Any hope?

tweetybaby2005 · April 13, 2010

I came home to a half chomped off plant. A few other plants in the laundry basket also experienced the same thing. They were done being hardened off. All plants were put on my outside deck, my eggplants were on the deck table (not affected - yet?). This Brandywine Sudduth's and laundry basket full of tomato plants of different varieties were on the floor of the deck. I did see a rabbit or 2 in our yard before (our deck is about 1 ~2 ft off the yard). Last year, quite a few of my chili pepper plants were mowed off by some bugs over night (I suspected cutworms) and they were also on the deck. But this year, only a few limps were chomped off, not the main stem so I'm not sure if it was cutworms, the rabbits (who was able to jump up on the deck or walk up the 3 stair steps on the deck), or what else.

Is there any hope of recovery? What caused this? How can I save my other plants? I really need help!

p/s sorry for the yellowing color. It was the light in my kitchen and camera.

Thanks.
Kuan

dustdevil · April 13, 2010

Rabbit is likely suspect. You need to put them up on a picnic table or inside a penned area. Cutworms usually come out of the ground...not potting soil.

Gobig_or_Gohome_toms · April 13, 2010

Looks like the main leaders may have been damaged or eaten but a sucker should grow but the plants will be set back a few weeks for recovery.

Craig

Worth1 · April 13, 2010

New growth will come from the crotch of the leaves sooner than you think,THEY ARE STILL YOUNG.

Worth

**Mischka** · April 15, 2010

From the looks of your photos, I'd also agree that they'll recover.

KLorentz · April 15, 2010

I agree too.My last year in Ohio I was able to put my maters out early.Some Brandywine and Celebrity but a rabbit got to all the Brandywines and some of my Celebrity. Now I can tell ya most of my Brandywines looked even worse as some had no leaves

But in time they got new growth and we got some good maters from them. So don't loose hope. They may look bad now but they will recover.Just keep doing what your doing and you will have a harvest.

Hope the culprit had a tummy ache.

Kevin

tweetybaby2005 · April 15, 2010

Thank you all for the assurance. I was really heart broken when I saw the chomped off plants. Now all my plants are on the deck table and bench so the rabbits won't get to them. I did plant out 2 eggplants in their big pots yesterday and put a styrofoam cup collar around them. Hopefully it will help deter cutworms and I don't think the rabbit can get to them with the wire cage I put around the pots.

Now if mother nature will cooperate and continue with the warming trend, I'll be set and hopefully plant all my tomatoes out in a week or 2.

Kuan

April 15, 2010	#5
Mischka Tomatoville® Administrator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: The Bay State Posts: 3,207	From the looks of your photos, I'd also agree that they'll recover. __________________ Mischka One last word of farewell, Dear Master and Mistress. Whenever you visit my grave, say to yourselves with regret but also with happiness in your hearts at the remembrance of my long happy life with you: "Here lies one who loved us and whom we loved." No matter how deep my sleep I shall hear you, and not all the power of death can keep my spirit from wagging a grateful tail.

April 13, 2010	#2
dustdevil Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: WI, USA Zone4 Posts: 1,887	Rabbit is likely suspect. You need to put them up on a picnic table or inside a penned area. Cutworms usually come out of the ground...not potting soil.

April 13, 2010	#3
Gobig_or_Gohome_toms Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Zone 4 Lake Minnetonka, MN Posts: 967	Looks like the main leaders may have been damaged or eaten but a sucker should grow but the plants will be set back a few weeks for recovery. Craig

April 13, 2010	#4
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	New growth will come from the crotch of the leaves sooner than you think,THEY ARE STILL YOUNG. Worth

April 15, 2010	#6
KLorentz Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Stryker, Ohio Posts: 995	I agree too.My last year in Ohio I was able to put my maters out early.Some Brandywine and Celebrity but a rabbit got to all the Brandywines and some of my Celebrity. Now I can tell ya most of my Brandywines looked even worse as some had no leaves But in time they got new growth and we got some good maters from them. So don't loose hope. They may look bad now but they will recover.Just keep doing what your doing and you will have a harvest. Hope the culprit had a tummy ache. Kevin

April 15, 2010	#7
tweetybaby2005 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Kansas Zone 6b Posts: 12	Thank you all for the assurance. I was really heart broken when I saw the chomped off plants. Now all my plants are on the deck table and bench so the rabbits won't get to them. I did plant out 2 eggplants in their big pots yesterday and put a styrofoam cup collar around them. Hopefully it will help deter cutworms and I don't think the rabbit can get to them with the wire cage I put around the pots. Now if mother nature will cooperate and continue with the warming trend, I'll be set and hopefully plant all my tomatoes out in a week or 2. Kuan