A story for others that worry if their plants can recover.
So about 2 weeks ago my Aunt Ruby's German Green (center of photo), who was 3 feet at the time, snapped clean off from its base. Was totally my fault – I tied it's trellis string too tightly when planting and it self decapitated. First timer rookie mistake.
In a panic, I dug down about a foot and just planted the whole thing back again. Mounded up the soil to try and promote new roots as far up the stem as I could, but I was sure it was a goner. I didn't baby it too much, just gave it some extra support and some fertilizer and let the tomato gods do their will. And for a few days she looked rough, and on the verge of death- dried leaves, drooping stems. Chalked her demise up to a hard learning lesson.
But the last 5 or 6 days ago she is perked right back up and there is tons of new growth. I am stunned that such a traumatic injury to the main stem didn't kill the little buggar. While I lost a ton of blooms I am hoping I might have enough season left to get one or two tomatoes out of her. And even if not, I'm just happy she's along for the ride. Quite a lesson in how keen these plants are to survive, and that maybe I need to trust they know how to do their own thing and to stop worrying so much.
by magpieclearwater
3 Comments
Don’t jinx it! July and August are pest and disease months!
Every time I propagate a big “sucker” for a new plant it droops, plays dead and after most would throw it out they pop back up as the roots come in. So cool! Congratulations! Your instincts paid off!
That’s mega! I had 2 plants fall and snap at their bases this year, both only clinging on by external fiber, one was around 5ft tall, the other 2 ft. I taped the area with painters tape and stabilised the trunks with additional stakes, they barely even wilted and are doing great now. Tomatoes really are ghetto divas, that can take so much but can also be so temperamental 😄