Even though the dwarf tamarillo is considered an exotic plant, it can be propagated quite easily, even by beginners. You can choose between sowing and propagating through cuttings, depending on your preferences.
How to propagate a dwarf tamarillo?
The dwarf tamarillo is propagated either by sowing cleaned seeds in a potting soil and sand mixture or by cuttings that are planted in a sand and peat mixture. Both methods require warm and humid conditions.
Where do I get the seeds?
You can get the dwarf tamarillo seeds from specialist retailers, for example from special seed dealers on the Internet, or from your own plant, which, by the way, is not hardy. To do this, let the fruits fully ripen; they will then be bright yellow. The harvest season begins quite early in the year.
New fruits continue to ripen throughout the summer, so you can harvest for a long time. Be sure to clean the pulp from the seeds so that they do not start to rot. If you don't want to sow straight away, let the seeds dry.
The sowing
Distribute the seeds on a mixture of potting soil and sand and sprinkle a little substrate over them. Keep the seeds evenly moist at at least 23°C. The cultivation pots should be bright.
How and where do I get cuttings?
Cut the cuttings from your own dwarf tamarillo or ask another garden owner about them. Make sure that the cuttings are fresh, otherwise they will root poorly or not at all. You can also search the fresh pruning in the fall for usable cuttings. You can support root formation if necessary with rooting powder (€8.00 on Amazon).
Propagation by cuttings
Cut some strong and he althy shoots from the dwarf tamarillo. They should be around 15 to 20 centimeters long. Stick the shoots in a sand-peat mixture or a mixture of potting soil and sand. If you keep the substrate constantly moist and warm, the cuttings will usually root quite quickly. The ideal place for this is warm and partially shaded.
The most important things in brief:
- Sowing possible all year round, but more sensible in spring
- Soak seeds in lukewarm water for approx. 2 to 3 hours
- only cover thinly with substrate
- keep moist but not wet
- Germination temperature: at least 23 °C
- Place cuttings warm and partially shaded
- also keep moist
Tip
When propagating from cuttings, you get exactly the same plants as the mother plant and can harvest the following year.
