How to Revive Wilting Vegetable Plants

Plants wilt when water is limited.

The weight of a plant is composed of 95 percent water. When roots draw water from the soil, the water is transported to all parts of the plant, filling each cell. This creates pressure against the cell walls, called turgor, which provides the strength to hold plants upright. When water is limited, the pressure in the cells drops and the plant wilts. If wilting is discovered before tissue damage occurs, reviving vegetable plants is quick and easy.

Things You'll Need

• Garden hose
• Watering can
• Organic matter

Instructions

1. Examine the soil for moisture. Typically, if the soil is dry and weather is hot, you can assume wilting is a result of lack of water. Remedy a lack of water by watering your plants to saturate the soil to the root level. Plants begin to revive almost immediately and should return to their usual vigor within a few hours.

2. Check the roots of vegetables grown in containers. Root-bound plants wilt easily, as there is little soil to hold moisture. If plants wilt even though you are watering them regularly, the pot may be too small or the roots may be overgrown. Repot the plants in a larger container to allow roots to grow.

3. Check the drainage in the soil. Ironically, plants that are over-watered or sit in soggy soil show signs of wilting. The water in the soil chokes out oxygen necessary for the plant to draw water to other parts of the plant. This often results in wilting and eventual death of the plant. Remedy wilting due to over-watering by withholding water and increasing drainage. Add organic matter to the soil or create drainage holes in containers.

Tips & Warnings

• Water vegetable plants regularly, particularly during hot dry spells.

• Water gardens deeply to saturate the soil to the root level to encourage deep root formation. Plants with deep roots are less susceptible to wilting during dry periods as they can reach deep into the soil for water.

• Mulch around the base of plants to conserve moisture.

References

• Plants in Motion: Water Me
• New Mexico State University Extension: Wilted Plants and Lots of Water; Curtis W. Smith, Ph.D.; September 2006
• University of California Extension; Container Gardening

Resources

• University of Illinois Extension: Hort Corner