mysterious death and new hope?

[Java]

Hi,
I have(had) about 5 tomato plants. One of them died the other day after it rained over night. Looks as if the plant has not been watered. The plant was lying on the floor.

Did the plant snap at the base? I don't want to dig up until it is completely dead. This plant had just started flowering.

I'm in NJ, is it too late to start a new plant?

[Vanisle_BC]

From what you say it sounds as if your plant was outdoors in heavy rain. You don't say whether it's in open ground or a container - was it staked or otherwise supported? You say it looks as if it hadn't been watered; do you mean the leaves are wilted/dying/dead? If the stem is broken that wouldn't be surprising - can't you tell? If there's damage below soil level maybe you can finger-dig down and check. I've successfully splinted & supported tomatoes whose stems had been doubled over and kinked but it sounds as if yours is past that.

I'm a long way from NJ but suspect it's too late to start new plants from seed - but you could likely get a replacement from a nursery, that will still give you fruit.

[applestar]

Was it a small plant? It sounds like cutworm damage — a Moth caterpillar that lives in the ground coils around a seedling stem and gnaws the plant until it is cut off at the base and falls over. I found my first ... maybe 2nd ... one this season while digging up a patch of weeds and raking smooth to plant some beans.

If a larger plant, sometimes young rabbits will snip a plant at ground level to “taste” even if it is not palatable. Then leave it lying on the ground.

Good idea about checking out garden centers for started plants. I haven’t been to one in a while, but it probably isn’t too late to buy them. Tomato plants are best started from seeds around March though.

[Java]

Here is how it looks.

If anything snapped, it has to have occurred at the root. The plant looks fine.

[applestar]

Ok this is a larger plant — much Too big to be bothered by cutworms or young bunnies — so here’s another possibility. If I’ve had this, so could you since we are not too far apart geographically.

Subject: STALK BORER in my Tomato and Potato

Look near the base of the main stem and see if you can spot some wet sawdust like pellets. There are photos in the linked post/thread.

[Java]

I don't see any white stuff near the base. When pressed the stem near the ground, it was not squishy. It was firm.

One more angle of the plant.

[applestar]

No holes? That wire I used which fit in the borer hole exactly was from a Chinese takeout container. So very small. It could have bored in from any point, though I usually see them near the base.

How long has it been? The original saw dust frass could already have been washed away by rain etc.

I never tried feeling the stalk so I couldn’t say whether firm vs squishy would be an indication. I did notice a dark interior streak going up the stalk if you read the earlier posts.

[Java]

I did stick a wire into the plant even though there was no hole. It just came out the other side. I couldnt stand seeing a plant die. So, I just pulled it out. The place where the plant meets the soil, it was squishy and plant was dying a slow death.

That plant was little spindly when it grew inside the house, I just buried the whole plant except for couple of leaves. Stem/root below the soil was fine too just at the point where the plant meets the soil it was gone.

Thanks applestar for your help.

[Java]

Some good news?

At first I decided to throw the plant away. Overnight, I was thinking about how some people have successfully propagated with branch clippings. So, I decided to make clean cut at the bottom of the stem and stuck it back in the hole where I had pulled the plant out.

Well after a week, the plant has woken up.!!!!!!!!!!!