An expert fruit and vegetable gardener shared a tip on TikTok that one commenter called an "infinite food glitch."
Joe's Garden (@joesgarden) noted "you can use just one small tomato plant from the store to give you an unlimited supply of fresh tomatoes."
The scoop
The first step is to find a cheap starter plant. Joe advised putting it in a larger pot with quality soil. When it's grown a few feet, "the magic happens," he said.
@joesgarden Today we are back, and I am showing you how to grow unlimited tomatoes, from just one cheap tomato plant from the store. This technique is super simple and will guarantee you the exact same variety as the mother plant. Plus it's great if you don't have room to start loads if seeds 😊🌱 This time of the year you can buy loads of tomao plants, but you truly only need one. Anyone can use this method, as honestly its super simple to do. Simply pot out gour tomato plant and soon it will grow. You will notice sixe shoots or suckers (as they are sometimes called) forming. These can be found between the main stem and the side branch. They need to be removed, to give your plant the best chance of a bumper harvest, but make sure you keep them. By propagating them in fresh water you can grow roots, from these otherwise discarded plants. By then potting these cuttings in good soil, you can grow an exact clone of the mother plant. And trust me this is far quicker than starting from seed! #tomato #plants #growyourownfood #plantbased #zerowaste #diy #garden #gardening #gardentips ♬ Married Life (From "Up") - Geek Music
"Locate a side shoot from the stem and the branch, and snip them all off. Place these cuttings in fresh water, and soon roots will appear," he continued. "Snip off these lower branches and then pot them nice and deep in a good soil. Continue to grow on these cuttings, and very soon you will end up with a genetically identical tomato garden, giving you a bountiful harvest all summer long."
How it's helping
Gardening can save you money on produce, improve your mental and physical health, and reduce your environmental impact. Tomatoes are popular among home gardeners because they are easy to grow and provide a great return on your investment.
You won't have to spend a fistful of dollars a week for a mere pint of the fruit, and Mother Earth will also thank you for lessening the demand for the mass-produced, globally shipped produce.
What's more, you will know what went into growing your tomatoes, reducing the chance that you consume pesticides with your bounty.
Many tout the taste of freshly picked tomatoes as well, and they provide vitamin C, potassium, and fiber in addition to lycopene, "a powerful antioxidant that helps protect against heart disease, cancer, and other chronic diseases," according to Roger's Gardens.
If you're looking to start growing your own food, check out this guide.
What everyone's saying
"Now me and my tomotos can take over the world!" one commenter joked.
Another wrote, "Got my plant for 2$ Clearance and I'm getting so many tomatoes."
"I DID NOT KNOW THEY COULD BE PROPAGATED. IVE BEEN THROWNING THOSE AWAAAYYYYY," a third TikToker lamented. "Please tell us more vegetable propagations."
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