My Tomato Plant Died Out of Nowhere

[Brandywinegirl]

This plant had clusters of tomatoes on them & was doing well. Last night I went to the garden & it was completely drooped out of nowhere. I had a pepper plant not far from that area die last month. I have never had this happen.

I am going to scoop up the dirt, get some manure & try again with a small Brandywine seedling that I have.

I have a community garden plot with 16 tomatoes - the rest are fine as are my potatoes, eggplant, onions, etc.

Any thoughts???

[Sentinel]

I have a friend that just called me and he said his tomato plant in a container just did the same thing, it was very wilted and and the tomatos that where growing are all soft and wrinkled. All he can think is that possibly he over fertilized. Sorry for your lose, I would be interested in what others might think happened to yours and my friends plant

[MaineDesigner]

It might be a fungal wilt.
[url]https://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/3000/3122.html[/url]
Usually these don't cause decline quite as rapid as you seem to be describing but given hot conditions and dry soils when the plants are in fruit I have seen them collapse in as little as 36 hours.

[Brandywinegirl]

Thanks...I will keep my eye on the others. Tomorrow is the day to give the fish fertilizer. I will be careful not to overdo it!

[tcy1227]

Uh Oh--- I Have been having a wilting problem too and if it is V or F I am afraid! My plants are fruiting - now better than ever - but the leaves have been wilting up for the past few days. At first, I thought it may have been too much water (due to a lot of rain), then when they were dropping yesterday I watered them. It has been very sunny, they are watered and wilt has not gone away.

Let me know what you find out Brandywine... And I read your post re lemon cukes -- I want some!!

p.s. Where on E Coast are you? NYC here.

Tom

[Brandywinegirl]

Hey Tom,

My pepper plant has now died that was big & beautiful until today - -it was planted next to - u guessed it - the DEAD TOMATO PLANT!!! It drooped out of nowhere. I live in PA and we have had next to no rainfall. I have been watering at least 3 times a week.

I hope this is the end of the problem. I bought manure and out it around the plants and mixed it in the soil a bit hoping that the rest of them will keep growing.

The lemon cukes are growing great - we'll see how they do!! I will take pictures and post them - IF THEY SURVIVE!!

[tcy1227]

Brandywine -

Sorry to hear about your woes. I hope that it all works out. I am a new gardener, but am quickly realizing the frustrating and obsessive energy tht goes into plants when theyare not looking/performing as one would hope!! BUT ISN'T IT FUN!!!

Good luck!!

T

[Tomatah-Luver]

Generally sudden death in a plant means that somebody, maybe a neighbor or a helpmate has been using pesticides near the garden. Check the leaves of the plant for unusual coloration or spotting. Chemicals sprayed in the area may have drifted (especially if it was a windy day) and hit your plant. Fungal infections usually give signs of their presence days ahead of the final demise of the plant.