What Causes Tomato Vines to Dry Up?

Water Requirements

• The most common reason for a tomato vine to dry up is a lack of water. If the plant experiences drought conditions or is not receiving enough supplemental irrigation, the vine will dry and fruit production will be affected. Tomato plants require a large amount of water, ideally 1 to 2 inches weekly. If this amount is not received from rainfall, gardeners must supply it. The soil surrounding the plant should be saturated as this encourages vigorous growth of the root system.

Water Maintenance

• Mulch placed around the tomato plant will help the soil to retain moisture. If the tomato is planted in a container, the plant requires a daily drenching of water. The roots of the tomato grow deeper than most vegetables and benefit little from light watering at the surface of the earth. The addition of organic matter to the soil also helps to retain and conserve water, especially if the surrounding earth is one that drains quickly and easily, like sandy soil.

Fusarium Wilt

• Tomato vines and plants are susceptible to a number of diseases, including Fusarium wilt, caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum. The initial symptoms are a yellowing, drying and wilting of leaves and tomato vines with the disease progressing up the stem. It typically occurs on only one side of a leaf, branch or the plant but eventually spreads to encompass the entire tomato vine. As the leaves wilt, they drop away from the vine prematurely. Tomato plants infected by Fusarium wilt should be removed and destroyed to prevent the spread of the fungus.

Verticillium Wilt

• Verticillium wilt is similar to Fusarium wilt in its effects and damage to a tomato vine. The symptoms of this disease, however, do not move slowly up only one side of the plant. The vine may survive throughout the summer but its growth will be compromised and fruit yield reduced. Tomato vines that are resistant to both types of wilt are available for purchase. If the disease is present, no tomatoes should be planted in that same soil for a minimum of four years, according to Iowa State University Extension.