Plants That Wilt at Night

Verticillium Wilt

• Verticillium wilt enters the root systems of plants through natural root growth or wounds. Fungal spores produce toxins that enter the plant's water conducting tissues and travel upwards through the plant. In response to the toxins, plants try to close off the fungal spores, which prevents water from adequately traveling throughout the plant. Plants at first wilt only during the day in the hot sun, but later the wilting continues into the night. Because wilting plants during cool nighttime temperatures is unusual, gardeners should suspect verticillium wilt when they notice nighttime plant wilting.

Symptoms

• Though verticillium wilt infects plants at any time of year, symptoms are more likely to occur during July and August, according to the University of Minnesota. Gardeners may see discoloration occur on bark, defoliation, stunted growth, small fruit and leaf yellowing. The margins of leaves may take on a scorched appearance. Because the disease gets progressively worse, it is important to supply water and nutrients for your plants with the hope that they survive the disease.

Cultural Control

• Fungicides cannot cure verticillium wilt. There are some soil fumigants that control the disease; however, they are only feasible for treating small areas of the yard, according to the University of Minnesota. Instead, gardeners try to provide the best care for their struggling plants to prevent their death. Trees and shrubs are given fertilizers high in phosphorous and low in nitrogen, according to the University of Minnesota. Phosphorous encourages healthy root systems, while nitrogen promotes growth that puts stress on root systems.

Prevention

• Prevent verticillium wilt by planting resistant plants. Gardeners look for a "V" on the label on vegetable plants, which indicates that they are verticillium wilt resistant. Also, avoid moving dirt from area of the yard to another when you suspect verticillium wilt. Refrain from using dirt as potting soil for your plants. Potting soil has been sterilized to kill off any harmful pathogens. Prune off infected tree branches. Make sure you burn any diseased branches to prevent spreading the disease to other areas of the yard.