Growing toms from side shoots

[Marb67]

I still have some toms in the greenhouse that have healthy sideshoots. I was wondering if i planted them in small pots and kept in the house if thye would make a good head start on a plant next year. Particulary as they will be more hardy ?

[darcyvuqua]

I did this last year they produced a few toms but were more leggy than the summer toms not worth the space to produce ratio for me


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[veggiechicken]

I've tried keeping plants and rooting shoots in water through winter. I'm not going to bother this year - just not worth giving up windowsill space for.
Try it Marb, you may be more successful than me

[Two_Sheds]

Particulary as they will be more hardy ?

what makes you say that? Tomatoes aren't hardy, they're very tender; having them as houseplants would make them more tender, not less

*puzzled*

[Marb67]

Well they have been in the cold greenhouse since temps dropped hence hardened.

[veggiechicken]

Even if they're "hardened" they'll be completely "softened" if you bring them indoors for the winter.

[redser]

I reckon it's worth it just for the experiment value. But in truth, best off sowing new seeds in late winter for early crops or Spring for normal crops.

[rustylady]

Even if they're "hardened" they'll be completely "softened" if you bring them indoors for the winter.

And if you leave them in an unheated greenhouse the frost will kill them.

[Shadylane]

Mine aren't tender - they're well hard, northern tommies. We had a frost t'other day and they pointed and laughed, while refusing to wear a coat. Seriously though, I tried it one year - pinched off the tops and kept them on the windowsill all winter. They were rubbish as I recall, so personally I wouldn't bother.

[RedThorn]

The only reason to do this that I know is to guarantee a variety you cannot get the seeds for anymore......


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[Penellype]

I've currently got 4 Shirley plants on my sitting room windowsill (in 1litre pots and facing southwest) which have been there all summer. I've cut down the shoots that have finished fruiting and let new ones grow up from the base one or 2 at a time, stopping them at one truss. Each plant currently has between 4 and 8 tomatoes in varying stages of ripeness and new shoots are continuing to grow and flower. I did this last year and had ripe tomatoes at Christmas, but not much after that and I then threw the plants away.