A how-to video describing the techniques for taking cuttings from existing tomato plants, potting them up and growing new plants from your cuttings.
Question by ROCKER_CHICK: What are these tiny white worms in my tomato plant?
I was looking at the soil in my tomato plant and there a bunch of little tiny white worm type things. I mean really really tiny. They squirm around, they are a white color, near the top of the soil and like I said, they are tiny. Not only are they small but they are very thin too. I’ve looked every where and still don’t know what they are. Will they hurt my plants?
I heard that a hydrogen peroxide/water solution will kill the fungus gnat larvae without harming the plant. Is this true?
Best answer:
Answer by hmmmm.
What you’re looking at are most likely not worms at all but rather the larvae of fungus gnats or sciarid flies, these feed on organic matter in the soil and don’t cause a large amount of damage to established plants but can attack the small roots of young seedlings and cuttings. Good ways to avoid fungus gnat infestation are to go for loam based composts and cover the soil surface with grit to deter adult flies from laying. Some people recommend an imidacloprid soak to combat fungus gnats, although i’m not sure i’d want to use this on edibles. Another alternative is a nematode treatment, if you can get hold of it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fungus_gnat
http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/advice/pests_and_diseases/nonflash_index.shtml?black_fungus_gnats
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Thanks for the information! I hope to try this.
You’re probably right! I start the season with best intentions, propping up branches with stakes and cloth ties, but they always get ahead of me. I like the idea of a heavy duty wire cage. It won’t be this season, though. I’m letting the veggie garden go fallow, and planting tomatoes in containers on the deck.
Looks like your garden could use some concrete wire remesh cages. I think the main reason the tomato have diseased leaves on the bottom branches is lack of air flow. If they were trellised with concrete wire cages about 4 ft high the bottoms could stay clear.
As for the cutting propagation, yes, they probably were diseased to start, but next time you could skip the plastic bag and root directly in a pot of moist soil free mix in a location that gets morning sun/ afternoon shade.
Sorry for not being clearer on that regard. You can use scissors or a hand clippers (bypass type). Just snip off a branch around 6″ in length from the branch tip. Let me know if that clarifies. Thanks for viewing our video. Robert
How about HOW TO CUT the cuttings? We couldn’t see how he cut them.
I grow tomatoes in my house during the winter with only one issue. The leaves can dry out a little so I started misting them in the morning. Other than that, pretty easy.
A good suggestion.
Looks to me when he made his cuttings he mixed up his varieties. Separate and mark them as you make cuttings!
bonjour, merci pour vos conseils
What if you just stick them in water – easier and faster root development? Thx
Yes, I’m sure you’re right. Thanks for the input. I’d try again this fall, but my tomatoes look so bad from the heat and drought, I think I’ll let them die in peace this fall.
I’m growing tomatoes indoors up in the Rocky Mountains. A shop light can work for starting seedlings but to propagate, you need more lumens that they can put out. I would suggest a T5 or CFL type light. I started my seeds using a CFL desk lamp. They are now under a 4′, 4 tube fixture and growing well. My Principie Borghese is doing very well. You do need to switch from cool white lights for propagation and vegetative growth and then switch to warm lights for blooms and fruiting.
Good idea with the plastic bags instead of trying to work plastic wrap over the top. Stinks to hear they didn’t turn out the way you wanted them :(. Maybe next time a grow light placed just above the plants would help? Happy gardening.
Enjoyed your video. I’ll have to give it a try. I subscribed; I hope you do the same. Thanks for sharing.
I used gallon bags. You can use any kind of clear plastic, though, as long as it’s large enough to cover the plant and make the seal at the rim of the pot. Thanks for your interest.
What size freezer bags fit best with what size plastic pot? At least they looked like ziplock-type freezer bags you have there.
That’s right. It kept me off the streets, anyway! At least the cuttings took, which was the point of the video.
Nothing ventured…..
Not well. The plants grew to about 2-3 ft, but then succumbed to a disease, or more likely nutrient deficiency. I did grow some lettuce indoors and got a few meals from that. I think more light than I provided is the answer. I just used shop lights with regular fluorescents. I think tomatoes need stronger light source.
So how did it go?