tomato plant surgery

piegirl · July 5, 2008

Last evening I noticed one of my purple russians was wilted. Immediately I am down on hands and knees checking out the plant. The main stem from the soil line up about 4 inches is brown. One stem is fine. My friend thinks I am NUTS! Checked her out first thing this morning (in the rain) and no improvement. Later I went out checked again and pulled the plant out - the brown stem was dry and hollow, where the green began the plant was strong with loads of root nodes so out came the scissors. Dug out the hole, added new leaf mold and planted deep, watered, removed flowers. She looks better already. Must have been a tomato borer - I don't understand how the plant survived this long. Probably will live and hopefully produce late in the season? Piegirl

kygreg · July 5, 2008

Piegirl: Remind me if we ever meet, not to get sick while you are around. lol

piegirl · July 8, 2008

The patient is looking pretty good - wilty for several days but we had a nice gentle rain last night. Looks like she will be blooming again within the week! A light shade and lots of mulch (the chicken soup for tomato plants?) are helping. Piegirl

July 5, 2008	#1
piegirl Tomatovillian™ Honoree Join Date: May 2006 Location: Lincoln, NE Posts: 791	tomato plant surgery Last evening I noticed one of my purple russians was wilted. Immediately I am down on hands and knees checking out the plant. The main stem from the soil line up about 4 inches is brown. One stem is fine. My friend thinks I am NUTS! Checked her out first thing this morning (in the rain) and no improvement. Later I went out checked again and pulled the plant out - the brown stem was dry and hollow, where the green began the plant was strong with loads of root nodes so out came the scissors. Dug out the hole, added new leaf mold and planted deep, watered, removed flowers. She looks better already. Must have been a tomato borer - I don't understand how the plant survived this long. Probably will live and hopefully produce late in the season? Piegirl

July 5, 2008	#2
kygreg Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: kentucky Posts: 1,019	Piegirl: Remind me if we ever meet, not to get sick while you are around. lol

July 8, 2008	#3
piegirl Tomatovillian™ Honoree Join Date: May 2006 Location: Lincoln, NE Posts: 791	The patient is looking pretty good - wilty for several days but we had a nice gentle rain last night. Looks like she will be blooming again within the week! A light shade and lots of mulch (the chicken soup for tomato plants?) are helping. Piegirl