Issues with wilting(I know basically what causes it but.....)

[steveviscious89]

Alright, I know this is a common problem, but I think it's really preventing good growth and will probably damage fruits if/when they develop. My plants(tomatoes and bell peppers) are wilting every afternoon when the sun hits them. Now I know this is generally caused by the plant giving off more water than it takes in, but I've had plants in direct sunlight before and this never happened. Is there some other factor within the dirt or atmosphere that promotes wilting?

Just to clarify, I don't water them right away as I've heard that doesn't really help. I usually water in the evening and not every day either. The plants always perk back up, but I feel they would do better if they could stand the sun better.

[Two_Sheds]

I don't know your climate ~ is your sun particularly strong?

I don't grow my tomatoes in direct sunlight, they always have some shading

[lottie dolly]

like you said,only when the sun hits them,they sound like would benefit from a little shade,especially if they behind glass,is so,hang some debri netting up over the point the sun comes in,then see if any different,

[steveviscious89]

I don't know your climate ~ is your sun particularly strong?

I don't grow my tomatoes in direct sunlight, they always have some shading

The UV index is usually rather high, if that's what we're talking about here.
They actually don't get direct sun all day, just a few hours. But those few hours are rather rough on them, but I've always thought vegetable plants such as those would require a lot of sun otherwise it would stunt their growth.

[taff]

where are you growing them? As in, are they outside, or inside, are they in pots, in the ground etc...

[Snadger]

My first thought was viagra............

Osmosis is a protective thing the plants do to save themselves from major damage. Quite natural methinks, but if you are majorly concerned maybe some debri netting or windolene rubbed on the southern side of the greenhouse glass may help.

[Paulottie]

Wilting in daytime can often be caused by a root problem...(poor drainage, pests, soil disease, prolonged trauma)

[PyreneesPlot]

Based on what I've seen in my patch:
The plants are protecting themselves and so long as they come back once the sun is off them this should be fine. When the summer sun comes out here it will be in the thirties and most of the leafy stuff wilts, despite being watered every morning/evening.
Watch for the plants where the stem is wilting too, especially if they are in pots, as I've found they may not recover once it gets cooler again. The first summer here I lost a lot of seedlings in one day...

[steveviscious89]

Thanks for the advice guys.

The plants are outside under no greenhouse, directly in the ground...no pots. We typically get up into the mid 80's(F). Some days in the 90's. The ground itself drains pretty well actually because there are a lot of small rocks in it. It was probably fill dirt because has been built up on a little hill. We haven't been getting much rain either...almost none at all in June. I guess my main worry is what happens to the fruits when this plants wilt in the afternoon. I know the fruits require a lot of water, so what happens to them when it isn't there?

My hope is to be able to have a more productive garden when my wife and I move here in a year or two. It would be nice to plant in something other than fill dirt.

[binley100]

Try sinking empty pop bottles (with the bottoms cut off) by each plant so that the water goes to the roots where its needed.....they will take as much as they want then

[taff]

get yourself some green manures then, so you can sow them, grow them, then cut them down. Hoard any bit of organic material and spread them where it's most needed. Ask anyone you can think of for their green waste and throw that somewhere too. Depending on which way you want to garden, i'm recommending gaia's garden [permaculture] to anyone really. It's worth reading just to see what you can do with something you think you can't do anything with
As for your tomatoes, as long as you haven't developed blossom end rot, your fruits should be fine, and as long as they keep perking up again, they should be fine.
Grow them somewhere slightly shadier if you can next year.

[Two_Sheds]

I know the fruits require a lot of water, so what happens to them when it isn't there?

They wilt !

More seriously, if they have insufficient water they will develop blossom end rot, and be ruined

Tomatoes really do need to be kept moist at all times, I'm afraid

[Chocolate8me]

Steve I've had exactly the same problem with my peppers (tomato plants only wilt when they need water & the soil is dry).

I haven't been able to figure what actually causes it as it happens with my Californian Wonder sweet peppers & Cayenne chilli peppers under various conditions so I can't pinpoint the cause.

They are starting to fruit now & they look otherwise healthy. Most are in my greenhouse but a couple are in the conservatory so I can monitor if it's their environment, to no avail.

As long as they produce the fruit I grew them for then I can forgive them for the droopy leaves every now & then.