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Repairing Plants

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Repairing Plants

Mon 4-Jul-11
11:00 pm

Tim

Salisbury, Wiltshire

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Does anyone know if tomato plants can be repaired if, for instance, someone was racing down the drive on a wet and dry hoover which went out of control and crashed into the tomatoes?

This is of course a hypothetical scenario you understand and hasn't happened I just might be in trouble if the wife came home to see the plant held together with a dandelion leaf and stinging nettle string.

Well, that didn't go quite as expected

Mon 4-Jul-11
11:10 pm

Original Redhead

Bulgaria

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Hoover racing .................. is that the new lawnmower racing?

Failing is not a fault, refusing to try is

Mon 4-Jul-11
11:19 pm

Terrier

York

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Hi Tim

Has the stem completely snapped, if so, there's a chance it might resprout from below but above is lost. However, if it's still hanging together then it may continue to grow, - hope the same can be said for you after the Mrs sees it.

Tue 5-Jul-11
6:17 am

Hattie

Bucks/Oxon Border

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If the top has severed beyond repair you can try planting it as a cutting, as you can any side branch you want to remove from the main stem. If the conditions are good they will soon grow roots & you will have new plants which will fruit. I have done this several times. You have to cosset the cuttings for a couple of weeks, making sure they don't dry out.

PS. Remove all the lower leaves & bury about 9" below soil level in a deep pot. I also rub a little of the outer surface off....this encourages root production.

Good luck, hope your wife doesn't run you over with the hoover.......... whistle

"The beautiful is as useful as the useful...perhaps more so."

from Les Miserables

Tue 5-Jul-11
9:28 am

danast

Argyll, Scotland

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wave I've done this too Hattie, on several occasions and it works very well. I do hope the plants can be saved.

Old teachers never die, they just lose their class

Tue 5-Jul-11
10:45 am

maggenpie

Cornwall, UK

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I sellotaped the stem of a self seeded tomato last year. It was hanging by a thread but not completely severed. Took a while to recover and I kept it covered for extra humidity, but it did survive.

I can't say it gave much in the way of fruit but I could blame that on the ducks continuing to sit on it after I took the protection away. doh

Never assume anything - except an occasional air of intelligence.

Tue 5-Jul-11
11:08 am

Hattie

Bucks/Oxon Border

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wave I have never used sellotape but have used duct-tape. Recently I use one of those bunji (or is it bungee) cords to help hold a splint to a broken branch of my apricot tree. It was so heavily laden with fruit it almost snapped in a high wind. The fruit seems to be ripening OK so far. I was desperate not to loose any of my harvest. I use these cords a lot in my garden. Last year I started training one of my apple trees into a free standing screen using these stretchy cords to tie them in place on a frame I made out of very long bamboo poles. That tree has so many more apples on it this year due to the pruning & training of the branches. I think I will prune & retrain my 2 Morello cherry trees now I have picked all the fruit. They are very tall & spindly at the moment.

"The beautiful is as useful as the useful...perhaps more so."

from Les Miserables

Tue 5-Jul-11
11:29 am

maggenpie

Cornwall, UK

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How did we manage before sellotape (or cheapo imitation, but you know what I mean), duct-tape and the like?

I've even mended little birds legs with a bit of sticky tape wrapping. No splint required.

I like your inventive use of bungee cords Nadine.

wave Tim, I hope you'll let us know what happens?

Never assume anything - except an occasional air of intelligence.

Tue 5-Jul-11
2:29 pm

Toffeeapple

North Bucks

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I have used plastic straws in the past, slit down the length, placed over the broken stem and tied with string.

Bungee straps in a garden, very inventive Hattie!

I'll try that again!

Tue 5-Jul-11
10:09 pm

Tim

Salisbury, Wiltshire

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Danast you say.....

I've done this too Hattie, on several occasions and it works very well. I do hope the plants can be saved

I suppose I'm quite interested in whether you managed to keep control of the hoover with experience.

As for the tomato plant, if this was ever to happen to it that's loads of advice on how to keep it alive, I can imagine it would still be hanging from a thread so could recover. I'll take your advice Maggenpie and blame the ducks when if it doesn't fruit too well. I mean, if it didn't fruit too well as of course this hasn't happened.

I would need to use natural methods, not string or bungees, so as to camoulflage any possible damage.

If this happens I'll keep you informed

Well, that didn't go quite as expected

Mon 11-Jul-11
8:22 pm

Tim

Salisbury, Wiltshire

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Been found out despite the covert nature of correspondence. tomato is doing well but I'm a little for the high jump.

Well, that didn't go quite as expected

Mon 11-Jul-11
9:13 pm

maggenpie

Cornwall, UK

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big_hug chin up. We're all here for you.

You could try sellotaping bought tomatoes onto it. big_laugh

Never assume anything - except an occasional air of intelligence.

Mon 11-Jul-11
9:34 pm

Terrier

York

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big_laugh

I'd like to see that

Mon 11-Jul-11
10:57 pm

Tim

Salisbury, Wiltshire

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Thank you for your support, Maggenpie

I'm going to have a go at that but I'm worried that she'll see the sellotape.

If only duck tape came in green I might get away with.

I'm banned from hoover riding too, she's scrapped the hoover but I've got another one hidden at my sister's and another driveway to ride it down. So I'm slipping out tomorrow evening to get my adrenaline fix.

Well, that didn't go quite as expected

Wed 13-Jul-11
8:58 am