kgardens

I planted a 4 feet tall including leaves plant that has just begun putting out its first new leaf. My dear little 3 yr. old grandson (bless his heart) decided to swing on one of the older leaves. AAAk! The p-stem bent over and is pretty well creased at the bend. Could it possibly recover? Should I just cut it down past the bend in the p-stem? I tried really hard to be stern with the grandson about respecting the plants but without screaming and tears. I did pretty well Thanks for any advice you can give me. Kay

john_ny

If it"s just a bend, I'd try to prop it up with a stake. However, if it's really broken, just cut it off. I had a nice Zebrina, that I managed to keep growing, under lights, over the winter. It did, however, have several dead lower leaves on it. I brought it outside, and trimmed the dead stuff off of it, and swung it around, on the table, hit a tree branch, and broke the newest leaf off. Then I had to put it down, in a shady spot, (to acclimate it) and I had to reach over some other plants, so I dropped the pot for the last six inches, and when I did, the stem broke right off. I'm sure it'll grow back, and there is a pup, but...things happen. LOts o luk!

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John

palmtree

If its a really bad bend then I would chop it off but if its just slight then prop it up and see what happens! Hopefully he knows not to mess with the tropicals again! lol. Hope the damage isnt too bad, but the good thing with bananas is not only do they pup but when you cut the stem, they also continue to grow.

Good luck!

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Abnshrek

That's right Corm-Power is on your side either way :^)

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I'm a Nannerhead :^)

kgardens

Thanks for all the encouragement. I've propped with a bamboo stake and hoping for the best. If it doesn't look like it is happy and that new leaf doesn't emerge, I'll go ahead and chop the stalk below the bend. I'll let you know how it turns out. At least it is spring/summer and good growing weather. The 'dastardly' grandson responsible is helping me with nursing the plant back to health so, hopefully, he will feel invested in the garden now.

Kay

mm4birds

Cut nothing! Prop the plant up and pray. If the bend is mild the growth will continue from the top.Same thing happened to me when a racoon decided to knock over a plant last year. After 2 weeks the pseudostem started to bulge and a new leaf popped thru with the end result being that growth continued from the side pseudostem and the former top stopped growing. After that it grew normally all summer.

LilRaverBoi

I'd prop it if it's a slight bend and hope for the best. If it got bent off badly, chop it back to the bend and let it come back. The plant isn't dead either way, just set back a bit.

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BANANA RAVE!
Feel the beat from start to stop, dancin' and movin' from bottom to top!
lilraverboi@genxglow.com
RIP Tog Tan. We love you and will always remember you!
I'm Bryan with a Y! There is no 'I' in BRYAN!

kgardens

Just wanted to post a picture of my Raja Puri all healed up. I appreciate all the encouragement to prop it and wait before doing any surgery. It's only been 6 days. Really, it was bent just about double. I'm so glad I propped it up and didn't cut it. The middle leaf is a new one.



thanks!

LilRaverBoi

Very nice...thanks for the update. I'm glad it came around and you didn't have to chop it off. Then again, by the looks of it, you would have only been set back a couple weeks worth of growth.

__________________
BANANA RAVE!
Feel the beat from start to stop, dancin' and movin' from bottom to top!
lilraverboi@genxglow.com
RIP Tog Tan. We love you and will always remember you!
I'm Bryan with a Y! There is no 'I' in BRYAN!