[Tomato Dirt #181] My Tomato Plants Have Yellow Leaves. What Do I Do?

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[Tomato Dirt #181] My Tomato Plants Have Yellow Leaves. What Do I Do?
July 18, 2019

Tomato Dirt Newsletter
Volume 9, Number 15

Dear Tomato Dirt reader,

Welcome back to Tomato Dirt! A couple times a month, we’ll send you this newsletter packed with tips about growing tomatoes and using them.

Spray Your Way to a Healthier Garden

Pump sprayers, backpack sprayers, nozzle sprayers with triggers … they come in all sizes. A garden sprayer is a must-have garden tool for feeding and treating your tomatoes, veggies, and flowers. Browse different types to choose a garden sprayer that works for you. Take a look!

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Join us on Pinterest! Browse our 100+ boards (and growing) for all kinds of tomato inspiration and practical information: growing tomatoes, tomato seeds, cold frames for tomatoes, tomato books, tomato greenhouses, , indoor tomatoes – even crafts to do with a tomato theme. Happy pinning!

FEATURE: My Tomato Plants Have Yellow Leaves. What Do I Do?

Photo: Tomato Casual

Yellow tomato leaves are a symptom associated with several tomato problems. But yellowed leaves rarely appear alone. Usually, your tomatoes give you another clue to diagnose the problem. Study your plants carefully. Use this checklist to help figure out which situation fits your tomato plant.
Over-watering or under-watering. If your season has been especially wet and cool, your tomatoes may be "drowning." Water can clog air pockets in the soil and prevent plants from getting needed air, choking off leaves. Then they yellow. On the other hand, if you're in a heat wave with excessive temperatures, your plants could be over- stressed and under-watered, which could cause them to drop leaves. Make sure plants are getting 1-3 inches of water a week - on the high end of that if it's hot and on the low end if it's cool.
Early blight or Septoria leaf spot. Yellowing leaves are a symptom for both diseases. To tell the difference, check to see if there are spots on the leaves. Early blight exhibits dark concentric circles on leaves and stems. Septoria leaf spot presents small dark spots on the lower leaves. Read more about different kinds of tomato blight and how to tell them apart.
Tomato wilts. Fusarium wilt and verticillium wilt also exhibit yellowed leaves. Fusarium often just affects one side of the plant. Verticillium encircles the plant, but the yellowed pattern on leaves is V-shaped.
Curly top virus. Infected plants turn yellow and stop growing.
Pests. Aphids, whiteflies, flea beetles, tomato hornworm and tobacco hornworm, and psyllids attack tomato plants and leave holes, dew, or chewing injuries to plants -- in addition to yellowed leaves. Check undersides of leaves and along stems for pests!

Many tomato problems on leaves are treatable once you identify the source. Use this list of problems on tomato leaves to help you identify your problem specifically.

Learn more about tomato problems and what to do about them on our Pinterest board.

Best Tips for Growing Tomatoes: Bestseller in 89 Countries

THE tomato-growing Bible and best-seller in 89 countries: How to Grow Juicy Tomatoes. Two horticulturalists combine forces to give you advice about the right way to prune, fertilize, water and stake tomatoes. You’ll be able to diagnose pest and disease problems using step by step priceless information, illustrated with 260 full color photos. Get the book and you’ll also get 6 free bonuses, including the Family Tomato Cookbook and a database of 1300 varieties of tomatoes. More details here.

Tomato Growing Tip: Handle Sprayers With Care

Image: Tomato Dirt

Get more tips for growing tomatoes on our Tomato Growing Tips Pinterest board.

Get in Front of Problems on Tomato Leaves


Bonide Rot-Stop and more BER preventative sprays	Garden sprayers for all kinds of gardens and budgets	Serenade and more fungicides

Tomato Dirt NewsletterVolume 9, Number 15