Possible Bacterial wilt spreading throughout gardens

Question: Hello, I’ve been having problems this summer with what appears to be some type of bacterial wilt. It started with my peppers, I lost about eight pepper plants. Then it went to my tomato plants. I’ve lost about four and several more are wilted now. I noticed yesterday my Hardy hibiscus has three extremely wilted stems. (Not anywhere near my Vegetable garden) I’ve also lost several summer squash plants. The stems of the summer squash appear firm, no sign of squash borer.  Please help, I don’t know what to do with this or how to control it. I’ve read that it can live in the soil, so I’m worried about planting again next year. There is no sign of bacterial, ooze or milky discoloration in the stems of the dying plants. There are no signs of bugs or other disease anywhere on any of them. I live on farmland, but I had multiple gardens last year without this issue. I’ve attached a couple photos of the tomatoes and one of the hibiscus.

responder: Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied July 12, 2024, 5:53 PM EDT
response: The Hibiscus stem wilt is probably unrelated, and might be due to a different infection (Southern Blight perhaps, though usually damage from that infection is more extensive) or to stem-boring insects using this native(ish) plant as a host plant. Prune wilted stems off for now, and you can look inside the cut stem end (slice it in half lengthwise) to look for indications of either borer larvae or staining from infection. If neither appears present, the issue might have arisen in the crown instead (the place where stems emerge from the roots).  The tomato wilt, if caused by infection and not soil moisture stress, is more likely to be fungal in nature than bacterial. Fusarium Wilt is the most prevalent wilt disease in garden tomatoes in Maryland. You can use the information in the linked page, plus our Key to Common Problems of Tomatoes page, to determine if this is a likely culprit. Southern Blight is another possibility (the same pathogen that can affect ornamental plants), though there are ways it can be distinguished from Fusarium if the fungus is producing spore structures.  As close relatives of tomatoes, the peppers may have contracted the same disease, whichever blight or wilt pathogen may have been responsible.  Squash, as cucumber relatives, would be more likely to have contracted bacterial wilt from Cucumber Beetle feeding, which is a primary vector for that disease.  If you are not already doing so, growing cultivars with noted disease resistance to bacterial wilt or Fusarium (as applicable) can help avoid future outbreaks, though you may need to try a bit of crop rotation to avoid infection next year if there is contaminated soil. (Usually, at home garden scales, crop rotation as a preventative tactic isn't as effective as it can be at farm scales, but it's certainly worth trying. Or, you can try growing vulnerable plants in containers, though that of course might limit plant or harvest size, or make keeping up with watering and nutrient needs more challenging.)  Miri

responder: The Question Asker Replied July 13, 2024, 10:35 PM EDT
response: Miri,  Thank you so much for the detailed response. I will look through all of your links to learn more. I may be back with more questions!  Mary  On Fri, Jul 12, 2024 at 5:53 PM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:

responder: Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied July 15, 2024, 10:26 AM EDT
response: You're welcome!

responder: The Question Asker Replied July 18, 2024, 6:10 PM EDT
response: Hello,   I read the information at all of the links you sent in your original response and have been reading as much information as I could find online. I’m still not completely positive which wilt, or pathogen, or fungus, is the culprit, but at this point, I just want to try to avoid the same problem next year or even this year if I decide to try to plant more.   The only thing that all of these plants had in common was mushroom compost and soil from our local Amish market. The mushroom compost was from Frey Brothers in Kennett Square, PA and the soil was Lambert brand. Both reputable companies. I mixed the compost and the soil with some topsoil that I already had at home along with some perlite and vermiculite. We have heavy clay soil, so I added that in the hole of everything I planted.  Do you think there’s a possibility that something in one of those soils could’ve caused the issue with all of my plants?  Thank you again, Mary   On Mon, Jul 15, 2024 at 9:26 AM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:

responder: Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied July 19, 2024, 11:41 AM EDT
response: Mushroom compost sometimes has a high salt content. (In this context, salt doesn't necessarily mean sodium; it can refer to any mineral residues, like those from unused fertilizer.) High salt levels can "burn" roots, which can impact water absorption, leading to wilt, or stressing plants enough to make them more vulnerable to pests and pathogens. There is a way to test compost (including mushroom compost), but it's a different test type than standard soil testing. As a quality control measure, businesses selling mushroom compost should ideally have test results available for customers requesting that information.  Perlite and vermiculite is intended for use in containers with potting soil, so in the ground, they provide fewer benefits and may degrade faster, so in future seasons, you can probably skip them. Were the soil additives well-blended with the existing soil before planting, or was the planting hole that new soil and the surrounding soil unamended clay? If not mixed together, the different drainage and moisture- and nutrient-holding capacity of the two soil types can affect root health and growth.  Miri

responder: The Question Asker Replied July 19, 2024, 1:13 PM EDT
response: Thank you for all that information!  No, the planting hole was the new soil and the surrounding soil was unamended clay. So that’s good to know for future. Although I grew up on our farm, and had gardens my entire life on the farm, dad always took care of the planting and the soil! And he’s no longer here to ask.  So thank you so much for all your help.     Mary    On Fri, Jul 19, 2024 at 10:41 AM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:

responder: Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied July 19, 2024, 1:47 PM EDT
response: You're welcome.