growtips / stems chomped

17 years ago

Hi all,

I posted this on the Tomato Diseases forum, but thought I'd cross-post here.

I wintersowed various OP tomato seeds (Thanks, Trudi!) and transplanted them to containers with slightly old potting soil amended with manure and blood & bone meals, fed them seaweed/fish fertilizer, and they were happy enough that I took off their waterbottle hotcaps last weekend.

This Saturday I topped them off with a couple of inches of new MG organic potting mix (so the stems could grow more roots), and I didn't replace the hotcaps. Only about one or two sets of true leaves were above ground, so I probably should have.

The next day I checked on them, and 7 of the 9 plants had been bitten off at or near the growing tips, which I assume means they're goners. The remaining little stems are solid and healthy-looking, not wilted.

Could I have introduced pests via the MG organic potting mix? Are rats or mice (urban rooftop garden) possible?

At this point, I want to buy seedlings and get them going ASAP, but not if they're going to be chomped down again.

Sorry I don't have pix. All advice appreciated.

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Comments (4)

digdirt2
17 years ago
Birds. I know, everyone says "no way!" every time I say this but I have sat and watched them do it. They will snip leaves and small plant tops and carry them off for nest building this time of year. Crows, doves, bluejays, all the larger species and likely pigeons will too. Netting or some such protection prevents it.

So no, I don't think you introduced anything with your soil - cut worms would cut them off at the soil line, some caterpillars will strip off leaves and so will slugs and snails but you can see them, especially at night. And yes, so will mice and rats so some traps may be needed. So until they get some size to them you'll likely have to keep them covered in some fashion.

If your plants were indeterminates and if any leaves are left they may come back but if completely stripped I'd replace them.

Good luck

Dave
kwselke
17 years ago
I was going to say rabbits until I noticed NYC urban rooftop garden. I've never seen birds attack tomato foliage that does not mean it does not happen; but rat, mice, slug, and snail damage I have seen.
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alannyc
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks Dave and kwselke! Good to know that macro-sized protection will help. Live and learn ...

--Alan
jjs7741
17 years ago
First of all, all may not be lost. I had a moth or something eat the growing tip off my only Estler's Mortgage lifter seedling as it was getting it's first set of leaves this year. All that was left was the cotyledons and 1 of the first leaves. This leaf grew rather large which is how I noticed that the growing tip was missing. I decided to leave it alone and see what happens. It took a couple of weeks, but it grew a sucker out of the joint where the growing tip was, grew a little crooked, and was ready to set out at the same time as all my other plants. Now 5 weeks later, the plant is very robust, about 3 1/2 feet tall and has about 10 tomatoes on it and countless more blooms.

Granted the safe why to go is to get new plants, but if you have the space, you can see if these will bounce back as well. They will certainly be behind the undamaged plants, but I know with me, it is impossible to replace some of the varieties I am growing.

jj