Help rescuing a sungold

[redser]

Hi, hoping someone can help. I let something drop on one of my sungold plants. It's about a foot tall. It's broke about an inch above the compost level. I say broke, but the skin isn't broken, but the stem inside is and it's flopped right over. So how can I get something from it? It does not have any side shoots big enough to take and root. If I took off the growing tip would that be the best bit to put in water to try grow another one?
Thanks a mill

[veggiechicken]

I'd take off the bottom few leaves and put it in water, just like a sideshoot. Then, when it roots, plant it deep. It'll be fine - relax

[redser]

So put the whole thing in water? Thanks a mill

[marchogaeth]

I'd be tempted to take the bottom few leaves off but repot it into a really deep pot. That way you've got anything that can come through the roots, it's supported and if the soil is damp you'll be encouraging it to root. I've never done it though so will be interested to see other replies. (Maybe some B10ch4r.)

[Potstubsdustbins]

I have regularly rescued toms by putting them through the milk bottle.

Cut it down to about 6 to 7 inches long and remove the lowest leaves. Place in milk bottle and fill bottle to the brim with tap water and place on a window sill. Check and top up the water level every day, failure to do this will result in ermmm failure.

After about a week you will see new roots starting to form, don't rush it let them grow to a decent size. When ready pot into MPC but keep the MPC moist to wettish for a few days until the roots get used to taking what they need from compost not water.

Some pics of a tumbler I did last year. Others of a cucumber which can be rescued in the same way.

Potty

[redser]

Thanks a million Pots, great photos and explanation. This time I'm going with marchogaeth's suggestion. Purely because the stem didnt tear on the outside. So it's still well attached to the rootball. I have a few deep square rose bush pots so I'll use one of those and bury the break below the surface and hope for the best.
Thanks

[marchogaeth]

Please let us know how you get on because (teeth gnashing) I have just had to do the same with a Latah which isn't (wasn't) nearly as tall as yours and had got so badly squashed I thought of trying the Pots Method but the stem skin wasn't broken and the plant hadn't wilted since it was squashed. So it's gone into very moist compost inside a plastic bag to reduce transpiration for a few days. (I just sowed some more Latah as well, so much for early )

[Potstubsdustbins]

If either plant starts to wilt there could still be time to try the bottle.

Please let us know how you both get on.

Pots

[redser]

Well a day later and it's doing perfectly fine. The rose pot is about 10 inches deep so I was able to take off a few lower leaves and bury the break down low. The leaves have stayed perky so I think it will be ok.

[marchogaeth]

If either plant starts to wilt there could still be time to try the bottle.

Please let us know how you both get on.

Pots

Sounds like my dodgy triplet on the last lot of lambs!

[marchogaeth]

May have shot my bolt. The Latah was doing brilliantly in its little bag on a coolish, light, house window so moved it out to the polytunnel within the tunnel. It has been fine but yesterday got very hot and today its lower leaves had wilted even though the compost is moist. I've re bagged it and had a little chat but it's fingers crossed now. I think it's a bit small for the bottle.

[redser]

Bet it works out ok, learning just how tough toms are

[Potstubsdustbins]

It is quite strange how tough they are. As a friend once said to me after I lost several "a tomato does not die, you have to kill it!!!!!"

Potty