I have cautious hope for the transplanted tomato plants. They were so very sad and droopy from transplant shock for a couple of days, but I dutifully watered them every afternoon when I got home. Mother Nature decided to give me a hand, and has alternated between sun and rain somewhat frequently the past 4 days.
Yesterday, I was beginning to lose hope. Flowers had dried out and wilted. Branches and leaves were limp and dark.
On Tuesday, one plant showed a few signs of returning vigor. A few of the branches/leaves seemed to be coming back to life. I found it funny that this had been the smallest plant before, seemingly restrained by the wild abandon of the other three plants around it. The plants that had been the most robust were now the saddest. I cursed myself for moving plants that had been doing so well. So what if they were too close together and unsupported. They were growing!
On Wednesday, my underdog plant was doing even better. Still a few wilty branches, but they were far outnumbered by the re-vitalized ones! The other plants seem to be making a come back, too. Flowers are colorful; leaves are open; branches are sturdy.
Until Wednesday, I held off on pruning because I didn't want to cut off a potentially strong branch. Yesterday, though, I took the clippers to the plants, and got rid of yellowed branches/leaves and the ones that were crispy-dry, not just wilty. I'm pretty sure that I did most everything wrong when I transplanted them, and will be lucky if they survive, much less produce actual edible tomatoes.
What this has taught me is that next year I want to use tomato cages from the get-go. Probably a no-brainer. Or, one of those topsy-turvy tomato planter things.
Recipes, you ask? It is Thursday, after all. For several reasons, we are still mainly doing sandwiches and random conglomerations of whatever is on hand. The former have been rather straightforward, and the latter are not things about which I would boast. Instead, I watch Food Network or Cooking (we have TV again!), and drool.
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