I always water transplants with a fish emulsion fertilizer to avoid transplant shock. Also, did you harden them off? They might not be able to take strong sun, wind, etc yet. I usually put my newly purchased vegetable plants in my garden cart to wheel in and out of the garage to harden off. I don't leave them out very long the first couple of days. Also, try to transplant on overcast or rainy days.

I did harden them off for several days, toting their pots in and out of the garage. The only thing I can think of is that it got quite windy the afternoon after I planted...

I've attached a link to a photo of the worst looking of the three plants...

Here is a link that might be useful: Wilting tomato seedling

How much of a soil ball did your plants have?? I would think that a good solid ball that stays together would not have wilting plants unless something is remiss.
Still I would think that the plants could have used a little longer time in growing and hardening before setting out.

Postscript: At this point I would cover them for a couple days with large plastic containers turned upside down over them....will do a lot more for them than propping up.

You shouldn't transplant so early. Evening is the best time, so they have time to recover before being exposed to full sun.

megret - you have wilting tomatoes and wilting radishes. Could there be something wrong in your soil? Could it be over-fertilized?

megret7 -

In my experience, wind just after transplanting can be far more damaging that intense sun/heat/cold. Where are you located (you may want to add your location and zone)? If you are anywhere between Philadelphia and Rochester (probably beyond), the wind was really, really strong yesterday and could easily do that kind of damage.

As Taz said, planting in the evening in best, but I also cover my plants for the first few days with a cut off 1g water bottle, especially if it is windy.

I hope they recover,
Bellatrix

Yes wind may be more damaging than direct sun after transplant but putting them both together could spell disaster.

I live in SC. We had a cool front move through Sat. and Sunday, thus the wind (temps never got below 60, though).

I planted on a similar day last year and the year before, so that's what has me so confused.

I had considered the overfertilization, but I followed the package directions (even put a little less than recommended) -- then worked it into the soil well before planting. It is an organic fertilizer specifically for vegetables and tomatoes.

The root balls were okay -- I had about 2-3 plants per terra cotta pot, so I couldn't just remove the entire pot's contents/soil ball and plant it undisturbed; I had to separate the plants. Maybe that's the problem.

I really hope I can perk them up. They are cherry tomatoes -- I can buy nice strong tomato plants from the local produce stand but they're slicing size.

I will try covering them with plastic containers.

You want to harden off outside, in sunlight. Hardening off includes to UV light.

Dan

The two and three plants per terra cotta pot jumped out at me. They look like plants that sustained some root damage during transplant. Sometimes very rootbound plants or plants with immature root systems do that, especially with wind right after transplant. Basically, they're wilting because they are loosing more water through their leaves than they can replenish through their roots. I don't think it is hopeless. Just protect them, make sure they have even watering (don't drown them, just don't let the roots dry out), and wait it out. I like the idea of protecting/shading them temporarily, too.

The wind did it.

The root systems are very small and dry out rapidly.
Wind (sun, too) makes the root ball dry out faster than normal.

Remedy:
1. Water the entire bed at planting.
2. Every day after that, sometimes several times per day early on, water directly at the rootball.
3. Rig temporary protection against direct sun and/or wind.

Caution: If you cover them with a cloche-like device, you could cook them on a sunny warm day.

Would you recommend covering with something like newspaper, or upside down translucent rubbermaid storage containers? I agree - - I don't want to cook them. It will be 86 degrees F here tomorrow!

The containers I had in mind are plastic pots that plants came in from the nursery. these have holes in them so they don't usually get so hot. If worried about heat, tip them up at an angle on one side by pushing the pot into the ground on the other side Choose which way to tip...usually open to north.

Is there a chance you damaged the stems when tying them to the stakes? Also check on drainage.

hi. Poor plants! i would think that they are done, but you never know....what zone are you in? right now i have my tomatoes, zinnias, impatiens, and strawflowers(which have EPLODED in size since i put them in there!) in a raised bed under a sheet of glass and the soil temp. is about 70 degrees F. even though the temp outside is about 55 degrees usually.

I'm sure you already know what you are doing, but i thought maybe it would help a little?

I'm in Zone 7.
Has anyone heard of simply covering during the hottest parts of the day with newspaper?

megret7 -

One thing about cherry type tomatoes is - they don't grow upright like regular toms, but sprawl. However, from the picture, I would have used some mulch - like grass clippings - in and around the poor thing to help keep the soil moist and cool, until the tad took hold. The surrounding rocks probably reflected too much heat and sun.

Just my 2 c's.

Bejay

I am in SC, too.
This spring we have had continuous wicked winds and bad storms.
I am experiencing quite a bit of wind burn and damage with my plants.
If I were you, I would try to create some shelter for any remaining plants until the wind settles down.
This is the windiest spring I can remember.

One thing about cherry type tomatoes is - they don't grow upright like regular toms, but sprawl

That all depends on how you grow them. If staked or caged they can't sprawl and I've never let them sprawl. I grow them just like any other Ind.
There are also Det. cherries which don't sprawl.

Hi megret,
Everyone's advice has been good, I would add (if too late for this year,then next years advice would be), plant them deeper, I can't tell by that pic,but it looks like you had a really tall,leggy transplant,that was already set up with "two strikes against it", if any of them are still surviving,pack dirt all around them ,all the way up to the leaves...1/2" gap, they like to be planted deep , and it will help them root quicker too.

Maybe the type of tomatoes that I grow - golfball-size, are a bit different than most. They will put out growth to 20-30 feet sometimes, that would take a heck of a large cage.

Our spring weather fluctuates from cold to hot in a single day - so I'm using some large cardboard boxes to put up some makeshift tents. That might be a help to newly planted toms too.

Just my 2 c's.

Bejay

30 feet?

So just to recap, hardening off is not done in the garage.

Personally, some of mine go under a pine tree that provides partial sun, gradually moving to more sun. The others go in the coldframe with a row cover over the top. Plants must be accustomed to the sun gradually. Wind can be dealt with by turning a fan on them before planting out to get them used to it and setting them out properly when properly hardening off.

Dan

30 feet? - well give or take a few - all over my back yard! Maybe I exaggerated a bit - but not too much.

Most of my tomatoes are started in yogurt cups, put into plastic shoebox size containers. When I harden them off, they are put outside under a shade tree with another shoebox placed on top (mini-greenhouse).

I realize we can grow year-round in our weather, but tomatoes, peppers, etc., still need special care when putting them outside.

Bejay

Maybe the type of tomatoes that I grow - golfball-size, are a bit different than most. They will put out growth to 20-30 feet sometimes

Tomato size is mostly genetic. A longer season and bigger plant doesn't mean larger fruit. In fact an older plant produces smaller fruit IME.
Just what variety is this supposed to be?

The variety is unknown to me. They were volunteers found on the property when we moved here. I save seeds every year from the best and largest tomatoes that produce, then start seedlings from them the following year.

They are large cherry tomatoes, indeterminate in growth. Sorry I can't be more specific.

I've never grown a "determinate" type cherry tomato.

Bejay

Thanks for all of your responses. Unfortunately, those three tomato plants didn't survive.
I have two more still in my garage I will put out in their place, as well as one more I'll buy from the produce stand (slicing style tomatoes).

I will plant them deeper as recommended, too, and harden them off a bit longer this time.

Thanks, all.

Harden them off properly too, outside.

Dan

If you pile dirt around the two in your garage...they'll be a whole lot sturdier & try not to transplant them until they're a healthy 6-8 inches tall...just my opinion.

Good luck.

Megret, have you tried tomatoes again this year? Found this site because my newly transplaned seedlings are wilting however I know I disrupted the root system by breaking two seedlings apart to plant in bigger pots.

I just planted my garden this morning. 6 seedlings that all came in the same pot are struggling---I am assuming root damage but who knows. Ironically, I have very young seedlings with not much of a root system that seem no worse for the wear. On that note, maybe it is hardening off issue.

A little pinch of Epsom salt and table sugar. Usually gets them out of transplant shock

I'm not so sure about that. Sugar lowers the osmotic pressure of the water, and will make it harder for seedlings to absorb water. Sugar certainly promotes bacterial growth, which is unlikely to help seedlings. Sugar is useful in hydroponic gardening as a convenient water-soluble carbon source, however. Not sure what Epsom salt would have to do with anything seedling-related. Reference?