What do you mean by nurses them on them on the patio?

When the original poster said he/she "nursed" them on the patio, I think he/she meant he/she kept a close eye on them and cared for them before transplanting them.

If you put a cut tomato branch in water, it'll start growing new roots.

exactly. I have used just water but I now keep the suckers in very moist potting soil in large size Styrofoam cups for several days and harden them off to the sun just like transplants. I didn't mark the dates but I think they were in the cups about ten days before putting them into the big containers.

big...who makes that 6-12-12 you are using? I like that ratio.

What size are the suckers when you take them from the plant and how deep do you plant the sucker tip in the potting soil.

Thx

I get the 6-12-12 in 40 or 50 lb bags at Southern States but Wal-Mart has it in small boxes in the garden center. I pullsuckers bigger than some say....maybe 12" and push it all the way down to the bottom of the big size Styrofoam cup which leaves about 4-5 inches protruding. Keep it wet and there will be lots of roots in a week to ten days.

It is much faster and easier to do it from cutting/suckers than from seed, if you have a plant to begin with. I have done a Husky cherry. It has a full size fruit and more smaller ones.

I like to root in water and then plant. Though you can do it in soil too. The advantage of rooting in water is that you can actually see if it is working. In the soil you cannot.