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All our plants look sick #753129

Asked May 31, 2021, 7:08 PM EDT

Our plants were looking healthy until this Memorial Day weekend. Now everything looks pale & sickly: tomato seedlings, peas, squash & radish leaves, potato plants. We've noticed it since the temperature dropped overnight, but it's worst today. It appears to be all the plants, no matter if they're in ground or in pots, new transplants or perennials, different potting materials, and whether they were covered for the frost advisory or uncovered. We've grown healthy plants in this garden for the last few years. This is the first time we've experienced this. Is it the weather? Disease?

Saginaw County Michigan

Expert Response

Hello

Thanks for your question.

From the photos, it appears as though your plants were affected by frost and/or sunscald.  It looks like they should grow out of it as there is enough green tissue left.  Warm season vegetables don't like temperatures and are stressed when it's less than 50 degrees, so make sure they are covered if temperatures will be lower.  Where the tissue has turned tan, there wasn't enough cover.

Before planting outside make sure that you 'harden off' your transplants, i.e. slowly acclimate them over a period of 7-10 days so that they are slowly introduced to the full sun and windy conditions.

Make sure you are thoroughly watering your transplants, especially those in containers as they dry out quicker.

An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 01, 2021, 9:48 AM EDT
Thank you so much! I appreciate it.
On Tue, Jun 1, 2021 at 9:48 AM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
The Question Asker Replied June 01, 2021, 12:48 PM EDT

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