I (probably stupidly) got 2 of the topsy turvy tomato planters this year because I have such a terrible time with birds, rabbits, squirrels and desert rats destroying stuff in regular containers out here in the desert (Valley foothills, forget even trying the ground unless I build a major fortress around it).... I'm also trying suspended nylon netting and placing all the huge containers up on tall pedestals for other plants. We'll see if it's better than the plastic bird netting from which I had to rescue a dumb young bull snake from sure death due to major entanglement THREE times last summer....

But I digress.... so I put a Celebrity and Early Girl in the hanging containers a few weeks back and hung them in my lysiloma tree in the sun. They've been growing like crazy, stems as fat as your thumb where they come out of the container. I used metal hangers I bought from Target a couple years ago, 12" long S shapes. Tonight, while out for a poodle potty break, I realize one container is missing.

Sure enough it fell, breaking the main stem about 2" from where it grows down out of the pot. Mind you, the stem is not totally broken off, it's about 50-75% broken through :(

So... does anyone know if I should just remove the top of broken plant, hang it back up with it's 2" stem and see if it will regrow? Any real chance that could happen? Or should I just go get another one tomorrow to replace it completely? Or maybe trim it so that one set of leaves remains (above the break) and hope it sprouts new shoots out from the main stem below the break? Or would those be "suckers"?

I have no idea but I sure hate that the stupid S hook apparently was not strong enough to hold -- it lost it's top S curve, that's what brought it down, and must have gradually just let go. The other one looks fine, will have to reinforce, use a second one, rebend a longer and bigger upper S loop.... very annoying....

Thanks for any advice.