Plant emergency!

18 years ago

OK, the guys who cut my mom's yard (the reason I can't actually build raised beds, bc this is temporary and she doesn't want me to ruin her grass) used a blower near my tomato plants and knocked one over. How and why it happened, I don't know, since it was a reasonably heavy container and they had no reason to have a blower anywhere near them. Anyways, the one that fell was probably down less than an hour, but landed on a branch that was partially broken (it's unable to hold itself up--I'm using a plant tie to put it back in position--but it wasn't an open break), and another had a clean break halfway down the stem. I removed the part that was hanging and jimmied up the weak stem, but is this guy done for? Some of the leaves were curling up and crisping, and on the weak stem, a couple of leaves completely wilted in less than an hour. I made sure the soil was plenty moist, and moved it out of the direct sun to the porch where it will get partial sun. When I checked it last night (about 6 hrs after the injury) the leaves were still pretty curled up and stiff, but not like the healthy leaves on the other plants.

Should I just expect this one to die off from the injury or is there a chance for recovery? What should I do to strengthen the weak stem? It's a Celebrity, for what it's worth, about 3.5 ft tall.

Shae

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Comments (4)

dave1mn2
18 years ago
Wilted leaves may recover. I doubt anything described as crisp will.

Without pics its hard to say whether or not something is possible, or worth the trouble but under ideal conditions even a clean break can be repaired (Think grafting). A straightened out and supported kink will weaken the flow through the stem but usually scar around itself and live.

The question is whether or not the stress to the plant of the repair, is worth the expected gain from the repair vs. removal of the damaged parts. OTOH anything that adds to your experience has a value worth much more than any single plant.

Have fun!
wvtomatoman
18 years ago
I had one that was almost broken off cleanly that I repaired and brought back to health. I used a short piece of bamboo as a steak to support support the plant (keeping it up right). I used garden velcro around the stem at the break. (I've heard of people using duct tape or band aids). The important thing to remember should you decide to try to save it is to remove the "bandage" before it cuts into the stem.

BTW, several other people here have saved broken plants and have similar stories.

Good luck.

Randy
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digdirt2
18 years ago
Celebrity is a semi-determinate and will quickly develop new sucker branches that will produce fruit so the rest of the plant should be fine.

As the others have said you can splint the broken branch - assuming it's a growing tip not just a leaf branch - and it will likely heal. Or you can just cut them off and the rest of the plant will still be fine as a new sucker will develop at the V where the old branch attached to the stem.

If it is just a leaf branch you can remove it now with no harm and there is no need to try to save it. Only growth tips can be salvaged.

Either way you'll still have a productive plant. ;)

Dave
kawaii_fruit
Original Author
18 years ago
OK...whew. The leaves aren't as bad now as they were this morning, they're just a little slow to recover I guess from the hot winds yesterday (the air temp might not be hurting them too much, but the winds...) My support is still on in the right place, and no more leaves have died off, so I guess it's trying to recover. I agree that the experience will probably be more valuable than any production out of the plant, especially since we're heading into the hot-as-h*** part of the year soon, so it's more about keeping them alive rather than productive.
Thanks again.
Shae