vegetable plants cut off from roots

2 years ago

Hi, a few of my home grown pepper and eggplant seedlings are dying less than a week after being put outside. The outside leaves wilt and then all of a sudden the plant is out of the ground on its side with not roots attached. The inside leaves are able to remain strong/not wilted and I’ve been able to grow roots on my pepper plants by putting it in water for the last few days. This eggplant died just now but the inside leaves are not wilted. I hardened off all my seedlings and it’s only been attacking my pepper and eggplants. Open to any advice!! (zone 7b)

Featured Answer

vgkg Z-7 Va

2 years ago

Sometimes birds will pull up young plants to expose worms to eat, that may be one possible cause.

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Comments (10)

Becky R
Original Author
2 years ago
ugh that makes sense
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daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
2 years ago
Not sure I understand. The plant is out of the ground on it's side disconnected from the roots, but the inner leaves are OK? How does that work? Of course, cutworms will slice off a seedling stem. Timberrrr! I suppose if you get to the toppled plant fast enough, you can try to re-root it. You protect against cutworms by putting a collar around the plant. Toilet paper rolls work well for that. Cutworms are nocturnal, and do their damage at night.
Becky R
Original Author
2 years ago
@daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa) I was suspecting cutworms so I put a toilet paper collar around and it still did this to the eggplant (which I wasnt even suspecting that it would wilt and die). It’s so strange because the plant was cut from its roots below the soil but is still ”thriving” when I place it in water. The wilt is gone now that its out of the ground
carolb_w_fl_coastal_9/10
2 years ago
Wireworms and grubs eat roots...
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
2 years ago
put it in a glass of water.. if you see any root growth .... immediately plant in a pot of wet media...

and if in a week or tow.. it still looks good.. harden it off and move it back outdoors...

i learned more by experimenting.. then i ever did reading a book or online..

please report back... we all want to learn..

ken

HARDENING OFF was a key word above...
klem1
2 years ago
LOL, I have one or more experiments in progress year-round. Succes just seems sweeter when something unconventional works well. Like the year I served fresh tomatoes at Christmas. Nothing special,just left 2 plants n a bed with high row cover and didn't get a hard freeze until over 60 days later than average. No way I'd invest time in half a dozen plants expecting success.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
2 years ago
Look for these : https://duckduckgo.com/?q=garden+grubs&iar=images&iax=images&ia=images

OO
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
2 years ago
Or these: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=cutworms&iax=images&ia=images

I vote for these .. scratch the ground around each plant...they don't live in the soil very far away
Becky R
Original Author
2 years ago
@ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5 ive been growing out the roots in water and its grown a lot. i just transplanted in seed starting mix and slowly hardening off