This is called a tomato sucker. Suckers form at Y-junctions in the tomato plant. The main stem goes one way, and a branch goes another, and the sucker grows in between. If you let it, these suckers will grow tall and strong and begin to produce leaves, branches, and fruit of their own. However, for this experiment, you want to let your suckers grow to be able six inches tall, then cut them at the base of the junction.
Once you have cut your suckers, remove the bottommost leaves and place the suckers in a cup or mason jar with some clean water and put them in the sun. You can put them outside, or simply in a bright windowsill. Change the water regularly when it starts to get dirty. Within a week you will start to see roots forming on your suckers!! Once the roots are about an inch or so long, they are ready to be planted in the ground. This is an easy way to grow your garden quickly without spending any additional money!
Germination Station
Germination is the process of a seed beginning to grow. In this activity you will be able to watch how the plant and roots break free from the seed casing and start to grow! To begin, you will need paper towels, seeds, an a clear plastic bag. Take the paper towel and dampen it and place it into a clear plastic bag so it lays mostly flat. Place 7-8 seeds along one side of the bag, gently pressing them into the paper towel. Seal the bag tightly and tape it to a window. Depending on what seeds you used, within a day, the seeds should start to sprout! After a week or two, the first leaves should start to emerge and the seed is ready to be planted in the ground!