tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690637486415508827.post1386344587857394264..comments2024-03-16T00:21:21.342-07:00Comments on GardenerScott: Dealing with Plant WiltGardenerScotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01489924261765056667noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690637486415508827.post-10227691714979613942021-06-30T18:19:30.787-07:002021-06-30T18:19:30.787-07:00I have one tomato plant that the leaves are droopi...I have one tomato plant that the leaves are drooping, where the remaining plants are fine. We have had rain on and off the last couple days, along with hot humid weather. Any thoughts what might be the cause?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690637486415508827.post-29889768930317489912020-05-30T07:11:22.015-07:002020-05-30T07:11:22.015-07:00what an imformative article. thanks so much for wr...what an imformative article. thanks so much for writing it and sharing your knowledge with us! :) I have a tomato plant that looks wilty but it has brown edges on some of the leaves. it was watered real good yesterday and still looks wilty. the soil is wet and i am not sure about the brown leaves. it is a disease resistant plant so the tag said. any thoughts??kimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13902413600018369106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690637486415508827.post-48655000606822496262018-04-25T06:49:04.621-07:002018-04-25T06:49:04.621-07:00I have a tomato seedling that was very healthy in ...I have a tomato seedling that was very healthy in a solo cup with drainage holes. We have had terrible weather so I haven't been able to set it outdoors for several days. Very heavy rains and storms. This morning I noticed the lower leaves only were wilted. It is cool in the room the seedling are in...could the wilting be from the cooler temps combined with no sun to dry out the soil? The top of the soil is dry but when I out my finger into the soil it is cold and damp not soggy. Lb919https://www.blogger.com/profile/05651527895588293191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690637486415508827.post-41307910891189980222012-06-03T08:55:43.339-07:002012-06-03T08:55:43.339-07:00Transplants should begin to look "normal"...Transplants should begin to look "normal" after two or three days in their new location. Minor wilting can improve in a matter of hours. Severe wilting can lead to cellular damage and those parts of the plant will likely never recover. If wilted and withered branches and leaves have not recovered after a day of normal watering, you can consider pruning them off. That helps clean up the plant and quickens the healing process of the plant at the prune site.GardenerScotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01489924261765056667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690637486415508827.post-11270203268911276192012-06-01T11:12:20.460-07:002012-06-01T11:12:20.460-07:00I transplanted my tomatoes and plants in the heat ...I transplanted my tomatoes and plants in the heat of the evening (I live in Southern Utah so probably around 80 degrees) and they have wilted. Two questions: 1- How long will it take the plants to look normal if conditions are right (have enough water, sunlight, etc.)? 2- Would it be advisable to prune off some of the more withered leaves if the stalk is still green?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690637486415508827.post-64259961771088017472012-05-30T13:08:31.211-07:002012-05-30T13:08:31.211-07:00Just to follow up, because I answered Camille on m...Just to follow up, because I answered Camille on my facebook page, new transplants should be watered often in hot, dry, windy areas. Sandy soil will require watering more often than clay soils. Amended soils will require less watering than unamended soils. The soil should remain consistently moist, not saturated, until the new plants begin developing a good root structure (usually in a week or two). I also don't recommend bark mulch for vegetable gardens. Straw or dried grass works better because you can till it in at the end of the season and it becomes a soil amendment.GardenerScotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01489924261765056667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690637486415508827.post-89782425866300599252012-05-22T14:17:00.544-07:002012-05-22T14:17:00.544-07:00Thank you for the information. It has helped me to...Thank you for the information. It has helped me to understand a little better. We just transplanted some tomato plants, pepper plants, cucumber plants, zuccini plants and cantalope plants. We planted them in the early morning before it started to get hot. They are wilting now and I think it's just from the heat. We did give them a good drink right after planting them..and they did look perky this morning. My question is how often should I water new transplanted plants? I live in Tooele, UT and it gets very windy here and one day it can be cool..like 70 and then the next day it's over 80 close to 90 degrees and by time June hits it stays in the 90's. This is our third season planting and as of yet we haven't had success. Our soil is kind of sandy.This year we fertilized the dirt in the early spring with horse manure. We did put a bark mulch around each of the plants to help the plants moist. So, have we done the right things for these plants so far? We really do want success this year. Thank you.Camille Prottinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690637486415508827.post-1510068515983731552012-05-13T16:23:14.003-07:002012-05-13T16:23:14.003-07:00One or two missed days of water may not be a death...One or two missed days of water may not be a death sentence. For young plants you can usually tell if they're dead pretty quickly. The little tender stalk will shrivel and collapse in a day or two and the leaves will turn brown. If the plant stays erect, give it a little time and see if new green growth emerges. Be careful that you don't go to extremes to try and correct lack of watering. Soaking the soil and leaving the roots to drown in too much water will kill young plants. Also they need light; flourescent grow lights don't produce excess heat so turn the light back on. Keep the soil moist, not wet, so you may not need to water as often as you think. Good luck.GardenerScotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01489924261765056667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690637486415508827.post-66707366666981783512012-05-13T15:48:32.344-07:002012-05-13T15:48:32.344-07:00I forgot to water my tomato and basil starters ove...I forgot to water my tomato and basil starters over the weekend. I have the plants under grow lights and immediately turned the light off while I soaked the soil. How do I know if the plants are dead? There is no browning but the leaves are in really bad shape. Thanks for the info posted above.IanVanorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04246883643158174217noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690637486415508827.post-47049330947829097332012-04-18T07:51:56.253-07:002012-04-18T07:51:56.253-07:00You're welcome. Transplanting often damages ro...You're welcome. Transplanting often damages roots and almost always stresses plants. A stressed plant often responds by wilting. Transplanting in hot conditions worsen the stress. Letting the bare plant rest too long in dry air while preparing the new pot is a common cause too. Many times wilt will improve with time. A good soaking is recommended after transplanting to give plants as much water as they can absorb and usually that's enough to reverse the wilt. After the initial boost, normal watering patterns should be followed. If the wilt continues check the moisture level of the soil by putting your finger in the soil to root level. If the soil is still saturated that can explain the wilt. Tomatoes can be quite resilient and even if there is some cell damage new growth should appear soon.GardenerScotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01489924261765056667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690637486415508827.post-17338299968352366182012-04-16T22:57:35.718-07:002012-04-16T22:57:35.718-07:00Thanks for this informative post. My tomato plants...Thanks for this informative post. My tomato plants wilted when I transplanted them into bigger pots, with a soil that has great drainage, but also retains moisture. Too much water? Not enough? Growing too fast? Not sure yet, but thanks for explaining the processes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690637486415508827.post-35503402393649389952012-04-07T08:23:27.464-07:002012-04-07T08:23:27.464-07:00It sounds like you might have more going on than o...It sounds like you might have more going on than overwatering. Dying leaves that are damaged by overwatering can yellow and then turn brown when dying, but your problem could be blight or a bacterial or fungal disease. Often diseases are introduced when water splashes on the plants and weak plants can be very susceptible; wilted plants from overwatering can be weak. Verticillium and Fusarium wilt could be possibilities too. Insects like aphids and thrips can cause curling. Take a close look at the plant. Are all the leaves affected? Is there new growth that looks normal? Are some leaves curled but not discolored? Can you see little insects? If you can see insects and some leaves are green and healthy, you can treat with an insecticide and save the plant. If the entire plant is infected and nothing looks normal, pull the plant and discard it. If only part of the plant is affected you can prune off damaged areas and water normally to see if you can save it. You can check with the Cooperative Extension office in Clark County for more specific info for plants in Vegas. Good luck.GardenerScotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01489924261765056667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690637486415508827.post-69499461615840175952012-04-05T07:43:59.617-07:002012-04-05T07:43:59.617-07:00I have a bell pepper plant that U'm sure I ove...I have a bell pepper plant that U'm sure I over-watered initially, the wilting has gotten better but the leaves are curling, turning yellow and black. Is there anything I can do? I live in Las Vegas, I've been allowing full sun.tricelv1997https://www.blogger.com/profile/02980910443094152888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690637486415508827.post-68560519622802246952012-04-03T08:32:00.804-07:002012-04-03T08:32:00.804-07:00If plant wilt is caused by cold/frost conditions, ...If plant wilt is caused by cold/frost conditions, the leaves won't recover; there is probably damage in the plant cells. As long as the plant is still alive and not too damaged it will be okay and send out new growth soon. Continue to cover with fabric or row covers when the temperatures cool down. The soil will probably be too cool for tomatoes right now and it may take awhile to notice growth. Keep the soil moist, not wet, (use mulch to help) and keep them covered until the weather warms the plants and soil.GardenerScotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01489924261765056667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690637486415508827.post-33719621802898489052012-03-27T10:36:38.874-07:002012-03-27T10:36:38.874-07:00I didn't realize how cold it got last night an...I didn't realize how cold it got last night and now my tomato plants are wilted but still green. Soil is still moist as we just had some rain. Any ideas as to what I should do. I've covered them with a light breathable material.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690637486415508827.post-23609071106604605042011-08-02T07:32:49.672-07:002011-08-02T07:32:49.672-07:00Great blog post..very informative thanks....Great blog post..very informative thanks....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690637486415508827.post-77822747071657469352011-07-20T09:06:05.996-07:002011-07-20T09:06:05.996-07:00Before you water it again, stick your finger deep ...Before you water it again, stick your finger deep in the soil and check the moisture; you don't want to drown the plant with too much water. If the soil is moist, not soaked, and the plant is still wilted, it may have suffered cell damage and the wilted part won't recover. That doesn't mean the plant is dead, just portions of it. If the main stems stay green, they may recover and send out new growth. If the plant is alive you can continue watering it as needed, though not as much as when it was filled with leaves. If you can shade the plant during the recovery process it might help. A wilted plant that is alive will still maintain some rigidity and have some green; a dead plant will turn brown and shrivel. Observe your plant over the next few days and look for improvement before assuming the worst.GardenerScotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01489924261765056667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690637486415508827.post-8647399499237605272011-07-19T12:34:57.545-07:002011-07-19T12:34:57.545-07:00I made a big mistake by watering my wilted tomato ...I made a big mistake by watering my wilted tomato plant yesterday and today. I fear that I may have just killed my plant. Its been wilted for 2 days now and I watered it again today and just now realized I made the wrong mistake. I'm really hoping that it will recover. Do you know what the chances are it will if I let it be for a while?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com