Good morning everybody,

I hope somebody may be able to supply a credible explanation for the
following:

Some weeks ago one of my Gardeners' Delight tomatoes, planted in a
pot, was blown over and the stem severed by about 50% near the base of
the plant. An identically sized GD tomato remained undamaged. Call me a
sentimental old softie if you will, but I lifted the damaged stem back
to the vertical and secured it to a cane.

Much to my amazement, the damaged plant not only survived, but is now
appreciably larger than its undamaged companion.

Any ideas, or shall I just move straight on to healing the sick?

Thanks

pea_thrower writes
Good morning everybody,

I hope somebody may be able to supply a credible explanation for the
following:

Some weeks ago one of my Gardeners' Delight tomatoes, planted in a
pot, was blown over and the stem severed by about 50% near the base of
the plant. An identically sized GD tomato remained undamaged. Call me a
sentimental old softie if you will, but I lifted the damaged stem back
to the vertical and secured it to a cane.

Much to my amazement, the damaged plant not only survived, but is now
appreciably larger than its undamaged companion.

Any ideas, or shall I just move straight on to healing the sick?

A partial explanation - water and nutrients pass symmetrically around
the whole stem, so if you have only severed 50%, they can still pass
through the other 50%
--
Kay

K wrote:
pea_thrower writes
Good morning everybody,

I hope somebody may be able to supply a credible explanation for the
following:

Some weeks ago one of my Gardeners' Delight tomatoes, planted in a
pot, was blown over and the stem severed by about 50% near the base of
the plant. An identically sized GD tomato remained undamaged. Call me a
sentimental old softie if you will, but I lifted the damaged stem back
to the vertical and secured it to a cane.

Much to my amazement, the damaged plant not only survived, but is now
appreciably larger than its undamaged companion.

Any ideas, or shall I just move straight on to healing the sick?

A partial explanation - water and nutrients pass symmetrically around
the whole stem, so if you have only severed 50%, they can still pass
through the other 50%
--
Kay

Thanks Kay, that would explain its survival, but if the health & size
of a plant is in direct proportion to the amount goodies that its stem
can deliver, then why is the damaged plant doing so much better than
the plant which has 100% of the stem at its disposal?

pea_thrower wrote:
Good morning everybody,

I hope somebody may be able to supply a credible explanation for the
following:

Some weeks ago one of my Gardeners' Delight tomatoes, planted in a
pot, was blown over and the stem severed by about 50% near the base of
the plant. An identically sized GD tomato remained undamaged. Call me a
sentimental old softie if you will, but I lifted the damaged stem back
to the vertical and secured it to a cane.

Much to my amazement, the damaged plant not only survived, but is now
appreciably larger than its undamaged companion.

Any ideas, or shall I just move straight on to healing the sick?

Thanks

Would this work on a metatarsal do you think?

On 8/6/06 13:48, in article
,
"
wrote:


pea_thrower wrote:
snip

Much to my amazement, the damaged plant not only survived, but is now
appreciably larger than its undamaged companion.

Any ideas, or shall I just move straight on to healing the sick?

Thanks

Would this work on a metatarsal do you think?

Who cares? And yes, I'm running away as I type that........ ;-)
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(email address on website)

wrote:
Sacha wrote:
On 8/6/06 13:48, in article
,
"
wrote:


pea_thrower wrote:
snip

Much to my amazement, the damaged plant not only survived, but is now
appreciably larger than its undamaged companion.

Any ideas, or shall I just move straight on to healing the sick?

Thanks

Would this work on a metatarsal do you think?

Who cares? And yes, I'm running away as I type that........ ;-)
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(email address on website)

"Who cares?"

But don't you understand. If it works for Rooney, it might just work on
some of the higher primates.

Sorry, but I think they'd refuse the treatment on principle: higher
primates don't approve of animal testing.

--
Mike.

pea_thrower writes


Thanks Kay, that would explain its survival, but if the health & size
of a plant is in direct proportion to the amount goodies that its stem
can deliver,

That's a big assumption! A lot of things affect growth - for example, a
hippeastrum kept on the windowsill will develop a much longer flower
stem than one kept in the bright light of a greenhouse

then why is the damaged plant doing so much better than
the plant which has 100% of the stem at its disposal?

Possibly stimulated by the damage into making up lost growth? Is it as
advanced in terms of flower buds? A stronger plant with better root
system? It's in a more favourable position in the greenhouse? It's
getting a good dollop of water as you begin the watering rather than a
lesser amount as you get bored towards the end? You're giving it more
tlc because of its damage? You gave it a slightly larger dose of
fertiliser by mistake? I'd start believing that the damage caused
stronger growth if you damaged perhaps 10 plants and demonstrated they
were all growing more strongly than another 10 undamaged plants in
exactly the same conditions.
--
Kay

On 8/6/06 15:58, in article
,
"
wrote:


Sacha wrote:
On 8/6/06 13:48, in article
,
"
wrote:


pea_thrower wrote:
snip

Much to my amazement, the damaged plant not only survived, but is now
appreciably larger than its undamaged companion.

Any ideas, or shall I just move straight on to healing the sick?

Thanks

Would this work on a metatarsal do you think?

Who cares? And yes, I'm running away as I type that........ ;-)


"Who cares?"

But don't you understand. If it works for Rooney, it might just work on
some of the higher primates. :-)


I could get to like you........ ;-)
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(email address on website)

wrote:


But don't you understand. If it works for Rooney, it might just work on
some of the higher primates. :-)


Apparently Rooney has been told that he can play if he gets a cortisone
injection.

David Beckham said he wouldn't play unless he got a new car too...

Jeff
NE England

On 11/6/06 00:21, in article
, "Jeff"
wrote:

wrote:


But don't you understand. If it works for Rooney, it might just work on
some of the higher primates. :-)


Apparently Rooney has been told that he can play if he gets a cortisone
injection.

David Beckham said he wouldn't play unless he got a new car too...

Jeff
NE England

Thank you, Terry Wogan. ;-)
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(email address on website)

Sacha wrote:


Thank you, Terry Wogan. ;-)

Oh dear, I told a Terry Wogan joke?

I must e getting old :-(

Jeff
NE England

On 12/6/06 23:31, in article
, "Jeff"
wrote:

Sacha wrote:


Thank you, Terry Wogan. ;-)

Oh dear, I told a Terry Wogan joke?

I must e getting old :-(


I'm pulling your leg. My husband heard it on Wogan the other morning and
cheerfully admits to being a TOG while he's watering the greenhouses!

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(email address on website)

On Thu, 08 Jun 2006 03:16:10 -0700, pea_thrower wrote:

Good morning everybody,

I hope somebody may be able to supply a credible explanation for the
following:

Some weeks ago one of my Gardeners' Delight tomatoes, planted in a
pot, was blown over and the stem severed by about 50% near the base of
the plant. An identically sized GD tomato remained undamaged. Call me a
sentimental old softie if you will, but I lifted the damaged stem back
to the vertical and secured it to a cane.

Much to my amazement, the damaged plant not only survived, but is now
appreciably larger than its undamaged companion.

Any ideas, or shall I just move straight on to healing the sick?

Thanks

Did you apply support to the break?

I have done this in the past (sticking plaster IIRC) and the plant has
flourished.

Tomatoes are very resilient - you can get new plants by planting up the
shoots you normally pinch out; almost anything will root and grow.

I suspect that the wound may have healed.

I also suspect that you may have scared it a little so it is trying to
impress :-)

Aren't you advised to beat a walnut tree with chains to make it fruit?
Possibly a similar effect.

Cheers

Dave R

David WE Roberts wrote:
On Thu, 08 Jun 2006 03:16:10 -0700, pea_thrower wrote:

Good morning everybody,

I hope somebody may be able to supply a credible explanation for the
following:

Some weeks ago one of my Gardeners' Delight tomatoes, planted in a
pot, was blown over and the stem severed by about 50% near the base of
the plant. An identically sized GD tomato remained undamaged. Call me a
sentimental old softie if you will, but I lifted the damaged stem back
to the vertical and secured it to a cane.

Much to my amazement, the damaged plant not only survived, but is now
appreciably larger than its undamaged companion.

Any ideas, or shall I just move straight on to healing the sick?

Thanks

Did you apply support to the break?

I have done this in the past (sticking plaster IIRC) and the plant has
flourished.

Tomatoes are very resilient - you can get new plants by planting up the
shoots you normally pinch out; almost anything will root and grow.

I suspect that the wound may have healed.

I also suspect that you may have scared it a little so it is trying to
impress :-)

Aren't you advised to beat a walnut tree with chains to make it fruit?
Possibly a similar effect.

Cheers

Dave R

Sorry I'm so late in replying David.

Yes I did support the plant with a cane but this was several days after
the plant fell and was partially severed, so I think the chances
"tomato heal theyself" having taken place are pretty long.

The plant itself now looks much healthier than it's companion,
unfortunately a question posed by Kay as regards the number of flowers
it is producing, has sadly caused me re-valuate the use of a machete to
increase tomato yields. My "miracle" plant has only a fraction of the
number of flowers as its companion! I shall continue to monitor its
progress.

I think you're correct about the walnut tree, although I wouldn't
advocate the treatment for dogs and women (certainly not the ones I've
ever known).

Cheers