Currently, I have about 14 tomato plants that are in various stages of health. Ten of these plants came from a local nursery for the whopping price tag of $2. That's not $2 each; that is $2 total. I asked, before I purchased, if the low price meant that the plants were about to die. Sidebar: I do not have a green thumb. I desperately want to, but I have to really work at it not to kill every plant that comes into contact with me. I once overwatered a cactus to the point that it exploded. No kidding. He assured me that the only reason the tomato plants were so cheap was that they were outgrowing their containers and needed some TLC. He said that as soon as I put them in the ground or in larger containers, they would be as good as new.
I immediately brought the plants home and planted them in the containers I had. Unfortunately, I failed to calculate just how much space I didn't have. I ended up planting four of the plants between rows of squash. We'll have to wait it out to see if that was as big of a mistake as I fear it could be. The plants seem to be doing okay, but they all have yellow leaves.
Why Do Tomato Plants Get Yellow Leaves?
There are a number of reasons tomato plants have yellow leaves:
- Lack of proper nutrition in the soil
- Inadequate sunlight
- Improper watering
- Bug infestation
- Fungus or Bacterial Problem
How to Improve Yellow Leaves on Tomato Plants
If you have yellow leaves on your tomato plants, first check the obvious culprits. Do you see a number of caterpillars on your plants? Are your tomatoes shaded for most of the day? Is the soil overly dry? If so, you know what the fix is, though it may not always be easy. You can choose an organic pesticide to rid your garden of caterpillars, though there are other suggested methods that may work well. This spring, I've decided to plant flowers that attract caterpillars - away from the tomatoes. I read it in a blog somewhere, so it must work, right? I'll let you know.
If you're underwatering, that truly is an easy fix. Make sure, when you add water to the soil, you do so at soil level rather than from above. If you water from above, you run the risk of your plants developing mildew and no one wants that. Overwatering can also cause yellow leaves. As long as the soil is still moist, you need not water tomato plants more than every other day. During the height of summer, especially if temperatures are extreme, you will need to water daily.
Plants that are in containers can easily be moved to a sunnier spot, but what happens if you planted your tomatoes in the ground. Do you uproot them and try to start over? Tomatoes must have at least seven hours of sunlight every day to grow well. Otherwise, leaves may grow, but tomatoes will not. Unless the tomato plants are still quite small, digging them out of the ground is a big no-no. Tomatoes have very delicate roots, and cutting into them could be a recipe for disaster. Instead, wait it out and see what happens, then remember to plant in a sunny spot next year.
An easy way to attempt to green up the tomato plant's leaves is to give the soil more nitrogen. This can be accomplished through adding manure or fertilizer. The University of Missouri's Division of Plant Sciences offers excellent guidelines on the proper amounts of nitrogen and phosphorous to add and when.
More Information on Tomato Plants
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