SO wilty! Do our vegetables need more water or something else?

[NiftyGirl]

We water our garden at least once a day, and water deep. It is hot (105 today) but even so, it doesn't seem that everything should be as wilty as it is daily by 10am. We watered late this morning - around 11:30 because everything was so wilty, but when I saw the garden again around 1:30 it was still (or again?) wilty. Not sure what we're doing wrong. Is it normal for vegetables to get wilty and perk up daily? Could it be the soil? Something's been digging around our plants.....but I don't think they've done anything at the base of them.... Could we maybe also have gophers getting in and messing with the root systems? I recently trimmed off some of the leaves that were encroaching on other plants....could that cause hot air to get in through those open shafts to affect the rest of the plant??

Any ideas? Suggestions? Should we maybe add some shade to our garden? We have tomatoes, squash, and watermelon.

Here are pictures taken this afternoon.

Thank you, in advance from us (& our plants) for any ideas!

 

[Reinbeau]

It is perfectly normal for plants to wilt in the hot sun (105??? I could never exist there!!). When the sun goes lower in the sky they'll perk up again. You could erect a bit of shade for them for the high noon sun. Make sure there is adequate soil moisture (use your finger and dig down a bit). If there is, then the plants will be fine.

 

[Nifty]

Thanks Ann! I think it is just these crazy extreme days that we really need to give them a bit more water. It's pretty rare that we get this hot.

It is really amazing how they perk back when things cool down a bit... like nothing happened at all during the day. But they sure look droopy sad when they are like this

 

[lupinfarm]

Mine are seldom that wilty looking, but we have had the same kind of weather and super humid as well. Ours do start to look a little sad around noon, but we water with duck water around then and they perk right up. It's normal.

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

It sure has been hot lately!

My first guess is it's just the heat. Root damage can cause the problem if something is digging around also squash vine borers can be the culprit. Look for wood shaving looking pieces near the base of the vine or dark spots this maybe a sign of vine borers.

 

[jlmann]

Have you guys mulched around your plants? With well drained soil , mulch can really help in hot weather. I normally use 2 or 3 thin layers of grass clippings as mulch and it helps. With cucumbers and squash and other similar plants some wilting happens anyway , but not as severe. The mulch will really help keep the soil more moist throughout the day and if you know in advance it is going to be HOT a good soaking in the morning before the sun is directly overhead helps too. Hope this helps! Your soil looks like potting soil!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Wilting in the heat is not unusual, especially for plants in the squash family. I think I see pepper and tomato in there also. Their leaves can twist when they dry out.

Jlmann's comment got me thinking, maybe your soil drains too well. You are I a raised bed which tends to drain better anyway. What are you using for soil?

It is sometimes recommended to not mulch squash plants as it gives the creepy crawlies that attack squash a place to hide out, but I think I would mulch as your active wilting problem outweighs potential pest problems right now. Do check for the borer as that can cause wilting, but I'd be surprised if all your plants were infected equally with borers.

Trimming the leaves can cause the plant to lose moisture due to sap leaking out. I consider squash especialy to be pretty delicate. At least mine are. But I'm betting it is mainly the heat.

Good luck!

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

wait wait wait....hey lupinfarm...

so

we water with duck water around then

duck water? you mean water that the ducks have splashed around in? have been drinking from? or something interesting i dont know about?

we have a zillion baby ducks right now and are dumping out two baby pools almost twice a day! you mean i should be dumping it on my plants?

(smacks forehead and falls backward)

why didnt i think of that!??!??!?!

is this to save water or does it have nutrients from their poo?

 

[vfem]

wait wait wait....hey lupinfarm...

so

we water with duck water around then

duck water? you mean water that the ducks have splashed around in? have been drinking from? or something interesting i dont know about?

we have a zillion baby ducks right now and are dumping out two baby pools almost twice a day! you mean i should be dumping it on my plants?

(smacks forehead and falls backward)

why didnt i think of that!??!??!?!

is this to save water or does it have nutrients from their poo?

That's the best thing you can do! We call it poo tea!!! I dump my ducks' water on my plants when I can... but they really just like to hang out in the pond, so I'll scoop and move pond water over to the plants as a boost.

Nifty, I am in the same boat.... Its in the 90's here and it was even hotter and more humid over the weekend while I was AWAY and not watering. All my raised beds are mulched so my potted plants looked 10x worse then my veggie garden. Today around 5 or 6 I'll water everyone since they haven't been watered since last Wens. or Thursday now.

My sunflowers looked fine at midnight last night.... but today look super stressed. I am planning on watering with some asprin!!!

 

[obsessed]

Duck tea rock. I wish I would figure away to spray the lawn with it. (I am lazy). I use it on all my plants and on the compost pile. I try to rotate that way they don't get too much nitrogen. Good Luck.