Just straighten that stem up and tape it back together. It will be fine.
total_pursuit
Bury it 8ā deep. Might come back. Tomatoes are very resilient
KTO519
iāve never used a tomato cage i use old bamboo sticks. you just used improper ties and made them too tight and too low
On_The_Isthmus
Keep trying the stem loosely higher up as it continues to grow up. You might need a bigger pole eventually, but that can be anythingā¦ a bamboo stake, a random pipe, a branch from a tree, a ski pole, a hockey stick, have your significant other stand there until fall… Your options are endless.
Leading-Job4263
Use some zip ties not tightened all the way to secure it upright
BackFew5485
Look into the Florida weave as a support method. I used cheap tomato cages last year and learned my lesson. Here is what they look like in application. It is well worth the investment. Donāt mind the weeds, itās been raining here non stop for the last two months so I havenāt had the chance to really get after them.
Honestly tomato cages are so cheap, itās worth it to not have to worry. Check your dollar tree in the spring next year, the ones near me sell them for $1.25. I bought some from Home Depot Iāve been reusing for 10+ years and only cost $5 or so each.
We tie ours to bamboo buried 24′ deep. Stretchy fabric ties every 6″ on the main vine. Garden twine for the suckers, every 12″ or so. Do a figure eight with the line so the twine can’t slip up and down as easy. When possible, wrap the line at a node between an established sucker and the leaf branch so the line can’t slip and down at all.
kmfix
And you can let it continue to grow like a vine as it would naturally. An option
JustJesseA
Ugh my stupid tomato cages can not even hold my monstrosities. Gonna try the Florida wave next year.
Angylisis
I start out tying that low and as they grow, I tie new ones higher up. This will prevent them falling over. I agree it can be salvaged.
LeanTangerine001
If itās too damaged, you might be able to strip off the lowest two branches of leaves and stick the stem into a pot with soil.
They root very well, so you may be able to save the top half and when itās sprouted enough roots you can then take it out of the pot and bury it in the same spot!
TellOleBill
I broke my tallest tomato plant clean in half when moving it from the pot to the garden bed. I planted the two parts next to each other expecting neither to survive. Now I have two strong tomato plants about ready to fruit.
fireanthead
If it makes you feel better – I have a proper tomato cage and my plant still took a tumble in storm winds last night š„²
stemurph88
Propagate
Davekinney0u812
I wouldnāt use a tomato cage for any tomato either determinate or indeterminate. Other than a 6ā tall (at least), wide cattle panel square cage. Honestly, I believe they are totally useless
Embarrassed-Push2800
Tomatoās are ground dwellers so if you start them off w support it will take them a minute to acclimate ā¤ļø
East_Law_4289
I have great luck with the Florida weave method or letting them run wild on the ground although the later is a bit of an experiment.
ghuunhound
Either straighten and tape, or cut and replant and eventually have two tomato plants
Misfitranchgoats
Hey, if you pulled that part off, you can still root it back in moist soild. Gotta keep it moist all the time, but it will most likely grow roots and keep growing. The part that is still in the ground may send up new shoots and grow an whole other plant.
leanderland
i couldāve posted this myself except i have 4x more tomatoes in a smaller space, itās a disaster! glad iām not alone though š
Mundane-Touch-9303
Tape it up and itāll keep growing
Important-Panic1344
Itās still good. Just a little flesh wound
Slarty8artfast
You done need an expensive cage, but you do need better support than that. Use the same bamboo sticks to make a teepee around the plant keeping your central support stick in the middle along the stem. Place them so you have to bend them inward with some resistance, then tie them all together crossing each other at the top with the center stick. Tie any other branches sticking out to any of the side poles. Works great.
New-Media7628
I use 8ā T posts. Plenty tall and sturdy.
therobotisjames
I grow my tomatoes like this. Just get a roll of Velcro and every foot Velcro it to the pole. Do it as it grows. Grows 18 inches, Velcro the 12. Then when it out grows the pole tie a rope to the top of the pole to a tree or fence and keep Velcroing it on the rope.
Spare_Objective9697
I tie mine on bamboo like this. Your ties are too tight! You have to let the plant have room to move up the stake as it grows. Also, I keep tying up the stake as it grows. One tomato plant last year was tied like 12 times in different areas up the stake.
Elastic band. Lifetime supply for $10-$15. Holds somewhat tight, but when wind blows or plant shifts, it has plenty of stretch to it.
I have infinite bamboo, but you can use t-posts or furring strips or whatever you have lying around that will stay in the ground.
Repulsive-Bend8283
You have 5 tomatoes now. More stakes.
sheetmetaltom
Tie it back up and mound the dirt up
W-h3x
Go to the woods .. get sticks… Build stands. If woods not available, snap some limbs. Make stand.
Don’t buy stuff when nature is free.
FireMama420
Or, you could leave the stem lying down and cover the bottom with soil. The entire stem will send out roots and you could have more tomatoes than you can handle.
Bebebaubles
You donāt need a cage. I just make sure to tie it at multiple points of a stake or trellis. Iāve been using those clips on Amazon but string also works.
xtr_terrestrial
If you donāt want to use a cage, you can use a stage. Youāll need a much thicker and sturdier stake than this. Youāll also need to tie the main stem as it grow. Donāt just tie one area, tie the whole way up as it grows. Lastly, youāll need to trim branches as it grows so that it doesnāt get too heavy.
You can grow without a cage, it just requires more time and maintenance and a better stake.
Also donāt tie it too tight. Leave slack to grow into.
Tippychell
Iāve made that mistake a few times.
AbaloneNo2375
I made the same mistake and my tomatoes turned into a giant ball of vines. I tried to put them in cages and straighten things out but ended up having tomatoes/stems fall off. I just left them alone. They seem happy.
iamrachaellee
We had a terrible wind and rain storm come through and it wrecked one side of my tomatoes. The plant was partially inside of the trellis but half the plant appeared to be crushed at the stem and hanging over. It was fully loaded with baby cherry tomatoes. I just propped it back up and supported it with a tie made from netting. The plant never skipped a beat and Iām still getting tomatoes off of that broken vine! As long as it doesnāt physically snap to where itās fully open or sheared off, you should be good! They can mend deep bends, partial splits, etc., it gets a harder callously type stem where it self mends. I feel like tomatoes are more prone to deep bends vs easily breaking. Wish everything in my garden was as heartyā¦ lol
RiderFZ10
I use sunflower stalks from last season. Free sticks!
jussumdumguy
Orā¦ if you just let it do tomato things, itāll fall over, pop new roots out wherever it lands, and continue doing tomato things
Unknown_human_4
Similar thing happened to me in my greenhouse! I decided to leave it as it was and this leader has so many trusses with just this small bit still connected š
Peter_Falcon
in the UK we have this wonderful invention called garden twine
207Menace
Tomatoes are the most forgiving plants. You can either stick that stem in water after a few days plant it or you can graft it using masking tape to the og plant.
DragonfruitKey3666
You got potatoes š„ growing? You know that you can graft a tomato plant onto a potato plant. Helps keep certain pests away too!
Brian-OBlivion
Just tie it up higher. lol
daddysgirlsub41
Use something soft, I’ve used strips of fabric, tied in a figure 8 somewhat loosely around the stalk and the stake, at increments as the plant grows. It’s good to tie under stems with fruit to provide support for the fruiting stem. Each stalk should be tied and supported as they grow – for indeterminates i would typically have 3 main stalks from each plant and thus 3 stakes to support each. Cages are easier, but I find staking allows me better access to the plant, and cages may come with certain height restrictions that stakes might not, but they’re great for determinates.
armas187
When this happens I just cut it off and stick it back in the dirt it will sprout roots from the stem very quickly.
46 Comments
Just straighten that stem up and tape it back together. It will be fine.
Bury it 8ā deep. Might come back. Tomatoes are very resilient
iāve never used a tomato cage i use old bamboo sticks. you just used improper ties and made them too tight and too low
Keep trying the stem loosely higher up as it continues to grow up. You might need a bigger pole eventually, but that can be anythingā¦ a bamboo stake, a random pipe, a branch from a tree, a ski pole, a hockey stick, have your significant other stand there until fall… Your options are endless.
Use some zip ties not tightened all the way to secure it upright
Look into the Florida weave as a support method. I used cheap tomato cages last year and learned my lesson. Here is what they look like in application. It is well worth the investment. Donāt mind the weeds, itās been raining here non stop for the last two months so I havenāt had the chance to really get after them.
https://preview.redd.it/jvuj51hfjcaf1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1fa60c9585c4de1be65047b2420078a2469a633b
Honestly tomato cages are so cheap, itās worth it to not have to worry. Check your dollar tree in the spring next year, the ones near me sell them for $1.25. I bought some from Home Depot Iāve been reusing for 10+ years and only cost $5 or so each.
https://preview.redd.it/39djwnnrrcaf1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b61610a142941abe3cd2d8cada2e3f3c5c909323
We tie ours to bamboo buried 24′ deep. Stretchy fabric ties every 6″ on the main vine. Garden twine for the suckers, every 12″ or so. Do a figure eight with the line so the twine can’t slip up and down as easy. When possible, wrap the line at a node between an established sucker and the leaf branch so the line can’t slip and down at all.
And you can let it continue to grow like a vine as it would naturally. An option
Ugh my stupid tomato cages can not even hold my monstrosities. Gonna try the Florida wave next year.
I start out tying that low and as they grow, I tie new ones higher up. This will prevent them falling over. I agree it can be salvaged.
If itās too damaged, you might be able to strip off the lowest two branches of leaves and stick the stem into a pot with soil.
They root very well, so you may be able to save the top half and when itās sprouted enough roots you can then take it out of the pot and bury it in the same spot!
I broke my tallest tomato plant clean in half when moving it from the pot to the garden bed. I planted the two parts next to each other expecting neither to survive. Now I have two strong tomato plants about ready to fruit.
If it makes you feel better – I have a proper tomato cage and my plant still took a tumble in storm winds last night š„²
Propagate
I wouldnāt use a tomato cage for any tomato either determinate or indeterminate. Other than a 6ā tall (at least), wide cattle panel square cage. Honestly, I believe they are totally useless
Tomatoās are ground dwellers so if you start them off w support it will take them a minute to acclimate ā¤ļø
I have great luck with the Florida weave method or letting them run wild on the ground although the later is a bit of an experiment.
Either straighten and tape, or cut and replant and eventually have two tomato plants
Hey, if you pulled that part off, you can still root it back in moist soild. Gotta keep it moist all the time, but it will most likely grow roots and keep growing. The part that is still in the ground may send up new shoots and grow an whole other plant.
i couldāve posted this myself except i have 4x more tomatoes in a smaller space, itās a disaster! glad iām not alone though š
Tape it up and itāll keep growing
Itās still good. Just a little flesh wound
You done need an expensive cage, but you do need better support than that. Use the same bamboo sticks to make a teepee around the plant keeping your central support stick in the middle along the stem. Place them so you have to bend them inward with some resistance, then tie them all together crossing each other at the top with the center stick. Tie any other branches sticking out to any of the side poles. Works great.
I use 8ā T posts. Plenty tall and sturdy.
I grow my tomatoes like this. Just get a roll of Velcro and every foot Velcro it to the pole. Do it as it grows. Grows 18 inches, Velcro the 12. Then when it out grows the pole tie a rope to the top of the pole to a tree or fence and keep Velcroing it on the rope.
I tie mine on bamboo like this. Your ties are too tight! You have to let the plant have room to move up the stake as it grows. Also, I keep tying up the stake as it grows. One tomato plant last year was tied like 12 times in different areas up the stake.
https://preview.redd.it/pzf05pr9fdaf1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6103af9139c9fe8531f85dda7667361e2f6efd5f
Elastic band. Lifetime supply for $10-$15. Holds somewhat tight, but when wind blows or plant shifts, it has plenty of stretch to it.
I have infinite bamboo, but you can use t-posts or furring strips or whatever you have lying around that will stay in the ground.
You have 5 tomatoes now. More stakes.
Tie it back up and mound the dirt up
Go to the woods .. get sticks… Build stands.
If woods not available, snap some limbs. Make stand.
Don’t buy stuff when nature is free.
Or, you could leave the stem lying down and cover the bottom with soil. The entire stem will send out roots and you could have more tomatoes than you can handle.
You donāt need a cage. I just make sure to tie it at multiple points of a stake or trellis. Iāve been using those clips on Amazon but string also works.
If you donāt want to use a cage, you can use a stage. Youāll need a much thicker and sturdier stake than this. Youāll also need to tie the main stem as it grow. Donāt just tie one area, tie the whole way up as it grows. Lastly, youāll need to trim branches as it grows so that it doesnāt get too heavy.
You can grow without a cage, it just requires more time and maintenance and a better stake.
Also donāt tie it too tight. Leave slack to grow into.
Iāve made that mistake a few times.
I made the same mistake and my tomatoes turned into a giant ball of vines. I tried to put them in cages and straighten things out but ended up having tomatoes/stems fall off. I just left them alone. They seem happy.
We had a terrible wind and rain storm come through and it wrecked one side of my tomatoes. The plant was partially inside of the trellis but half the plant appeared to be crushed at the stem and hanging over. It was fully loaded with baby cherry tomatoes. I just propped it back up and supported it with a tie made from netting. The plant never skipped a beat and Iām still getting tomatoes off of that broken vine! As long as it doesnāt physically snap to where itās fully open or sheared off, you should be good! They can mend deep bends, partial splits, etc., it gets a harder callously type stem where it self mends. I feel like tomatoes are more prone to deep bends vs easily breaking. Wish everything in my garden was as heartyā¦ lol
I use sunflower stalks from last season. Free sticks!
Orā¦ if you just let it do tomato things, itāll fall over, pop new roots out wherever it lands, and continue doing tomato things
Similar thing happened to me in my greenhouse! I decided to leave it as it was and this leader has so many trusses with just this small bit still connected š
in the UK we have this wonderful invention called garden twine
Tomatoes are the most forgiving plants. You can either stick that stem in water after a few days plant it or you can graft it using masking tape to the og plant.
You got potatoes š„ growing? You know that you can graft a tomato plant onto a potato plant. Helps keep certain pests away too!
Just tie it up higher. lol
Use something soft, I’ve used strips of fabric, tied in a figure 8 somewhat loosely around the stalk and the stake, at increments as the plant grows. It’s good to tie under stems with fruit to provide support for the fruiting stem. Each stalk should be tied and supported as they grow – for indeterminates i would typically have 3 main stalks from each plant and thus 3 stakes to support each. Cages are easier, but I find staking allows me better access to the plant, and cages may come with certain height restrictions that stakes might not, but they’re great for determinates.
When this happens I just cut it off and stick it back in the dirt it will sprout roots from the stem very quickly.