My tomatoes were looking great, my cherry sized tomato plant (Sugary), is a semi-determinate variety. This is my favorite plant of the two I am growing. I went on vacation and when I got back I was surprised to see that the plant was taller than I am!
I had planned on tying off the upper part to my balcony today so that it wouldnt become too top heavy. A severe storm rolled in before I could make it back to the house and split the stem into. There was a sliver of outer membrane still intact so I straightened it back into place and wrapped a piece of cloth around the break and then tightly wrapped it with electrical tape on top of the cloth.
Will this repair work or will the stem rot from being wrapped with the tape? I am aware of grafting tape, does it have small holes for air to pass through?
Oh I forgot to mention that I wouldnt be so worried about it if the break had been higher up, however, the majority of my nearly ripe tomatoes are above the break. Rooting the broken stem isnt really an option either because of my limited porch space and the height of the stem above the break would make it difficult to stabilize.
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applestar
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Only thing I can think of that my be of any use is the air layering pot. It's used to propagate plants -- usually woody/semiwoody plants by getting the plant to grow roots on the branch/stem. It looks like this:
[img]https://www.leevalley.com/images/item/gardening/aa640s1.jpg[/img]
Here's one company selling it. https://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.aspx?c=2&p=46938&cat=2,47236
If your local garden center/nursery doesn't sell one, you can effect a similar result by splinting the broken branch (like a broken bone), wrapping the break area with moistened sphagnum moss (commonly available from garden centers) and then with plastic wrap or plastic bag -- some people use bread bag or newspaper bag -- tied top and bottom. The DIY method is the traditional way of doing this before this newfangled gadget was invented.
Make sure to support/immobilize the upper part by tying to the balcony as you originally intended or by creating some other kind of support system.
I have to say though, that it's still rather unlikely that the plant will be able to support all those fruits while the new roots are forming, unless the contact in the broken area is actually able to transport fluid. Worst case, it's still early in the season and you'll have a rooted tomato plant to grow as well as new shoots growing from the base.
[img]https://www.leevalley.com/images/item/gardening/aa640s1.jpg[/img]
Here's one company selling it. https://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.aspx?c=2&p=46938&cat=2,47236
If your local garden center/nursery doesn't sell one, you can effect a similar result by splinting the broken branch (like a broken bone), wrapping the break area with moistened sphagnum moss (commonly available from garden centers) and then with plastic wrap or plastic bag -- some people use bread bag or newspaper bag -- tied top and bottom. The DIY method is the traditional way of doing this before this newfangled gadget was invented.
Make sure to support/immobilize the upper part by tying to the balcony as you originally intended or by creating some other kind of support system.I have to say though, that it's still rather unlikely that the plant will be able to support all those fruits while the new roots are forming, unless the contact in the broken area is actually able to transport fluid. Worst case, it's still early in the season and you'll have a rooted tomato plant to grow as well as new shoots growing from the base.
The stem won't 'heal' in the way you would if your cut yourself or broke a bone. Applestar is correct, though, that it will sprout new roots along the stem if you can arrange a way to keep it upright and stable with the broken area of the stem covered in a rooting medium. Depending on how close the break is to the soil level, just stabilizing the plant as you originally intended to do, then piling soil up around the base, up to several inches above the break, might be enough to keep it going.
You can only try. The wrapping you applied must be removed, though, so the stem can be in contact with whatever rooting medium you use.
Applestar, that rooting pot is really nifty! I'm gonna have to get myself one or more of those.
You can only try. The wrapping you applied must be removed, though, so the stem can be in contact with whatever rooting medium you use.
Applestar, that rooting pot is really nifty! I'm gonna have to get myself one or more of those.