I use a rooting hormone, with tomatoes the powder works but I usually use the liquid. www.dipngrow.com
I use a cactus/mix soil with no peat. My preference.

I haven't tried it yet, but I've read any branch you are pruning is a viable cutting to root.

Just stick the freshly cut end in water and you will see roots start along the stem in a week, then you can move the cutting to potting mix. It takes some of the stress off of just sticking it in damp potting mix to start with.

I just root mine in water too

I have read to use either the growing tip (the top of the plant) or a sucker (those mini branches in between the real branches-- have read you can do this, but have only tried the growing tip). On digdirt's advice, I stick them in a cup of water and wait for roots before putting into soil. Most of mine grew roots but one inexplicably hasn't. That way, you won't waste soil.

The size of the cut really makes a difference. I notice that larger cuts root faster ( I dont know if it is just a coincidence) but I can give an example. I had a mexico midget cherry tomato plant with like 5 stems on it and accidently snapped one off. So I just cut it and stuck it in another pot half assed (I have way to many plants to worry about just one). Just out of curiousity I pulled on it a 2 days later and it had rooted.

I also notice many of my larger clones root faster and that leaving all the leaves on the plant that aren't buried makes the plant clone faster provided you keep the humidity at 95% or higher and for the first few days spray the plants with mist 2-3 times a day.

If you make sure all the environmental factors are correct cloning should be next to 100% with tomatoes. Good luck.

It seems to be quite easy to root the cuttings. While I was working in the garden about a week or so ago I accidentally broke a branch(of good size) on one of my tomatoes. I dug a hole near the original plant and put the branch that broke off into the hole, filled the hole and did nothing else. We did get some rain over the last week...I did not supply extra water or anything though....today I saw that it is growing very nicely....getting bigger and blooming :-)

I read in Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver that you could just stick cuttings in the dirt so I tried it when one of my red grape tomatoes went gonzo and was shading everything else. I didn't water them enough and they all wilted and I thought they were dead, but they perked back up! I'm amazed :D

Good to know that it works with a regular branch! I may try that some time.

I have treid almost every thing without success, rooting compound, water, sticking moist dirt, trieed like a dirt slurry, cutting in moist soil in a plastic bag. With leaves without leaves. I have a workshop with a large window and have placed the cuttings by the window for light, no direct sunlight. I am wondering if it may be too warm it could get as high as 90 in its location. I just get withered, or moldy. Any clues will be appreciated. I Live in Central Florida Zone 9

Hi ray4805
I tried cuttings for the 1st time about 2 months ago. I took 2 suckers from 2 of my brandywines (I also tried cutting a basil), & IMMEDIATELY got each of their stems wet, used rooting compound, stuck 1 tom in 1/2 manure compost and peat moss, moistened, and the other tom in paper cup w/water to experiment. Put them in sandwich bags, twist tieing them shut. They were kept in a window in hm w/indirect lighting w/home temps (90 sounds extreme for cuttings). I opened the bags 1 - 2 times per day and breathed some fresh air into them. They rooted in both the soil and the water cup. They then came out of the bags and were ready for planting. I did the same w/the basil and it made roots along the stem like the toms. I am in zone 5, but see no difference in what zones we are, as long as the plants are brought inside. Good luck!

When I want to root suckers, I put each one as deeply as possible in a pot with potting soil (I use organic) and place it in a pan with about two inches of water, first wetting it down well. The pot is placed in my arbor where it gets partial shade. I keep the level of water up so that the soil stays moist, and very soon the leaves perk up and the plant starts growing. I have never had this method fail me - no hormones, no rooting compounds, just potting soil and water.

Once the plant looks like it's growing well and I can assume that it's developed a good root system I place the contents of the pot in the designated spot in the garden, late in the day to avoid shock, and water well for several days until it takes off. Et voilà !