So I was sorting out the tomatoes earlier today and when I was trying to secure the top of one of the plants to the structure to keep it stable I heard a break. The tomato plant has been damaged by some twine I put around the stem a few weeks ago.
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| tomato stem damaged by twine. |
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| metal/plastic twine - should I be using a different type? |
Update... Friday 8th June - Four weeks on from the damage and the stem has healed naturally and we have tomato flowers and fruit on this stem, the power of mother nature! I guess we didn't cut through the phloem completely.
Hello Serena!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sending this on to me! I loved using that "twistie tie" (we call it that in america, or at least the part of america i grew up in :-)
I think maybe you're tying too tight...there is a stretchy plastic twine you could use as well or maybe butcher's twine that is made from natural fibers.
Good luck!
Hi Serena,
ReplyDeleteNot sure whether Dominy and the girls have planted tomatoes this year. But last year we tied ours with soft brown string. We then left them to get on with it. It was chaos and we ended up with a 'tomato jungle' in our raised bed - very funny. It was even more exciting when we harvested, as there were masses (probably a couple of hundred) hidden away behind branches and under leaves, of all colours and varying states of ripeness (if that is a word). We ate all the ripe ones and then made green tomatoe chutney with the rest - about 5 or 6 jars I think. Delicious! So, don't worry too much about the break. Tomatoes are pretty hardy (ours were outside in the UK!) and if left to grow as nature intended, will produce the goods. That said, in California you may need to add water from time to time! Good Luck :) Big D
Thanks for the suggestions. I have changed to 'Burtcher's twine' or 'softer string' as I was finding more damage on other plants. Yep, water is definately a must!
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