Broken stem on zucchini plant?
I have 4 yellow zucchini plants, so probably way more than I could possibly need. They're all doing fantastic! They're HUGE, lovely healthy looking plants as far as I can see. One of them though has a broken stem. It happened a couple days ago when one of my kids was 'helping' me! lol I have a stick to help support it and it looks just as good as it did before. The main stem is very broken though. I can't imagine it can continue to thrive like this. I had thought it would die, but there's no sign of wilting leaves at all. Is there anything I can do to 'fix' it? I read something on the net where someone had put a bandaid on a broken stem and thought that could work! lol Sounds funny, but is this something I could try?
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BrianSkilton
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I damaged one of my pepper plant stems while trying to take some seed leaves off. The pepper plant adjusted and developed a protective coating around it's stem. I am not sure if zucchini plants do the same thing. I would guess if you snapped the stem it will eventually die. I think it depends on how badly the stem got damaged.
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applestar
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I wonder if you might be able to layer it. Put a pot of soil next to it and with a bent large paperclip or other wire, push a hanging down stem into the soil so that it stays in constant contact with the soil. Maybe put more soil on top to cover it. Keep the soil moist.
I do this with pumpkin other winter squash so they put down secondary root systems along the stem, just in case something happens to the main one (like last year, squash vine borer got one at the main stem but by then, the vine had set down roots in two other spots along the stem). Setting a stone or a rock over the buried area helps to keep the soil from drying out.
If new roots grow in the 2nd pot and the plant puts out side shoots from the original potted stem, then you'll be able to separate the plant where it broke later on and you'll have 2. Also, if you want to take the chance, you could simply bury the stem WHERE it broke without severing it in the way I described above. The vine should produce roots at the damaged area.
I do this with pumpkin other winter squash so they put down secondary root systems along the stem, just in case something happens to the main one (like last year, squash vine borer got one at the main stem but by then, the vine had set down roots in two other spots along the stem). Setting a stone or a rock over the buried area helps to keep the soil from drying out.
If new roots grow in the 2nd pot and the plant puts out side shoots from the original potted stem, then you'll be able to separate the plant where it broke later on and you'll have 2. Also, if you want to take the chance, you could simply bury the stem WHERE it broke without severing it in the way I described above. The vine should produce roots at the damaged area.
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BrianSkilton
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That's great advice. I'm not sure I completely understand what you mean though. Do you mean to put a shoot (with leaf?) in soil in hopes of it growing roots? Would that eventually support the whole plant? Sorry I really don't understand, I'm a very new gardener!
I will burry the damaged area deeper so that it can possibly grow roots and see what happens.
I will burry the damaged area deeper so that it can possibly grow roots and see what happens.