PLEASE HELP.I am getting yellow leaves on two of three tomato plants. I havent been doing anything different over the past few weeks. They do have fruit on them. Most of the bad leaves are on the lower branches.
Any advice would be appreciated. Also it has been pretty warm here -could this be a factor?
Thanks
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atascosa_tx
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The yellowing of the leaves can be caused by many factors.
Over watering, lack of nitrogen, etc. My neighbors tomatoes also had some lower leaves turning yellow...he uses an automated drip irrigation system..
He called me over to check them out and the first thing that I noticed was that the ground was soaked! I asked him why he was watering so often, and he said that it was programmed to come on and run for an hour twice a week. I recommended that he set it to manual and to water only once a week, or whenever the plants needed it. 3 weeks later his plants improved.
Turns out it was over watering, and that his plants were starved of oxygen from the soaked soil. Over watering can cause more stress to the plant than under watering.
You say that you haven't done anything different for a couple of weeks...
What's your watering regimen like? How much, if any, fertilizer was added at planting time? When my plants start to set fruit I give them a side dressing of fertilizer because this when the plant is using the most energy and nutrients.
I doubt if the warmer days would cause the yellowing...tomatoes are by nature tropical plants.
I'm sure you'll get several informative responses here.
Happy Gardening
Over watering, lack of nitrogen, etc. My neighbors tomatoes also had some lower leaves turning yellow...he uses an automated drip irrigation system..
He called me over to check them out and the first thing that I noticed was that the ground was soaked! I asked him why he was watering so often, and he said that it was programmed to come on and run for an hour twice a week. I recommended that he set it to manual and to water only once a week, or whenever the plants needed it. 3 weeks later his plants improved.
Turns out it was over watering, and that his plants were starved of oxygen from the soaked soil. Over watering can cause more stress to the plant than under watering.
You say that you haven't done anything different for a couple of weeks...
What's your watering regimen like? How much, if any, fertilizer was added at planting time? When my plants start to set fruit I give them a side dressing of fertilizer because this when the plant is using the most energy and nutrients.
I doubt if the warmer days would cause the yellowing...tomatoes are by nature tropical plants.
I'm sure you'll get several informative responses here.
Happy Gardening
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The Helpful Gardener
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- Location: Colchester, CT
THG, Original seed leaves? I guess you mean the first set of leaves from seed. Not sure, bought those at H.D. My watering goes every other day or check soil to see if its dry by putting finger in about an inch or two.I try not to overwater and I used potting soil w/fert. two months ago.Added some organic compost 3 wks. ago.Thanks for replies and advice.
In my experience I have had the lower leaves turn yellow and fall off as the plants got bigger. My understanding is that these are the leaves that are getting the least amount of light and that the plant is focusing more energy for the leaves and fruit higher up. Therefor cutting off the nutrients and things going to the lower leaves that really are just taking away from the plant.
I assume if you don't prune your plants that this would occur more. Unless you are growing indeterminate varieties.
Mike
I assume if you don't prune your plants that this would occur more. Unless you are growing indeterminate varieties.
Mike
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southerngardener
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Hi Earl K,
I'm new to the site and ran across your post. I actually have the same thing happening to two of my large tomato plants. I usually water every other day, unless it rains. I actual pruned off the yellowing leaves, not sure if it was the correct thing to do..... It doesn't seem to be affecting the producing capabilities of the plant so far.
Let me know if you find the answer or a solution to this problem.
-Candy
I'm new to the site and ran across your post. I actually have the same thing happening to two of my large tomato plants. I usually water every other day, unless it rains. I actual pruned off the yellowing leaves, not sure if it was the correct thing to do..... It doesn't seem to be affecting the producing capabilities of the plant so far.
Let me know if you find the answer or a solution to this problem.
-Candy
Does your bucket have drainage holes in it? And...is it possible that the soil in the bucket has overheated recently?Earl K wrote:My betterboy is not producing,Probably cause it is in a 5 gal. bucket.But I have some seedlings coming out,Hope they can take our summer heat.
I haven't been following Florida's weather, but today and yesterday in the San Francisco Bay Area, temperatures have been in the high 80s and 90s; some even over 100. Any tomato plants in black 5-gallon buckets would have fried without LOTS of water. And, of course, the water needs to drain through the holes so the tomato plant doesn't drown.
These *might be* clues to the yellow leaves.
Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9
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southerngardener
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Earl K, I have actually been using the miracle grow liquid fertilizer on all of my vegetables including the tomatoes. I have a betterboy as well, one of the plants with yellow leaves. It has about 5 green tomatoes so far, Even with the yellow leaves. It is about three months old. I am in the Orlando area, enjoying the nice weather before the humidity sets in!
I'm also hoping the summer isn't to brutal.
I'm also hoping the summer isn't to brutal.