Disturbed
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Tomato top broke off

Good morning.

So about 3 days ago I removed all the suckers, including the ones next to the main growth. Yesterday we had a storm here and unfortunately the top growth of my tomato plant snapped cleanly off. I tried to tape it back on but it seems like it's drying up and it just won't survive. The plant is about 40cm, but because I took off the suckers I'm worried it won't have any new growth. Do the removed suckers re grow after some time? Will my tomato plant recover? :(

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applestar
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Ouch! That's a tough one. I really sympathize. No point in saying would'a, could'a.... :(

So presumably, the removed suckers from 3days ago are toast. If the upper portion of the broken one is starting to wilt, but has some life left, you could actually sever it and try putting it in water to see if it can soak up water, plump back up, and start growing roots from the stem. If it wasn't starting to wilt already, I would try air-layering it. Is there significant attachment point where it might be getting some supply from the basal portion ? (Trying to decide if air-layering is still the better option).

While deciding to sever it or not -- For the time being, wrap the break and bottom hand-width of the top portion in moistened wet and wrung out (choice of paper towels, sphagnum moss, shredded paper) then several layers of plastic food wrap. Splint like a broken bone and tape or rubber band top and bottom snug but not too tightly so as not to cut off circulation. Make sure that the moist medium says moist (condensation on the inside of the wrap). Make sure that the stem is sufficiently supported to handle the extra weight. This is how you air layer.

If and once the upper portion is removed, there is always some chance that you didn't completely remove the suckers (one can hope) and some of them will grow out. Also, if this is an indeterminate variety, then the tomato may have sufficient will to live to grow new 2ndary shoots from the leaf node next to the removed suckers (most likely from the top-most leafnode or else from the base of the stem). I wouldn't entirely give up hope.

You could try spraying with Willow bark and tip tea to encourage growth.

...

HOWEVER, I just realized these are the kind of "experiments" that personally I would love to try just to see if they would work. In practical terms, it will take a long time for this one to grow back to producing floral trusses, and you may be better off ripping this one out and planting a vigorous new one in its place if you have a source for another plant, or cloning one of the other mature plants you may have from an extra branch. Tomatoes root very easily from cuttings.

PaulF
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My question is why are you removing growing parts of the tomato plant? Yes, I know there are those who advocate removing "suckers" but there is no real reason to do this. Alter the structure and it weakens the plant. There will be no increase in productivity and the size of the fruit is determined by genetics and the plant will provide nutrition to the tomatoes when required (plants are smart that way). That said, a small stake with the main stem attached to it will keep plants from snapping off. I cage my tomatoes and the staking helps until the plants get large enough to use the cage for support.

As to the main question: even if the reattached portion does not survive the rest of the tomato will probably will unless there is not enough stem left. It may be set back for a while and may grow in a funny shape and may even produce less, but unless you have a spare plant to put in its place, let it go and see what happens.

I am with Applestar on trying to save the broken portion. I would dip the end in root growth hormone (the active ingredient is also the main ingredient in willow bark) and put in water until the little hairs on the stem become roots. And then you have another plant.

If none of that works, replant with a healthy tomato plant. Lots of shoulda coulda, but question your need to prune and stake the little plants to provide structure.

imafan26
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If the top breaks and it is a determinate, better start over. If it is an indeterminate suckers will come out again from below, usually from the base. It is usually weaker than the original terminal bud but can produce if you let it become the new leader. It depends on how much that tomato means to you. Starting over or waiting for suckers to come up are probably going to take about the same time. Pruning out excess suckers will give you larger fruit and if you have a lot of tomatoes planted close together and trained on a string trellis you have to remove almost all the suckers or you will have a rangy mess prone to disease and pests.

I do have to prune tomatoes at work, but at home I use a cage I don't have 450 tomatoes, I just have three and it is a lot less time consuming not to have to clip and prune vines every week. I just push the vines back in the cage or cut them off if they won't go where I want them. A lot less work.

Disturbed
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I decided to start over in the end. There was a sucker that started growing from under the soil but was growing with the new leaves already dried up and black on the ends. Decided to rip it out, amended the soil a little and planted another plant which was in a smaller pot.



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