courgette collapse

[red]

one of my courgette plants had suddenly collapsed - wilted - it was ok this morning! what can have caused it?

the other 8 look fine at the mo...

i looked at the stem, and even pulled the earth away and it does not look severed.

its survived all this terrible weather.. today the sun comes out and it seems to be dying.. and it has two small courgettes on it

why?

[Millymollymandy]

Have you looked at the rootball - perhaps it's been attacked by chafer grubs.

[red]

not yet.. did wonder about the chafer... but this is an established bed not a new one, (previous owner had dahlias in it, but I think courgettes are more attractive ) and we did ot see any when digging it over...

its picked up a tad today. outer leaves have still had it, but smaller inner ones ok... and its raining again... begining to wonder if it was just the shock of seeing the sun.....

[flower]

this may sound stupid but could something have laid on it in the night?
a fox or badger perhaps?

some of my shallot plants 'collapsed' and then I saw tell-tale footprints in the mud which suggested they'd been squished by playful fox cubs

[red]

well we do have badgers visit - they come for a slurp of beer and slug cocktails... sigh.... but nope - this plant suddenly wilted (rather than flatterned) and between morning and evening...

[Millymollymandy]

I can only think that something has attacked the roots, but maybe not chomped through all of them which is why there are still a few leaves hanging on in there.

When the chafer grubs get lettuce the whole things goes instantly because it only has the one tap root.

This year it could be anything though - I've so many disasters going on here so who knows!

[red]

seems likely - I am reluctant to dig it up as that might finish it off.....

[Millymollymandy]

Don't dig it up if it is still hanging in there - it might recover, you never know!