The Connecticut River attempted to create a new oxbow during Irene. Our farm was turned into an island accessible only by wading through three separate new channels streaming across Honey Pot Road. It was impossible (at least for this feeble mind) to figure out how to negotiate two portages and three boat passages ferrying over 60 lb. of cherry tomatoes at a time without winding up with mush.
So, our two greenhouses of tomatoes stood in 8″ of floodwaters for almost three days…and 200 plants went into extreme shock (well, wouldn’t you?!). Most of the leaves of the bottom 4 FEET of the plants shriveled up and died. Splitting had reached almost pandemic proportions among the four red varieties we use in our mix (2 orange, 2 pink, 1 yellow, 1 purple). Normally, that would be the end of this story. However, we have been employing a nutrient density protocol this season based on our just completed year-long course. And I am delightedly astonished that the top 8 feet of our 10-12 foot tall!! plants are showing signs of new growth, even creating new suckers where old leaves are falling off.