Tomato plants knocked down

beef1020 · June 11, 2008

Hi All,

I have 6 plants and 3 of them were knocked down by a thurderstorm last night. It does not look like any of them were broken, they were just bending down. If I tie them back up will they survive? What are other people's experience with this?

Thanks.

raydawg · June 11, 2008

I had about six of mine bend over in half in a storm too. Just slowly bend them back up and secure them. They will be good as new.

WVTomatoMan · June 11, 2008

Many years ago I had plants blow over in a severe storm cages and all. After that I started using rebar to secure the cages and haven't had a problem since. In my case the cages were laying flat on the ground. I carefully stood them back up. Even with being careful I broke a couple of branches, but the plants easily recovered.

Good luck.

Randy

p.s. My plants were about 4-5 feet tall at the time. In other words they were established which probably kept them from being uprooted.

organichris · June 11, 2008

I would carefully bend the plants back up, and build a mound of soil or compost around the plant - a foot or more higher (if possible) than where the soil currently is. Keep it moist and your plants will develop a stronger anchor of roots.

gssgarden · June 11, 2008

organichris, dead on. Be careful because I snapped a good sized branch off my Stump of the World this morning thinking it would bend right back. Horrible way to start the day.

Greg

gflynn · June 11, 2008

First thing I do when I put them in the ground is stick a small bamboo stake next to them and cable tye 1/3 to 1/2 way up. This protects me from kids running into them and hoses being dragged over them and wind from knocking them down. Then when I get around to it I put a cage over them.

Greg

beef1020 · June 12, 2008

Thanks for the responses. They all look pretty good now, i have then upright and staked and only broke one branch off!!! I think they will all be fine, I could see the new growth from last night.

kdawg39 · June 15, 2008

Happened to me too. I bent them back up and they appear fine. My only issue is that I had not yet mulched, except for a thin layer of composted sheep manure, so the leaves and stems were covered with compost/dirt. I let them dry and then brushed or shook off most of the dirt. Should I be more diligent than or will this suffice?

beef1020 · June 15, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by kdawg39

I let them dry and then brushed or shook off most of the dirt. Should I be more diligent than or will this suffice?

I did the same thing and the new growth looks fine. I was going to rinse then off but I figured i would wait for the next rain. So far they are fine.

June 11, 2008	#1
beef1020 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2008 Location: New Market Md Posts: 17	Tomato plants knocked down Hi All, I have 6 plants and 3 of them were knocked down by a thurderstorm last night. It does not look like any of them were broken, they were just bending down. If I tie them back up will they survive? What are other people's experience with this? Thanks.

June 11, 2008	#2
raydawg Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Douglasville, GA Posts: 41	I had about six of mine bend over in half in a storm too. Just slowly bend them back up and secure them. They will be good as new. __________________ Ray

June 11, 2008	#3
WVTomatoMan Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: West Virginia - Zone 6 Posts: 594	Many years ago I had plants blow over in a severe storm cages and all. After that I started using rebar to secure the cages and haven't had a problem since. In my case the cages were laying flat on the ground. I carefully stood them back up. Even with being careful I broke a couple of branches, but the plants easily recovered. Good luck. Randy p.s. My plants were about 4-5 feet tall at the time. In other words they were established which probably kept them from being uprooted. Last edited by WVTomatoMan; June 11, 2008 at 12:27 PM. Reason: Additional comment.

June 11, 2008	#4
organichris Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Tulsa, OK Posts: 630	I would carefully bend the plants back up, and build a mound of soil or compost around the plant - a foot or more higher (if possible) than where the soil currently is. Keep it moist and your plants will develop a stronger anchor of roots.

June 11, 2008	#5
gssgarden Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: N.C. Posts: 1,827	organichris, dead on. Be careful because I snapped a good sized branch off my Stump of the World this morning thinking it would bend right back. Horrible way to start the day. Greg

June 11, 2008	#6
gflynn MAGTAG™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Gaithersburg, MD Posts: 437	First thing I do when I put them in the ground is stick a small bamboo stake next to them and cable tye 1/3 to 1/2 way up. This protects me from kids running into them and hoses being dragged over them and wind from knocking them down. Then when I get around to it I put a cage over them. Greg

June 12, 2008	#7
beef1020 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2008 Location: New Market Md Posts: 17	Thanks for the responses. They all look pretty good now, i have then upright and staked and only broke one branch off!!! I think they will all be fine, I could see the new growth from last night.

June 15, 2008	#8
kdawg39 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Toronto, Ontario Posts: 15	Happened to me too. I bent them back up and they appear fine. My only issue is that I had not yet mulched, except for a thin layer of composted sheep manure, so the leaves and stems were covered with compost/dirt. I let them dry and then brushed or shook off most of the dirt. Should I be more diligent than or will this suffice?