You can.

Have you done it before?

You can root them in water or in moist potting soil.

Are your plants completely beyond salvage?

How about the fruit? You can salvage green tomatoes that were 'dented' by hail by making chow chow.

I have cut back hail-damaged plants to about 8" to 10" above the ground and had them regrow but it was probably in April, May or June both times that I did it. I don't know if they will have the energy to come back in mid-July, but they might. Of course, if all the foliage is stripped and shredded, you can't just prune off all the damage because there won't be any foliage left to conduct photosynthesis.

Are the tropicals beyond salvation?

Dawn

The tomatoes are toast. The tropicals are going to make it. My mother-in-law was here recently and had the garden helper move all the plants around on my patio while I was on a business trip. I was steamed to say the least when I got back and saw all my large-leafed potted plants shoved in a corner under an overhang ("The ones that need the most watering," she said, "are now in one place! Isn't that nice!")

Wouldn't you know, I haven't had time to move the tropicals back to their original places, so they are only partially shredded. I now thank my mother-in-law.

The in-ground elephant ears, cannas, and the experimentals (including giant hostas) on the north side of the house are shredded, though, and toast. Oh, well....

I've put the tomato shreds in water in the kitchen and will sort them out tomorrow. Saw on TV that it hit a wider area than I thought in N. OKC.

Thanks for the concern....

I sympathize with you. There is nothing like seeing your beautiful big-leaved plants with hail damage. Some of the leaves on my hostas and bananas STILL have rips and tears from a hail storm earlier this year. If there was some way to pull out a screen to protect them...

We didn't get hail on the west side of OKC, just thunder and strong winds. I have spent the past few hours cleaning up limbs & leaves from the pool and yard - nothing in comparison to what you've had to contend with this evening.

On the bright side... maybe you'll get to eat some fried green tomatoes this weekend!!

Soonergirl, where on the west side are you? I'm in Warr Acres, and when I got home Thursday evening it looked like it had all completely missed me. No evidence at my house of hail, wind, or rain. I had all of two drops of water in my rain gauge. I did get some rain, about 1/8", late Thursday night but nothing like what the afternoon storm did in the area where I work (I work at the Health Sciences Center).

Debra

I've had good results rooting tomato slips in water if I take them inside and keep them at my western exposure windows that are partially shaded by an awning. They need to be protected for several days after they've rooted and been planted outside, though.

It might be too late in the summer to do it this year, but it's worth a try! Maybe we'll catch a break and have a late fall frost, rather than an early one. The way the weather's been so far this spring/summer, anything could happen.

Ilene,

You said "The way the weather's been so far this spring/summer, anything could happen." and it make me chuckle.

I fully expect an early frost just because we haven't had one in such a long time....years and years.....I think, so we're overdue.

I wonder what it would be like to garden someplace that the weather isn't crazy? I guess we'll never know.

Dawn

Hi Debra - I live off NW 36th and MacArthur. I didn't get any rain either - just strong winds which always leave my yard a mess as I have 38 oak trees in my back yard. No damage though, just a mess to clean up.

According to the weather man, we were suppose to get 75 mph winds and possible hail last night. I spent a while pulling all my potted plants into the pool house and just as long pulling them all out again this morning :) No hail or winds last night but I'm not complaining.

Soonergirl, I'm about two miles north of you. I live in the area of 63rd & MacArthur.

I know I didn't get any rain at my house last night as my rain gauge was empty, but we must have gotten winds or something because my power had gone off briefly. My alarm clock and the clock on my microwave were both reset this morning, however the clock on my coffee maker was unaffected. I had two instances of "brown outs" and one brief complete outtage while getting ready for work this morning.

It's a good thing I only put food out for my cats twice a day. They're accustomed to being fed when I get up in the morning and again when I get home from work. If the alarm doesn't wake me, then they will gang up to wake me to feed them. They don't let me sleep in much more than maybe thirty minutes later than the alarm normally wakes me, even on weekends. Had it not been for their hungry tummies going off I would definitely not have gotten to work on time this morning!

Debra