Mysterious intermittent wilt

16 years ago

My tomatoes and cucumbers, after a good strong start, are doing this weired thing were occasionally one plant out of the bunch severely wilts. Sometimes it is the whole plant, sometimes part of the plant, but the wilt is so bad that affected parts look as if they had been cut from that plant the day before. You know, totally soft and droopy. Usually the plant perks right back up in a day or two, I had one tomato that took a while to come back and it just doesn't look as "vivacious" as it could, but it not wilting anymore. I noticed one of cucumbers having this yesterday and it is just so bad I will be shocked if it recovers, but I have hope.

I have two theories, one is that this is because I have some big walnut trees near, and I have just discovered that is a no no. Alas, there is no where to move the garden too that is away from the walnuts, this is the farthest location and the only spot to get full sun, so I will plant my tomatoes in containers next year. However, I read that cucumbers are one veggie not affected by walnut root toxins, and it is happening to the cucs too!

Second theory. I am seeing some kind of tunneling varmint trails around the affected plants sometimes. Could there be a critter chewing up the roots?? This would explain why they seem to recover, especially when I give them a good water, but even once the wilt evidence is gone, the plant doesn't look at strong as it once did.

Other details, we have been having plenty of rain, and I have soaker hoses for the occasional short dry spell we had. This is a brand new garden spot, I haven't tested my soil but I have lovely soft fluffy dark soil that hold moisture nicely, that I top dressed with a bit of finished compost and some layers of plain cardboard to stop any weeds, (works fabulous for weed control BTW).

I am really saddened to see my plants in this shape. I missed out on having a garden last year due to moving, and I have never in my life had these types of troubles growing tomatoes and cucumbers! Usually they love our Iowa weather and soil. *snif*

On another note, herbs and squashes seem to be thriving, and I think my tomatillo plants are on steroids or something they are so vigorous.

*help*

Laura

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Comments (7)

greenmulberry
Original Author
16 years ago
Oh, I forgot to mention, these plants have no signs of disease or bug attacks. They look like they are perfect specimins with hardly any blemish on the leaves one day, and the next look like a plant that has been ripped from the ground and left in the sun.

Laura
sarahlynnwhite
16 years ago
why can't you plant tomatoes around walnut trees? we just got a walnut tree sapling and i am going to plant it on the other side of the garden when it gets big enough... what is the story with root toxin? as far as the wilt goes i think it sounds very probable that it could be something eating the roots. i had a similar problem with one yellow squash that would mysteriously wilt in the middle of the day. i thought it was a watering problem, although it does get the exact same amount of water as the others... it would take about a day to pick up again and it too is just not as big as the others. early in the season i took a squash bug off of it, before it had damaged it, i haven't seen any signs of any more... but i guess the damage was already done. sorry i couldn't be more helpful, but i would love to know more about the walnut tree... thanks. sarah
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maineman
16 years ago
I think it is normal for tomatoes to wilt some in the hot sun and then perk up in the evening. But there shouldn't be any animals burrowing around in the root zone.

MM
greenmulberry
Original Author
16 years ago
sarahlynnwhite- As I research on what the heck is wrong with my plants, I keep seeing dire warnings about large black walnut trees putting a toxic substance into the soil to inhibit the growth of other plants, first I had heard of it but there seem to be a good number of posts on the subject in the disease forums.

maineman, yes, this is well beyond wilting some in the hot sun. I wake up and on a cloudy morning they are wilted, and not just a bit wilted like normal for a nice hot sunny day, they look totally dead, like they were pulled up two days ago wilted. I swear, I have been growing tomatoes and cucumbers in previous gardens for 6 years, have NEVER seen anything that upsets me like this!
Violet_Z6
16 years ago
...why can't you plant tomatoes around walnut trees? we just got a walnut tree sapling and i am going to plant it on the other side of the garden when it gets big enough...

greenmulberry,

It's a fact.

Because some varieties are alleopathic. Allelopathy involves a plant's secretion of biochemical materials into the environment to inhibit germination or growth of surrounding vegetation. When certain other landscape plants are planted near or under this shade tree they tend to yellow, wilt, and die.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Walnut Tree: Allelopathic Effects
val_s
16 years ago
I'm bumping this up because: I seem to be having the same problem with my cucumbers.

One plant started wilting - I mean really soft and hanging. I was able to bring it back once with watering. A few days later it was doing it again and it didn't need water, we'd had rain for 2 days. I thought maybe something had cut it off at the base the day before. Nope. The leaves on all my cucumbers look really good, no visible bug damage.

I did some research on the net and the only thing I could come up with was that some sort of beetle had done something to it. Can't remember what all it said but the remedy was to dig up the affected plant because it would not be able to be saved. So I did that and there were certain tests you could do like checking for a milky substance in the stem, touching the stem near the base and it should produce strands of sticky stuff. Well, I cut it down to the ground, carefully removed it from in between the other growing and seemingly healthy plants, did the tests and.....nothing. I didn't find anything of what they were talking about.

I figured it was just bad luck. Now I have another one doing the same thing today. I have no idea what the problem. I'm hoping someone here knows.

Thanks - Val
MrClint
16 years ago
I've had plants in the squash/cuke family just naturally wilt in the heat of the day. They recover nicely in the evening when the sun stops hitting the leaves. Some of these plants can be overwatered and still do it. Some plants just seem to droop more than others. If the plant is productive and otherwise healthy, I wouldn't pay it much attention.

Mysterious intermittent wilt

Comments (7)

greenmulberry
Original Author

sarahlynnwhite

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maineman

greenmulberry
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Violet_Z6

val_s

MrClint

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Mysterious intermittent wilt

Comments (7)

greenmulberryOriginal Author

sarahlynnwhite

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maineman

greenmulberryOriginal Author

Violet_Z6

val_s

MrClint

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greenmulberry
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greenmulberry
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