Question: I understand that I can root tomato plants from cuttings. How do I do it?

Answer: Sometimes you have a really good spring tomato plant, and you either can’t find the same variety for your June or July planting for fall harvest, or you don’t know exactly what type you have. Those are times when you might want to root new plants from stem-tip cuttings. Take 4- or 5-inch cuttings from the ends of the growing shoots. Root them in a loose, highly organic potting soil, one cutting per 4-inch flower pot. Keep them in bright shade until they root (7 to 10 days), then get them acclimatized to the sun and heat before you set them into the garden. You’ll be amazed at how quickly they’ll develop new roots. They should be ready for setting into the garden within 15 to 20 days. You may be surprised at how durable they are to sun and heat right from the start, much more so than young succulent seedlings you might find in the nursery.