Question: My tomato plants are wilted and appear to be dying. They’ve been this way for several days. That’s even though the soil is wet from recent rains. What can their trouble be?

Answer: Tomato roots are very sensitive to over-watering. Look closely at the stems just above the ground line. If you see swollen root-like growths (called adventitious roots) arising from the stems, that’s good evidence that the plants have lost most of their root systems. You may or may not be able to save them. The next time you plant tomatoes, do whatever you can to improve the drainage, including raising the bed and installing tile drains.