can broken plant be salvaged?

[Bexar]

Just had our 4th or 5th bad storm here in S. Texas since I planted my kitchen garden outside the house. Evidently planting a garden has the same effect on wx as washing a car. This time one of my tomato plants --which were all up above a foot, bushing out and starting to blossom -- had its main stalk broken four or five inches from the top by heavy rain. The break was only about halfway through and the stalk is still attached. Is it possible to save this plant, either by splinting or otherwise binding the break together, or can I prune it at the break and expect it to come back? Really hate to lose it because it was doing well before this happened. I'd appreciate any info, help or advice. This just happened overnight.

[Gnome]

Bexar,

Is it possible to save this plant, either by splinting or otherwise binding the break together, or can I prune it at the break and expect it to come back?

I would not worry too much about it. You can stake it, and secure it above and below the break. It should recover nicely.

Not sure if I would prune it unless you know that it is an indeterminate variety. If it is a determinate type you may limit how many fruit it can set. If you google the variety name you can find out if it is determinate or indeterminate.

Norm

[Bexar]

Thanks for the advice. I know it's a celebrity because I planted it and the others from seed. More storms coming through tonight so I may be replanting the entire bed in aquatic plants by the time I'm through.

[Richard_a]

did fixing the breaking point work out in the end?

i've had plants break from bad weather several times, and i never succeeded in fixing and securing the breaking point.
none of them went back to proper growth after breaking.
i wonder what t'm doing wrong?

[Bexar]

It actually ended up working fine. Kept producing right on through the season. Had to do a similar repair later in the summer with a jalapeno plant the dogs broke. Slid a section of soda straw over the break and wrapped it with electricians tape. That was about five or six months ago and it's still going strong.

[Santorican]

Hello,

My mom was moving my green bell pepper plant the other day and she broke the main stem, it wasn't entire broken off but it was about 2/3 sheared off. How can I make sure it will survive? I wrapped the break with painter's tape as tight as a could to keep it steady and close.

Any advice?

Carlos

[Ozark Lady]

I bet the tape will work! They want to live. And if you can keep the sap flowing it will repair itself, and continue to live as usual.

[lj in ny]

You might want to try some florists tape. You can get it at larger craft stores. It will stick to itself not the plant. On another forum I saw a post where someone dug out a squash vine borer from her zucchini plant, taped it up with florists tape and the plant kept on producing for the rest of the summer.