

[chkva]

Hey, how's that stomach? Are you doing alright now?

I'm doing better I think it was just a 24 hour stomach bug... People were joking I have salmonella there's so many articles being published lately saying backyard chickens are the main cause of it! Every time I see one my eyes roll

Hope you're doing better too!

 

[Kris5902]

People were joking I have salmonella there's so many articles being published lately saying backyard chickens are the main cause of it!

Stop licking your chickens! Kids these days! (Joking!)

Every time one of my friends says something about tide pods I feel I need to remind them that our generation is why you can’t buy baby turtles for $.25 anymore... something about kids putting them into their moths and salmonella... we just didn’t have social media or the internet to record our stupidity for posterity.

 

[Nelson-Collier]

Stop licking your chickens! Kids these days! (Joking!)

Every time one of my friends says something about tide pods I feel I need to remind them that our generation is why you can’t buy baby turtles for $.25 anymore... something about kids putting them into their moths and salmonella... we just didn’t have social media or the internet to record our stupidity for posterity.

Great joke! ROFL