Somehow the top of a tomato plant of mine got broken off at the top of the plant and want to try to save it. The part that broke off is still green, but don't think it will do very well on that part. What should I do to try to save the plant?
asked May 28, 2018 at 14:58
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think of how it looks when you break a green stick in half, and i paid for each tomato plant, so it's worth trying to save.– black thumbCommented May 28, 2018 at 15:44
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2 Answers
If there are leaves (or there were leaves) that are attached to the stem that's still in the ground, then you don't need to do anything - that stem should leaf and branch out again. It will definitely delay your harvest though. If this is a young plant with no leaves or leaf nodes on that part of the stem, then the plant won't put out more leaves.
You could try to save the part that's no longer attached by putting it in some rooting hormone (above a leaf node) and planting it into a pot of potting soil - you must put at least one leaf node below soil level. You could also try to root it in water. Note that I've never tried these, but tomatoes can be a very forgiving fruit and it may be better to try something like this instead of tossing the piece.
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1it's still standing thanks to wood chip cushioning, and still attached to the plant. Commented May 28, 2018 at 19:55
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2Excellent! Do nothing. Let the piece that's attached stay exactly where it is. Tomatoes are great at breaking on their own and not dying. The plant will form some stiff tissue around the piece that forms the attachment - until then, the piece can easily break off., so be careful around it.– JurpCommented May 28, 2018 at 20:00
In my experience I have found that by the time the broken top has a large enough root system to flower and fruit it will be the end of the growing season.
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that's a different plant. I have about 16 tomato plants in total. Commented May 28, 2018 at 21:20