Beginner w/cloning question
 

I want to grow some new plants from my heirloom seedlings. What's the best way to do this? I've heard these will be better, more productive than mother plants? Anyone with this experience? I've also heard this is a good way to grow a late season crop? All thoughts, hints, secrets appreciated. Thanks mucho!

When your plants are large enough, just pinch off a sucker (I usually try to get one about 4 to 6" long) and root it either in water or moist potting soil and you'll have a new plant. I do this often, but can't say that the child plant is more productive than the mother plant though. To me they seem about the same.

Good luck!

Sherry

Thanks. I took off everything (suckers, small limbs, leaves) when I planted the mother plants in their bed (buried to their tops) and have them in starter cups, hoping. If this doesn't work, guess I'll try again from the mother plants when they're bigger. Mine are all heirlooms. EML (Doreen)

[quote=ethelmertzlives;164972]Thanks. I took off everything (suckers, small limbs, leaves) when I planted the mother plants in their bed (buried to their tops) and have them in starter cups, hoping. If this doesn't work, guess I'll try again from the mother plants when they're bigger. Mine are all heirlooms. EML (Doreen)[/quote]

Doreen, sucker cuttings are really best and since this is cloning the plants from the sucker cuttings will be genetically identical to the original plant and will perform as does the mother plant.