Wilted Quickly?

AlittleSalt · June 6, 2019

I noticed the Yellow Pear plant looking sort of wilted yesterday. It rained all morning and again last night. The plant stayed wet all day so I left it alone. It rained again early this morning and the plant finally dried by 5pm. It looks like this now. All of the other container grown tomato plants look fine. I checked the drainage holes near the bottom of the bucket and they are not blocked.

I think the plant couldn't take all of the rain we have been receiving, but I would like to read what you all think it could be.

AlittleSalt · June 6, 2019

It actually looks better in the pictures. The plant beside it is a Red Pear.

AlittleSalt · June 6, 2019

A lot of you know my first thought about seeing the wilt. Yes, it's possible that it could be RKN and/or Fusarium Wilt.

No yellowing or dried looking leafs - I have looked at stems and it's not FW3.

Root Knot Nematodes, I won't know until I pull the plant which will probably be tomorrow. If it is RKN, then my attempt to container garden was a failure.

It is a store bought transplant that didn't grow and produce like the other varieties. It's possible that it is a weak plant, or who knows?

It is frustrating not knowing.

peebee · June 7, 2019

I noticed one tomato in a 2-tomato Earthbox was wilting the other day. Then I saw another one wilted also in another EB. The 2nd tomato in each EB was fine. Yet, the next morning, both were totally fine and upright. However by late afternoon both were wilting again. We have had hazy days in the 60's the whole time so I was mystified by this temporary wilting pattern in these 2. There was no wilting at all among the other 14 EB tomatoes. At first I was worried this could spread, maybe some kind of bacterial issue but it's been more than 10 days now and both plants continue to grow and do this on again off again strange wilt. Maybe you should just continue to monitor it for a few days to see if it is still growing? I know the situation is different than mine, but why not wait another day at least?

peebee · June 7, 2019

BTW forgot to add, the wilting was only on the top part of the plants. Totally gone by morning

Worth1 · June 7, 2019

Soil soaked.

bower · June 7, 2019

Soaked soil sounds likely considering the weather! If so you may see it perk up again.

OTOH if it came from the store and was never a strong happy plant, it could have brought something with it that's just been waiting for a bad day to chime in.

ginger2778 · June 7, 2019

Salt, do you have a barrier between your pots and the native soil? I don't think I see any in the photo.

jtjmartin · June 7, 2019

Salt:

Definitely listen to the members that know more than I do, but my initial guesses would be:

1) wet wilt - with all the rain, your soil is too wet and the roots cannot take up enough water and oxygen. More holes in the pot or divert some of the rain.
2) Wilt - fusarium or bacterial - this is how bacterial wilt hits my big beautiful plants. I think that may be why Marsha is asking about a barrier.

I'm still learning but it helps me to guess and then see what the experts say.

Jeff

AlittleSalt · June 7, 2019

Marsha, there is no barrier.

Being on a hill, rainwater sweeps the area. There is no level ground here. In-general, it drops 2 inches per 4 feet.

The mix in that bucket is wet. It doesn't dry out as fast as the other 19 buckets. There are 10 buckets with pepper plants and 10 buckets with tomato plants. I expected the pepper plants to have problems with the amount of rain, but they look fine and are producing peppers. The other 9 tomato plants are growing well and look good except for storm damage that gets trimmed off when the plants no longer have rainwater on them.

ContainerTed · June 7, 2019

Robert, when I had the problem with walnut wilt (juglone), I had to put my containers up on something that would get them out of contact with the ground. My choices were many, but one that I could recommend to the situation I see in the pictures would be to use some pieces of pressure treated two by fours or even just some bricks or cap blocks or whatever to eliminate contact with the ground. You can still use your side stabilizers/stakes to keep from having things blow over.

I think your buckets may not be draining the rain out fast enough. That could waterlog the plant causing it to draw up too much water.

In short, raise them up and drain them better. All of my plants in the past have recovered and had good crops. Don't be too quick to pull them. This is a great setup for a learning moment.

ginger2778 · June 7, 2019

Salt,if no barrier, then nematodes, which are microscopic worms after all, can crawl through the drain holes, so even though wetness might be the issue here, you can still get nematodes even though you are growing in pots. The barrier isn't for drainage, it's to keep the nematodes out. A simple layer of a cut plastic bag of the thickness like your fertilizers and potting mixes come in, put under the pot, is all it takes to keep nematodes out.
No barrier, then what's the point of even growing in the pots? You will need to sterilize your mix in the pots now too.
(I do understand the wilt is probably from overly wet), the point I'm trying to make is in addition to the overly wet soil.

ginger2778 · June 7, 2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by ContainerTed

Robert, when I had the problem with walnut wilt (juglone), I had to put my containers up on something that would get them out of contact with the ground. My choices were many, but one that I could recommend to the situation I see in the pictures would be to use some pieces of pressure treated two by fours or even just some bricks or cap blocks or whatever to eliminate contact with the ground. You can still use your side stabilizers/stakes to keep from having things blow over.

I think your buckets may not be draining the rain out fast enough. That could waterlog the plant causing it to draw up too much water.

In short, raise them up and drain them better. All of my plants in the past have recovered and had good crops. Don't be too quick to pull them. This is a great setup for a learning moment.

Robert, speaking of the drainage, are you using potting mix, or potting soil?

AlittleSalt · June 7, 2019

It's pro mix and MG potting mix blended together with chunky perlite. No soil.

I completely forgot about raising the buckets. I'll write more soon. A guy is working on our internet.

oakley · June 7, 2019

Not sure if I would pull it just yet. Unless it goes totally yellow/brown soon. If so, and no signs
of RKN, do check the stem for hollow vascular blockage.
With wilt here, it is too much water and root rot, or bone dry. Extremes show similar wilt.

I might be wrong but did you place drainage holes a bit up the sides? 2-3 inches?
Might be holding water and some varieties are really aggressive about sending down a big
root mass. Wet feet.
Just remembering Worth's design with too much rain he can drain his container from a lower
drain tube. Holding water for dry stretches, capillary action.

If that is the case, drill a lower water relief hole. Let it dry out a bit.
I know so little about RKN but do you see wilt so quickly and still so green?

So wet here nothing is even in the ground yet

and I have raised beds with good drainage.
My containers like yours are soaked but I have squares of rubber matting that I sleeve over
the top to help divert all these daily storm waters.

June 7, 2019	#11
ContainerTed Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: 6a - NE Tennessee Posts: 4,538	Robert, when I had the problem with walnut wilt (juglone), I had to put my containers up on something that would get them out of contact with the ground. My choices were many, but one that I could recommend to the situation I see in the pictures would be to use some pieces of pressure treated two by fours or even just some bricks or cap blocks or whatever to eliminate contact with the ground. You can still use your side stabilizers/stakes to keep from having things blow over. I think your buckets may not be draining the rain out fast enough. That could waterlog the plant causing it to draw up too much water. In short, raise them up and drain them better. All of my plants in the past have recovered and had good crops. Don't be too quick to pull them. This is a great setup for a learning moment. __________________ Ted ________________________ Owner & Sole Operator Of The Muddy Bucket Farm and Tomato Ranch

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

June 6, 2019	#2
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	It actually looks better in the pictures. The plant beside it is a Red Pear.

June 7, 2019	#4
peebee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Southern CA Posts: 1,714	I noticed one tomato in a 2-tomato Earthbox was wilting the other day. Then I saw another one wilted also in another EB. The 2nd tomato in each EB was fine. Yet, the next morning, both were totally fine and upright. However by late afternoon both were wilting again. We have had hazy days in the 60's the whole time so I was mystified by this temporary wilting pattern in these 2. There was no wilting at all among the other 14 EB tomatoes. At first I was worried this could spread, maybe some kind of bacterial issue but it's been more than 10 days now and both plants continue to grow and do this on again off again strange wilt. Maybe you should just continue to monitor it for a few days to see if it is still growing? I know the situation is different than mine, but why not wait another day at least?

June 7, 2019	#6
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Soil soaked.

June 7, 2019	#7
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,793	Soaked soil sounds likely considering the weather! If so you may see it perk up again. OTOH if it came from the store and was never a strong happy plant, it could have brought something with it that's just been waiting for a bad day to chime in.

June 7, 2019	#8
ginger2778 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10 Posts: 9,283	Salt, do you have a barrier between your pots and the native soil? I don't think I see any in the photo.

June 7, 2019	#9
jtjmartin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2016 Location: Williamsburg VA Zone 7b Posts: 1,110	Salt: Definitely listen to the members that know more than I do, but my initial guesses would be: 1) wet wilt - with all the rain, your soil is too wet and the roots cannot take up enough water and oxygen. More holes in the pot or divert some of the rain. 2) Wilt - fusarium or bacterial - this is how bacterial wilt hits my big beautiful plants. I think that may be why Marsha is asking about a barrier. I'm still learning but it helps me to guess and then see what the experts say. Jeff

June 7, 2019	#15
oakley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: NewYork 5a Posts: 2,303	Not sure if I would pull it just yet. Unless it goes totally yellow/brown soon. If so, and no signs of RKN, do check the stem for hollow vascular blockage. With wilt here, it is too much water and root rot, or bone dry. Extremes show similar wilt. I might be wrong but did you place drainage holes a bit up the sides? 2-3 inches? Might be holding water and some varieties are really aggressive about sending down a big root mass. Wet feet. Just remembering Worth's design with too much rain he can drain his container from a lower drain tube. Holding water for dry stretches, capillary action. If that is the case, drill a lower water relief hole. Let it dry out a bit. I know so little about RKN but do you see wilt so quickly and still so green? So wet here nothing is even in the ground yet and I have raised beds with good drainage. My containers like yours are soaked but I have squares of rubber matting that I sleeve over the top to help divert all these daily storm waters.