Question
Hi Mike, I don't live in the USA, but I was hoping you could answer a general qu about tomato plants?  We've had storms and very high wind in Australia this Spring.  

My poor tomato was growing so happily in the warm weather and all, but 50kph wind snapped off two of its bigger branches (that were right in the middle of the stem), and the other branches are a bit...'bowy' (they look droopy).  

1.  Will the plant recover?  I've made a clean cut at the base of the branches that snapped off; will any leaves grow from them?  Overall, will this affect the tomato's overall health and ability to fruit?  It looks quite naked now in the middle.

Until now, I have been taking care of it with seaweed tonics (no fertiliser yet) and been pinching off side-shoots and flower buds, to enable the leaves to grow nice and strong.  So much for that!

2.  I've noticed some fungus gnats hopping around the soil - do you know of any natural remedies to get rid of them?  For the moment, I sprinkled ground cinnamon in the mix as I heard that they dont' like it.

Thanks!

Answer
Kay, the plants will eventually recover, but they will definitely be set back a few weeks in regard to production. The length of time will depend on the extent of the damage.

If you live in an area with a long growing season, I would go ahead and wait until the plants recover. If not, it would probably be wise to purchase new seedlings.

In regard to fungus gnats, you can apply rotenone or pyrethrum  to the soil. These are organic products that can be applied right up to the day of harvesting with no ill effects to humans or pets. They can be purchased at most reputable garden centers or on-line through sites such as Gardens Alive or Planet Natural, which specialize in organic products.

I hope this answered your question. Please write again if I can ever provide assistance.

Regards,

Mike