Tomato Plants with Yellow Leaves

I have trouble every year with the leaves turning yellow on my plants. This is even before the tomatoes grow or turn red. What causes this and how do I get ready for next year to stop this.

dgrams

Answers:

Tomato Plants with Yellow Leaves

I would almost bet money that you are a smoker or whoever plants or takes care of the tomatoes is a smoker! Right? When I quit smoking, one of the many pluses was that the tomato plants were much healthier. The nicotine is killing them. (06/28/2005)

By Margie Minard

Tomato Plants with Yellow Leaves

Try cutting back on the amount of water you are putting on your plants.
(06/29/2005)

By irene

Tomato Plants with Yellow Leaves

Have you had your soil tested? Sounds like your soil might be to acid and needs a little lime. Spread lime around, not on plant and gently work into the soil and water lightly. (06/29/2005)

Tomato Plants with Yellow Leaves

Well now you loose that bet. I am not a smoker but I do get tired of everything being blamed on smoking. If that is the case then our tomatoes are in grave danger. Thanks for the tip about the acid. I will get the soil tested to make sure to see if we need to add something. This is top soil and we do not water as we have enough rain to take care of that. Thanks. (06/29/2005)

By Bella

Tomato Plants with Yellow Leaves

You might want to do a search on Tobacco Mosaic Virus before dismissing the information offered. Since you're not a smoker, it would be worth it to do a soil analysis checking for high acidity and magnesium deficiency. (07/10/2005)

By Kim

Tomato Plants with Yellow Leaves

Try mixing some epsom salts with water and apply to soil. Your soil probably lacks magnesium. (07/25/2005)

Tomato Plants with Yellow Leaves

Link to site of origin is at end of excerpt:

Q. I planted the tomato varieties which you recommended and they are loaded with tomatoes. Now the leaves are beginning to turn yellow, then brown, then die from the bottom of the plant. What should I do; will this kill my plants?

A. You and everybody growing tomatoes are having the same problem. Tomato plants are developing brown spots on the lower foliage. This is the result of a fungus infecting the foliage causing a disease known as early blight. Early blight is an annual problem for most gardeners. It normally develops into a problem when plants have a heavy fruit set and the area has received rainfall. Spores from the fungus are spread to the lower foliage by wind and splashing rain. Leaves must be wet for infection to occur. At 50 degrees F. the leaves must be wet for 12 hours for infection, but at temperatures above 59 degrees F, the length of time for infection is only 3 hours. Leaf spot development is most severe during periods of cloudy days and high humidity. To control the fungus, foliage applications of a fungicide must be made every 7 days until moist conditions (dew included!) no longer exist.

Applications should begin when the first fruit is slightly larger than a quarter. Chlorothalonil (Ortho Multipurpose Fungicide or Fertilome Broad Spectrum Fungicide) and mancozeb hydroxide (Kocide 101) are fungicides used on tomatoes for early blight. The copper fungicides also are affective against the foliage and fruit-infecting bacterial pathogens. Benlate (Greenlight Systemic Fungicide) should also be added every second spray application to prevent Septoria leaf spot. All listed fungicides can be mixed with insecticides or other fungicides except the copper-based materials (Kocide). The copper fungicides have a high pH which will reduce the life of many insecticides and some fungicides. Kocide is the only effective organic control for this pestilence.

http://plantanswers.tamu.edu/vegetables/tomat2.html (06/08/2006)

By Bill

Tomato Plants with Yellow Leaves

I've read everyone's complaints about the leaves on their tomatoe plants turning yellow and then brown and falling off. It has nothing to do with smoking, it is a disease of the plant called blight. You can prevent by spraying certain chemicals on your plants and I was also told at a nursery that you can use Dawn dishwashing liquid diluted in water also to spray onto your plants.

But you have to do it early in the season. Also, try rotating your crop to a different spot. I've had this problem for the past 3 yrs. This year I moved my plants, used raised beds, and started off with new soil. So far, so good. (07/02/2007)

By Mary

Tomato Plants with Yellow Leaves

Every year is the same problem you just deal with it. I pinch off the yellowed leaves and usually have no problems after that. My fruit is growing healthy and I will be very excited for a fresh crop. WARNING: do not use the same soil for tomatoes back to back. You need to give it a year break or disease can infest your plants same goes with potatoes. (07/04/2007)

By Jessie

Tomato Plants with Yellow Leaves

I think it is funny that smoking is blamed for yellow leaves. Are you all aware that tomatoes have nicotine in them naturally? (07/04/2007)

By Angela

Tomato Plants with Yellow Leaves

Stick a rusty nail a half an inch away from the stem in the soil. Water as you usually would. It works. Strange but true. My uncle heard this from some book on organic gardening. It worked on his plants, try it let us know if it works for you too. (07/06/2007)

By mark mathias