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Branch fell off

A

afman916

So I just went out to check on the plants this morning and on one of my Datil plants a branch had fallen off. A complete branh, almost right at the bottom of the stem. Plant looks healthy otherwise...any ideas what could have caused this? Branch in question was healthy, had a few buds forming...I have no idea what happened!!
 
The rest of the plant had no damage, and there was no indication of digging or trampling or anything of that nature. Just did a quick google search and at this point I'm thinking maybe cutworms? Don't see any of the little bastards though...
 
More likely just the wind. I have some really bushy plants with lots of side branching, and the occasional high winds have been snapping some of them. I hedged my bets and staked the main stems, but I don't mind losing the occasional side branch.
 
The branch may have become too heavy for the main structure to handle…those things are going to happen. It really sucks when the fallen branches are carrying pods through.
 
afman916 said:
The rest of the plant had no damage, and there was no indication of digging or trampling or anything of that nature. Just did a quick google search and at this point I'm thinking maybe cutworms? Don't see any of the little bastards though...
Click to expand...

Cutworms don't feed up in the plant they live in the soil and will only feed on small plants that they can wrap themselves completely around resulting in seedlings that get cut off right near the surface of the ground -- so very doubtful they are the cause.
 
We did have 50mph gusts the last couple nights down this way. Not sure if they swept up your way, but that would be my guess.
 
So cutworms are out then...I doubt it was a matter of the branch being too heavy, as it's a relatively small plant and the branch was small with no flowers even.

Maybe wind, but I've got some anuums that are much bigger and some tomatoes that are three or four times the size of the plant in question and no issues there. It doesn't look like it snapped off either; no ragged edged, actually a pretty clean break off which is why I initially thought cutworms.

Still stumped...no other issues with any other plants in the garden. What gets me is this is actually one of the healthier looking hots I have going...I was pretty bummed this morning haha.
 
Happens all the time. Once my plants get above a certain size, I just loosely tie them to a support to prevent the most severe of breakages. Earlier in the season I had a Datil branch get aborted for no immediately discernible reason. Animals, wind, pests, you name it, can all contribute to loss of limb.

It's just the plant's way of protecting itself. Better to lose the branch than risk being uprooted.
 
Dip it in hormone powder or gel & plant it, thats what i did when a storm ripped a limp off my Bhuts, ive now got a second plant & the main plant grew another limb in its place. :party:

Snip all the growth off as well, pods, leaves the whole lot.

Mezo.
 
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