Solanum Crispin Glasnevin - can it be saved - help please for community garden

[BasiliskStare]

So this is the plant www.rhs.org.uk/plants/97176/Solanum-crispum-Glasnevin/Details

Today in a small community garden in an urban area someone broke off this plant ( 5 years maturity and winding up and flowering very nicely over railings up to about 10 - 12 foot high with a strong stem and branches ) to about 18 inches of a stump . The plant was about 10 or 12 ft tall and has been pruned / cut back each year. At the moment now there is just about a foot and a half of stump but there are some shoots around that. ( two have flowers on them) The problem is that whilst the plant was south facing , it is against about a 3ft wall & then railings so when it gets up to the railings it get sun and it thrives but where they have broken it not sure how much it will thrive

So sorry a long question , but ( & I am so cross that someone has just come in and broken this thing off - they also broke off all the branches of a buddleia - though I know they grow like topsy so if pruned I am sure that will grow back - this one is pruned regularly under normal circumstances.)

Does any one have any advice. This is a community garden so if the thing dies I will buy another and plant it but if anyone has any useful advice I would appreciate it as to whether this plant can be saved . I have a photo as to what it looks like now but not sure how to upload - I am sure I could find out

It makes me cross because in these strange times this tiny garden has a few benches in it and for those who do not have gardens of their own it is a nice place to go out for a bit of fresh air and no one abuses it. Someone has just made it worse. I am a bit cross as this garden is done by volunteers and there is pretty much no budget so everything is donated or begged . But it looks lovely & is an asset to the locality . As I say - any advice or should we just dig it up and plant a new one ( i.e. the solanum. ) ?

Sorry long question but thank you to anyone who could give any advice

Oh I’m furious on your behalf. What a barbaric thing for someone to do!

In my experience solanum can be quite temperamental, so this could be too much of a shock for it. But don’t write it off yet if it has some signs of life. Feed it, give it a tonne of water and it might pull through.

Don’t worry about shade though - this won’t worry it at all.

What Venus said.

Good luck with the garden.

@ VenusClapTrap and @IONA

Thank you both - I cannot tell you how upset I am someone has done this - I know the plant doesn't have a scent but it looks pretty & it was an asset. I shall google what kind of food / nutrients it would like , trouble is my garden is smaller than a lot of people's desks so I don't have any here . I have a key to the community garden shed because I do some weeding for them so they may have some plant food in there & I certainly know where the hoses are kept.

Thank you both - Yesterday I saw an elderly person had just gone for a walk and just on their own sat on a bench in the sun for a bit & some twit has just broken down two plants which were making this garden nicer. I know we all have more to worry about than plants but it upset me . Thanks for advice about the shade though - I shall water it and check out what kind of feed it likes. It's obviously ruined for this summer but if we can keep it going then maybe next summer it will be back on it's game

But again thank you both

It would upset me too. Massively.

Do you think if it doesn't revive I would be better buying a climbing rose to replace it. I was thinking Iceberg ( which again - not scented but lots of flowers ) - am going to donate a replacement so just a choice . Maybe just wait a while to see if solanum rejuvenates ?

Thank you @VenusClaptrap I felt a bit silly for how upset I was but hey ho - life goes on - I think you get how very unhappy I was that someone has just spoilt something which in a small way - I know it aint the NHS but I do think people feel better with a bit of fresh air & being able to get out and looking at something nice & for the last few years people who work around the area and indeed the teachers at the local school use that garden. - Thank you for your posts - they calmed me down a bit

I had one that snapped through wind damage (and because we had neglected pruning it). I cut it down to about 30cm and it re-grew, although it has taken 2 years to get back to its original height.

Don’t go for Iceberg, it’s very disease prone.

Maybe thorns will discourage the hooligans next time.

Thanks for that advice @Castreet - I know it will take a while to regrow - just shoots from the root. But I shall water and feed and maybe it will come back . Thank you for that - much appreciated

@Iona - The mood I was in yesterday if anyone could recommend the thorniest of thorny roses - well take that you vandalising ( insert the rudest word you are comfortable with of your choice here, ) I shall get a belt with secateurs and aphid spray and come out like Sigourney Weaver ( well except I am a bit older and not so slim )

But thank you all , I was so so cross yesterday but thank you all there is a path to follow

@Iona - I have an iceberg climbing rose in a raised bed in my tiny patio - have I done the wrong thing ?

So just to say Thank you to all - I have a way to go here ( i.e. something to investigate and try to make well )

Thank you to all who have responded. Very much appreciated @castreet @Iona @Venusclaptrap

Very much appreciate your answers - and when & if this thing grows again I will post a photograph

Basilisk x

It's quite a hardy plant in the correct position (and it sounds like it is) but I think there's a limit to how far back it can be cut. However if there's still some shots on it there's a bit of hope. So many be wait.

It's a really pretty plant isn't it - so sorry that someone's been so awful. Very upsetting.

Thank you @CherryValanc - it is pretty & it did a good job where it was but thank you for nice post - we are going to see if a bit of hope

thank you

Mine grows like a bugger we have to hack it back. Never knew they could be temperamental

Ha ha ha - you give me hope @greathat - if this one grows back we will be pleased . Jut a shame 5 years ( with pruning) has been spoiled - if I can find out how to do it I will show the extent of it - but thank you