Constitution day. It's a public holiday today in the island and sometimes long weekend makes me a little bit bored.. So after getting my groceries in the supermarket, I spent 2.5 hours in the garden this afternoon and do some gardening errands.
Rescued my Guamato
I call this chick a guamato (guava + tomato) because I swear -- the leaves, the stem, the stalk, everything, smells like a guava.. Or maybe I just don't know how tomato foliage smell.. 🤔 But whatever, I baptized my tomato plant as GUAMATO. ☺️
Two nights ago, strong wind🌬💨 and pouring rain💦🌧 (with matching thunders and lighting⛈) caused my tomato to break. Unlike the two other tomato plants, this plant is not tied up to keep it in place. There goes the wind and snap! The poor tomato broke. ☹️ I actually thought it will die, but this morning I see some roots poking through the stem... Even the flowerbuds started to bloom! There's still hope I say...
Hairy stems
When a stem of a tomato plant breaks, it can still be repaired by rooting the broken stem in water. I haven't tried but that's what my fellow instagram gardener is telling me. You can even regrow tomato suckers into a new tomato plant. I might try that soon!
When a broken stem comes in contact with soil, the plant can still live thanks to its hairy stems. The fuzzy little hairs will form into roots and will anchor itself into the soil building a stronger root system especially when covered with more dirt. Exactly what will happen if my tomato plant is planted in the ground. But since digging is not allowed where I live (not to mention iguanas roam freely and will munch into the leaves when planted outside the plant cage), I just transplanted my injured tomato into a (not-so) bigger pot.
The struggle is real
The struggle of transplanting grown-up plant is real. I had to be extra careful to avoid shock when my clumsy hands transfer it to a new container. But the most difficult part is no one's helping me to take photos of how I turn the pot upside down, pour soil into the pot, how dirty my hands are and how mosquitos are feasting on my arms.. 😂
Extra support
I am very a unprepared gardener. I couldn't find a sturdy stick to give extra support for the fragile stem of this plant. After burrying it with soil, it can stand on itself but it needs an extra support for sure while it's still recovering. Better than nothing, I used slender popsicle sticks as a substitute. Voila! My guamato seems happier now..☺️
Back to the cage
As much as I want my plants to enjoy the sun and the environment outside the plant cage, I can't let them be eaten my number 1 enemy: the iguanas.. So my guamato is back where it is safer... Sorry, dear... 🌱
Milestone
28 days ago, I transplanted my tomato seedlings into a (not-so) bigger pot (https://steemit.com/gardening/@melaimomagwork/wildlife-in-my-garden)
They were so tiny then but now this one's flowering. This is the first tomato flower that blooms.. Others just stay as buds.. Let's see how far it'll go...
There you go, steemit friends. Thanks for reading along. ☺️
Até mais!! Boa noite!