how many plants in how big a pot ...

every plant.. has an individual CULTURE ...

you can make no presumptions about how different plants in the same pot react ...

one would think ... if they pull out... and have little root mass .. then you problem is root related ... which is often media related ... but until you break open the pot... you are going to be hard pressed to figure who or what is down there ...

how about some pix.. maybe we can intuit something from them???

ken

One example is that basil is adversely affected by temps below 50F.

The only way to know for sure if there is an insect, or insect larva, eating the roots of those plants is to unpot them and examine the growing media closely. As a general rule of thumb insect larva usually are not so selective they would eat the roots of one plant and skip others in the same growing media.

The most recent casualty was a spinach plant that was living in a pot that previously contained lemon cucumber and alyssum and then had spinach and peas growing in it. The peas weren't doing amazing anyhow so I decided to dump the soil and wash out the pot and start over. Didn't see any creatures in there but next time I will have a closer look and post pictures. The time before was a basil plant that was happy and prolific one day and completely wilted the next, but the lime tree and lettuce it was living with is fine. I might suspect cool night temperatures except that all my other basil was fine except that plant, plus it hasn't gotten below 45 here yet. the other one was a very happy jalapeno plant that was sharing with chives. the chives were still thriving but the jallapeno wilted and died almost overnight, but again I do not suspect cold weather as there was another jalapeno just 3 feet away that was fine and is still going strong. I usually grow in a combo of pro mix, potting soil and purchased compost and fertilize occasionally with E.B. Stone 4-5-3 tomato and vegetable fertilizer and sometimes add worm castings as well. I might start adding vermiculite for more drainage as I notice some pots retain a lot of moisture. Its a good thing with our arid climate but might be part of the issue with the randomly dying plants I suppose.

It's difficult to help people resolve plant failures when we have a fraction of the needed information.

We are very short on info, among that your watering practices (how you decide to water; how much you apply & by what method; how you decide to add more/less; etc) , if you are growing in the correct season; an attempt to crowd multiple plants into one container; the size of those containers; sun and/or shade exposure; methods/strategies for drainage; and more. (Boy, that's a fractured sentence!)

You might do an internet search with the phrase "how to grow plants in a container site:edu" -- but without the quote marks -- and read some of the results.

Ha! Yes not sure I can answer all of that jean001a but I can try...

I water by hand with municipal water (not filtered) and a "gentle shower" spray (trying to only wet the soil not the foliage) for 5 to 10 seconds for most plants (up to 20 seconds for large containers), watering once every couple days unless it has rained or if the soil still feels wet when I stick my finger in it - if its slightly moist but not yet dry I water because I don't want the soil to ever get all the way dried out, but if it feels actually damp I wait another day or 2. I keep the top of the soil mulched with a thin layer of dried leaves and chopped up pine needles which seems to help keep roots cool and retain moisture.

I live in southern CA so seasons don't matter as much - I do try to only plant things at the correct time like warm season plants in spring and cool season in the fall, but I have peppers and tomatoes that are still going and producing fruit right now because we are still having warm days and no frost yet.

I do probably cram too many plants together, but I try to stick to the square foot gardening guidelines or only plant shallow rooted plants in with deep rooted ones if I'm going to push it.

The containers range from 10" across up to 24" across. They are on south facing porch and patio and get sun for most of the day but some shade in the morning and evening.

Plant failures have occurred in all size pots, and multiple types of plants, but only one plant at a time every couple weeks... I'm used to losing plants for various reasons but the instant death and them being perfectly healthy and vigorous one day then totally limp and unable to be saved the next day is just so odd. No warning whatsoever like poor growth or yellowing leaves or signs of pests... just fine one day, droopy and dead the next.

I've been growing with my current methods in this location for 5 years and these past couple months are the first time I have experienced this.

Common pests I have to deal with are spider mites, cabbage moth larvae, aphids and snails- but no sign of these on the affected plants. I grow mainly with organic inputs and no pesticides.

Hope this helps. It might just be a mystery, but I thought someone might have experienced the same thing and maybe know what is going on.

A thin layer of mulch, anything less than 2 inches thick, will do little to help hold soil moisture in. Depending on the growing media I'm not at all sure 5 to 20 seconds of watering would be enough. I've not ever had a potted plant that would get well watered in that short a time.
What is the growing media?
What is used for plant food?

The plants seem to get sufficient water as the soil is consistently moist. I use a gentle shower setting on the hose attachment but quite a lot of volume of water comes through - And since the soil never really dries out and I water every other day or so, it doesn't need a lot of water to rehydrate, just enough to keep the soil moisture consistent.

The mulch layer is about 2 to 2 1/2 inches for the larger pots/containers and 1 to 1 1/2 for the smaller pots.
It definitely has a positive effect as compared to before I started using it.

As I stated earlier the growing media is a mix of Promix with mycorrhiza, organic potting soil and compost (from armstrong nursery), with some earth worm castings added too. I also add used coffee grounds and crushed egg shells once in a while. The plant food is E.B. Stone Tomato and Vegetable fertilizer, I sprinkle about a tablespoon or 2 per plant to the top of the soil every couple months and water in (as per the instructions on the box).

...So has anyone has had this happen to them before or heard of something that might cause this?

" Promix with mycorrhiza". Mycorrhiza is a Greek word meaning root (myco) fungus (rhiza) and according to Jeff Gillman, a professor of horticulture in North Carolina now, says it does nothing in potting soils, and may be largely a waste of money to buy as well. The fungi that form that symbiotic relationship with plants will when soil conditions are what they need. Since not all of the fungi that develop that relationship with plants do so with the same plants what is sold may not be what you need anyway.

"Sudden" wilting and dying of plants, whether in containers or in the garden, indicates some insect problem, not a nutrient problem.

I know what mycorrhiza are and what they do- they help extract nutrients from the soil and develop a symbiotic mutually beneficial relationship with plant roots making those nutrients more easily available to the plant. Not sure why this would not be helpful to container grown plants? I was recommended to use this soil by the nursery I got it from because it is what they use for all their plant starts. It wasn't more expensive than the other potting mixes so I don't see what harm it could do.

I also don't see the relevance in mentioning this in relation to the issues I'm having if you think it is bug related.

I'm leaning toward a root rot issue even if nearby plants are ok. Seems like a lot of organics in your potting mix. Promix is usually good, but I have no idea what your "organic potting soil and compost" are like. Was the compost well digested? I'm thinking perhaps gooey blobs of moisture (technical term akin to nattering na-bobs) may lay beneath the surface. How about drainage? Are there ample particles to allow for good drainage and not allow water to be perched? Do you ever allow the soil to ever dry out? This statement gives me pause, "And since the soil never really dries out and I water every other day or so, it doesn't need a lot of water to rehydrate, just enough to keep the soil moisture consistent." . And although I love coffee grounds and egg shells (and not just as a reminder of breakfast), I save them for the soil and not containers.

tj

Mycorrhiza is not a fungus. The term refers to the mutually beneficial relationship some species of fungus develop with some plants, that symbiotic relationship. There are numerous fungi that develop that relationship with various plants and those that develop a symbiotic relationship with a tree will not do so with a tomato.
Your nursery people recommended you buy this product because they sell it, not because it has any value to your plants. I bring this up because a lot of sellers of products do so because they can, because people do not know what they are buying.

I'm not sure why kimmsr is always so resistant to certain things. Fungal inoculate has been added to potting media for years. Before that became so common, inoculate was added separately to the growing medium by the grower.

Commercially produced mycorrhizal inoculate s are never comprised of just one species, but of several likely candidates. Such products are in commercial use by greenhouse growers and container nurseries, as well as by field growers of woody plants, vegetables, and even sod. Pre-mixed potting soils intended for the retail market are likely to contain varieties of both endo- and ecto-mycorrizae forming fungal spores.

I worked with several golf courses, assisting them in their use of mycorrizal inoculate for the greens. Most of the tree nurseries I've worked with include packets of it when the trees are delivered.

Courtney, I'd suggest that you might avoid the worm castings in a container medium, unless using in very small amounts. Anything that turns mushy is not a benefit in a container. That includes vermiculite, which collapses almost as soon as it is moistened.

Miracl Gro already has a terrible reputation for being too fine-textured and mucky....you need to be adding pine bark fines, perlite, and other chunky stuff.

Good luck to you.

This post was edited by rhizo_1 on Fri, Dec 26, 14 at 12:08

I am not resistant to anything but people selling others "pigs in pokes". The term Mycorrhiza refers not to any fungi but a relationship certain fungi form with plants. It is a relationship, not a fungi, a mutually beneficial relationship yes.

courtneysgardwn, Mycorrhiza!

Yes, dear kimmsr....we understand that. But the inoculate (spores) for the most common fungi that form those mycorrhizal relationships are readily introduced to the soil where they germinate and begin to grow. If the appropriate fungus mycelium and hyphae meet up with the roots of appropriate plants.....BINGO!

And kimmsr, the benefits can occur very quickly. One of the research studies I was involved with measured the actual weight of roots in treated and untreated soil columns and it was astonishing to me that the treated roots were so thick and heavy with endomycorrhizae infection in a matter of a very few months.

Those who use inoculated potting medium can expect to see benefits in that very growing season with improved heat and drought tolerance, greater yield, and added disease resistance.

Just as people that spray a tablespoon of Epsom Salts mixed in a gallon of water think they see great results people that are in the business of sell these magic elixirs will also promote them for that reason. As Jeff Gilman, and others with PhD after their names have pointed out there is no good reason to spend money on some magic elixir that is supposed to contain something that does not exist.
If you understand that Mycorrhizae is a term that refers to a relationship then why do you insist on calling the fungi that form that beneficial relationship by that name? State that they are fungi that form a beneficial relationship, if you can justify it, if the fungi in the package actually do so.

I am referring to the FUNGUS when I use the term mycorrhizal fungi or mycorrhizal inoculate. Not all saprophytic fungi form the mutualistic infections with plant roots. I assumed wrongly that you understood that.

We look for particular species of fungi on a label of product. The product should be matched with the intended use. I cannot speak to the quality of retail packaging.....inoculate does have a finite shelf life which can be shortened or lengthened by storage conditions.

Inoculation is certainly not beneficial in every application. A healthy, bioactive soil system will likely contain plentiful mycorrhizal fungal spores. However, soils on on new construction sites can be barren. So are those artificial soils compromising a golf course green, a bark based nursery mix, a potting medium, a compacted site, soil under a former slab, and on and on.

Think of the word mycorrhizae (mycorrhiza is singular) as an adjective when spores are being discussed. But don't forget that once the association between roots and fungus begins, mycorrhizae can be seen, either with the naked eye or with magnification. The adjective becomes a noun.

I've been extremely fortunate in that I've been able to work with one of the world's leading researchers of the effects of adding mycorrhizal (adjective) inoculates to deficient sites, Dr. Don Marx. I am well aware that being in a position to assist in collecting data for all kinds of testing grounds is unique.

I also worked in a progressive, well informed community of professionals who believed strongly in keeping up with our education on a frequent basis. That means being exposed to concepts and technology on a routine basis.

So....do you believe in the benefits of using bacterial inoculates when planting legumes in your garden? :-)

Here is a link that might be useful: a little from the great Alex Shigo

Rhizo, simply because many people misuse English, or cannot grasp what words mean does not make their usage correct.
Mycorrizae refers to a relationship some fungi form with some plants, not a specific fungus. To sell someone something that you tell them contains mycorrhizal fungus borders on fraud, in my opinion. If you change that to this product contains fungi that will form a mycorrhizal relationship with (specific) plant you might be closer to being okay.