6 Reasons Your Tomato Plant Is Wilting
When it comes to drama in the garden, tomatoes are the stars. In the right conditions, they grow wild and produce several pounds of fruit, but if something goes wrong, the tomato plants will wilt in earnest. It's not unusual for a tomato plant to look vigorous and lush one day, and the next to be a limp bunch of stems and leaves. Wilt is a symptom of stress that needs to be addressed quickly to save the plant. Unfortunately, wilting is often not curable, but it can be prevented. This guide will help you determine the cause of wilting on your tomato plant and then take steps to resolve the problem.
1. Drought stress
Tomatoes require more water than other garden vegetables. When water needs are not met, tomatoes will stunt their growth and wilt. Tomatoes struggling with prolonged drought may wilt in the heat of the day, then revive in cool nighttime temperatures and wilt again the next day.
Tomatoes need 1 to 2 inches of water per week to thrive. Plants growing in fast-draining, sandy soils do best when they receive 2 inches of water per week. Tomatoes planted in well-drained loam or slow-draining loam grow best in about 1 inch of water.
what to do
Water your plants properly. Too little water is just as problematic as too much water. Before turning on the faucet to water your tomatoes, dip your finger into the soil at the base of the plant. If the soil is wet below 2 inches from the surface, do not water and check the soil again the next day. Water when the soil 2 inches below the surface is dry to the touch.
When you water, water slowly for long periods of time. This helps water to sink deeper into the soil, which encourages plants to develop a deeper root system. Always provide water to the base of the plant; Avoid wetting the leaves, which can encourage certain tomato diseases to thrive.
2. Excessive heat
Tomatoes grow best when the air temperature is below 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Several days of temperatures in the nineties combined with dry soil can cause plants to wilt in the afternoon, then recover at night, only to wilt again the next day.
what to do
Keep the plant well until the heat has passed. Water the plant deeply every few days and fertilize your tomatoes as needed to provide them with the nutrients they need to maintain strong, healthy growth.
3. Nearby walnut trees
Tomatoes growing close to walnut trees struggle to survive, often wilting towards the end of their lives. A chemical called juglone, released from the roots of walnut trees, is toxic to tomatoes and many other plants. The roots of the walnut tree reach beyond the tree canopy.
what to do
Grow tomatoes in containers. For best results, choose a pot that holds at least 5 gallons of soil. Raised beds are not an option in areas affected by juglone. Toxic juglone moves into raised bed soil. Removing the walnut tree is also not the solution. Juglone remains in decaying tree roots for years.
4. Fungal wilt diseases
A well-watered and wilted tomato plant can indicate one of the two most common plant diseases caused by Fusarium or Verticillium. These fungi enter the plant through its roots and block the movement of water and nutrients. In a few days, the affected plant will turn yellow and wilt. Fusarium and Verticillium fungal spores overwinter in the soil and on infected plant parts and can infect tomato, pepper, eggplant, and potato plants annually. A symptom of fungal wilt is the presence of brown streaks beneath the surface of the stem tissue.
what to do
There is no cure for Fusarium and Verticillium wilt. Remove and dispose of infected plants as soon as they are noticed; Do not add them to the compost pile. Avoid devastating fungal diseases by planting resistant varieties. 'Popular,' 'Mountain Pride,' and 'Quick Pick' are all resistant to downy mildew. Crop rotation is another tool to combat fungal wilt. Create a 4-year crop rotation schedule and plant tomatoes in a new garden each year for 4 years, then return to the original planting area.
5. Southern blight
This fungal disease is mostly found in southern regions but grows in northern regions during hot, humid weather. Look for signs of southern blight on the base of a wilted tomato plant. If you see cottony white mold on the base of the stem with small light brown fruiting structures, your plant may be suffering from southern blight.
what to do
There is no cure for southern blight. Remove and dispose of infected plants as soon as they are found. To avoid spores in the soil from infecting new plants, you should space out uninfected plants after at least 2 years. Prevent this blight attack by planting tomato seedlings at least 3 feet apart and allowing good air circulation between plants.
6. Bacterial wilt
Bacterial wilt affects a tomato plant so quickly that it does not have time to turn yellow before it wilts and dies. Determine the cause of plant death by bacterial wilt by cutting the main stems. If the center of the stem, called the pith, is brown or hollow, bacterial wilt may be the cause of death.
what to do
There is no cure for bacterial wilt. The disease remains in the soil for many years. Plant tomatoes elsewhere for at least 4 years to allow the bacteria to die naturally.
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