When growing tomatoes on their site, gardeners often encounter the appearance of yellow leaves on the plants.
Tomatoes don't always look the way we want - sometimes Tomato leaves turn yellow in June, during the period of flowering and fruit formation, which should not happen with proper care and the absence of diseases and pests.
Let's look at the most common reasons for yellowing of tomato foliage in the greenhouse and open ground, as well as the necessary measures to eliminate yellowing of leaves.
If yellow leaves appear on tomatoes in the middle or end of June, when grown in a greenhouse, this means that the plants are missing something. With proper care, tomato leaves begin to turn yellow during the aging process in the second half of summer.
Causes of yellowing tomato leaves
Nitrogen deficiency. Plants with a lack of nitrogen look weak, with thin stems and small leaves. It is necessary to fertilize with nitrogen-containing fertilizers.
Lack of microelements. Often the leaves turn yellow, become dry from a lack of iron, the tips of the leaves dry out from a lack of potassium, the appearance violet shade from a lack of phosphorus, the leaves have a pale yellow tint - a lack of copper in the soil, the tips of the leaves turn yellow - a lack of magnesium.
Table - lack of microelements for tomato
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If a novice gardener is unable to determine which microelement the tomatoes are lacking, they should use complex drug containing most microelements, the plants themselves will take what they need.
Follow package directions, usually 1 tbsp. l. drug per 10 liters of water. Spray the leaves of plants with this solution; it is better to do this on the underside of the leaf.
As a preventive measure, you can add the drug Fitosporin to the solution, adding 30 g and dissolving it in water. The drug will help prevent the occurrence of diseases such as late blight. The disease manifests itself as brown spots on yellowed leaves.
Try to provide good ventilation in the greenhouse to avoid waterlogging of the soil, which can lead to yellowing of the leaves.
Video - Why tomato leaves turn yellow. Fertilizers with microelements
One of the reasons for the appearance of yellow leaves is poor root system performance. This is due to impaired development of tomato seedlings. Initially, when growing seedlings, the volume of land was less than required for a certain number of seeds.
When transplanting seedlings into the ground, the free space increases, and the plants begin increased growth of the root system. Therefore, old leaves turn yellow to fall off to make room for new ones.
Another reason for yellowing leaves is hypothermia. A sharp drop in temperature leads to disruption of root nutrition.
Yellowing lower leaves tomatoes, indicates a local disturbance in the activity of the roots. The cause may be damage to the roots due to careless transplantation of seedlings into the ground, or when loosening the soil to remove weeds. Over time, the tomatoes recover, new roots grow, and the leaves become green.
Lack of moisture is the cause of yellow leaves on tomatoes. The bulk of tomato roots are located at a depth of 15-25 cm from the surface, so moisture deficiency leads to yellowness of the upper leaves on the plants, as well as to their curling.
Yellowing of tomato foliage also appears when excess air humidity.
Infection fusarium wilt, may cause yellowing - fungal disease, often affecting tomatoes.
The source of infection can be seeds, tools with which you cultivate the soil, or fungi left in the soil from old plants.
When tomato leaves turn yellow and dry out, this means that the rules for growing the plant have been violated. Explanations for this can be different - these are pests, any diseases, microclimate disturbances or a lack of nutrients. Now in more detail about each reason and what to do to prevent the leaves on tomatoes from turning yellow.
Microclimate disturbances
For normal growth it is necessary that there be certain conditions. Often, yellowing of leaves occurs due to the fact that the temperature or watering conditions are not suitable for the tomatoes. Accordingly, it is necessary to correctly identify the causes in order to get rid of the problem.
Temperature
For tomatoes to grow fully, they need a certain temperature: 20-25 degrees during the day and 18-20 at night. Tomatoes perceive temperature changes, especially sudden ones, extremely negatively.
Wilting and yellowing of the leaves of the plant is the first sign that the temperature is above normal. If this continues in the future, the inflorescences will begin to fall.
Important! To reduce the temperature in a tomato greenhouse, it needs to be ventilated. Therefore, it is necessary to have windows in the greenhouse; this should be taken into account when designing the structure.
To reduce exposure to ultraviolet radiation on tomato seedlings, you need to cover the glass in greenhouses with lime or use containers with cold water, placed between the bushes.
In open ground, a canopy will help save the shoots from excessive temperatures. Excellent and simple option there will be a piece of white fabric.
Watch the video! Are your tomato leaves starting to turn yellow? What is the reason and what to do?
Watering tomatoes
One of the reasons that Tomato leaves turn yellow and dry out - improper watering. Vegetable crop prefers abundant watering, but not frequent. The tomato root system is well developed; they can receive moisture and beneficial elements from a depth of up to one meter.
Important! The optimal regime for watering tomatoes is twice a week at the rate of 3 liters of water for each bush.
If there is enough rainfall, you can water less often. It is necessary to water at the root, avoiding water getting on the leaves and stems, so as not to cause a burn.
Tomatoes need to be watered warm water. Great option will rainwater, collected in a container and heated in the sun. Best time for watering - morning or evening, when there are no direct sun rays. When the tomatoes begin to bloom, you can slightly increase the frequency of watering.
Mulching with compost or straw will be a good help to ensure that the humidity level is maintained at the desired level. Another useful property of mulch is the amount of weed growth, without the need to loosen the soil.
Yellowed tomato leaves may be a signal to adjust the watering scheme.
Fertilizer shortage
It happens that tomato leaves begin to turn yellow, if there is insufficient quantity nutrients in the ground. This often happens in greenhouses over a large area or in open areas, in other words, where it is more difficult to control the quality of the soil.
Nitrogen
When a plant lacks this substance, it is immediately noticeable. The main signs are yellowing and falling off of dried tops. If this problem is not corrected urgently, the bushes begin to stretch out and the shoots become pale.
Important! It is necessary to apply fertilizers with nitrogen when replanting tomatoes on permanent place and when the fruits begin to set.
The benefit of nitrogenous fertilizers is the growth of green mass. Urea can be used for feeding. To do this, you need to dissolve 40 g of the substance in a bucket of water and spray the plantings.
The main thing is not to forget to dose fertilizers correctly. If there is too much nitrogen, the tomato tops will grow vigorously. The crop needs to be fed only until its condition improves.
Potassium
With a lack of this substance, the leaves turn yellow and dry, and the young shoots curl into a boat. Small spots appear along the edges, which subsequently merge with each other, causing the leaves to dry out.
Plants are fertilized with potassium during the growing season, at any stage. But you should pay attention when the fruits begin to ripen.
Advice! Fertilizers containing potassium must be chosen without chlorine.
You can choose potassium sulfate for such feeding. Thanks to it, the amount of vitamins and sugars in vegetables will increase, which allows the plant to acquire resistance to diseases.
To feed the tomatoes, take 40g of potassium sulfate, which must be dissolved in a bucket of water. Water the crop at the root or spray it on the leaf.
Magnesium
If its quantity is insufficient, the leaves first turn yellow along the veins and then curl.
Magnesium sulfate will help restore the normal level of this substance. For watering at the root, take 40 g per 10 liters of water, and for spraying - 20 g per the same amount of water.
Useful properties Magnesium helps in the absorption of other substances such as nitrogen, phosphorus and calcium. This has a positive effect on the yield, the taste of the fruit, and the speed of development.
Sulfur
By the appearance of red veins on the leaves, which acquire a light green tint and subsequently turn yellow, a sulfur deficiency can be diagnosed. If this deficiency is not corrected, the stems become weak and brittle.
Ammoniated sulfate is well suited to restore sulfur deficiency. It can simply be dissolved in water for watering tomatoes. This will provide vegetables with sufficient amounts of sulfur and potassium.
Iron
Chlorosis occurs due to iron deficiency. In such cases, yellow leaves appear, but the veins remain green. With a long-term deficiency, the color at the top of the bush loses brightness and saturation, and the bush stops developing.
To compensate for iron deficiency, use a solution of iron sulfate. To prepare, take 5g per bucket of water and spray tomato bushes. To consolidate the result, you should repeat the procedure after 7 days.
Watch the video! Why do tomato leaves turn yellow? Fertilizers with microelements
Diseases that affect culture
Diseases are also one of the causes of yellowing leaves. They occur in several cases: with excess moisture or improper care for plants. It is necessary to fight diseases with special drugs.
Fusarium
This disease is caused by fungal spores. The disease affects roots, stems, tops and fruits. Although the plant is affected at any period of its growth, it is especially common during the formation of fruits.
Symptoms of the disease include yellow leaves that curl and wilt. Vessels will be visible in the section of the stem Brown. The disease affects the bottom of the plant, smoothly moving to the top.
If fusarium has already appeared on a plant, it must be destroyed so that the infection does not spread further. Preventative methods can be called treating seeds with fungicides before planting, as well as tilling the soil. Plants must be planted at a distance of 30 cm from one another, weeds must be controlled in a timely manner and the soil must be loosened.
Late blight
A fungal disease that manifests itself by the formation of brown spots on yellowing leaves.
If this disease is detected, the infected parts should be destroyed and the greenhouse should be ventilated to reduce humidity.
After that healthy plants it is necessary to treat with biological preparations, for example, using “Fitosporin” or “Trichofite”. After spraying, it is necessary to rinse the tomatoes that will be eaten especially thoroughly.
Chemicals"Quadris", "Hom" and "Ridomil" can be used only if the crop begins to ripen in a month. They are also used after harvest to disinfect the greenhouse and soil.
For prevention purposes, you can use a solution of 15 drops of iodine, a liter of milk and 9 liters of water. Spraying with this product helps to form a film on the surface, thanks to which harmful bacteria cannot penetrate inside.
The appearance of pests
Tomatoes suffer from aphids, spider mites and whiteflies. These pests suck sap and vitality from plants. Their spread leads to yellowing of foliage and wilting.
Insects can be controlled by spraying. The preparations “Inta-vir” and “Iskra” are used if there is a month before the tomatoes begin to ripen. They will not harm the crop and soil, but will have a paralytic effect on nervous system pests.
"Biotlin" is used if the crop ripens in less than a month. This drug works faster.
Other reasons
At the stage of growing seedlings tomatoes in greenhouses may turn yellow due to insufficient lighting. This problem can be solved by installing a white fluorescent lamp. The culture should be in the light for 8-10 hours.
Yellowing below may indicate mechanical damage to the roots. This happens when loosening the soil or when planting plants in open ground. The plant will regain its color when fully established.
Conclusion
The yellowness of tomato leaves often depends on environment and the presence of nutrients in the soil. Inconsistency temperature regime or watering schemes can have a detrimental effect on the condition of the plant and the crop as a whole.
If the cause is disease or the planting is suffering from pests, the tomatoes are sprayed special solutions. Sometimes folk remedies that are safe for plants and fruits are used for this.
Watch the video! Why do tomato leaves turn yellow in a greenhouse?
Summer residents are often tormented by the question of why the leaves of tomatoes turn yellow. You always want the planted plants to be brought maximum yield. Alas, in life you have to constantly garden in order to get an acceptable result. Flower growers are worried about why dracaena leaves turn yellow and fall off, and farmers are worried about how to maintain the yield of tasty vegetables. Proper care buying tomatoes will pay off handsomely in the future.
7 reasons for skinnyness
1. Poor functioning of the root system.
Most often this is due to a violation in the development of seedlings. For example, plants that are too fat and of good quality can very quickly outgrow, intertwining their root system into one large lump. Or simply, the volume of land was initially less than the specific amount of seeds required. Transplantation only partially solves the problem.
Free space causes a “restart” of all systems. The plant begins to intensively grow young roots, so the old leaves turn yellow in order to fall off and make room for new ones. If the tomatoes are not replanted at all, then the stage of color change will be replaced by the death of the entire plant.
2. Hypothermia.
A sharp drop in temperature leads to disruption of root nutrition. It is not only the hypothermia of the entire plant that matters, but also only its underground part. It is enough to violate the temperature regime once for the consequences to affect all phases of tomato development right up to the final “chord” (fruiting). It is quite simple to understand that the problem is hypothermia: all the leaves on the stems of the plant acquire a yellowish and some bluish tint.
3. Mechanical damage to roots.
The yellowness of exclusively the lower leaves quite often indicates a local disturbance in the activity of the roots. The rupture occurs at the time of planting seedlings in the garden bed or regularly loosening the soil to remove weeds. Usually, a little time passes and the tomatoes take root on their own. As soon as new adventitious roots grow, the restoration of the green color of the leaves and shoots begins.
4. Lack of moisture.
The long main root (up to 1.5 m) allows the plant to withstand drought. The main part of the root lobes lies at a depth of approximately 15-25 cm. Therefore, moisture deficiency quite often leads to yellowness of the upper leaves, as well as curling of their shape.
5. Excessive humidity air.
Saturation of a tomato with water leads to rapid growth of leaves in the first half of the growing season. When a tomato is actively developing, it is very easy to miss the moment when the beds require another filling with nitrogen. As a result, yellowing of the leaves begins, and a little later - cracking of the fruits.
6. Lack of important microelements.
As mentioned above, a lack of nitrogen leads to the appearance of yellow spots on the foliage. Chlorosis indicates problems with calcium. apical leaves along with the appearance of blossom end rot on tomato fruits. Soil that is rich in organic matter and poor in copper (most often we are talking about peaty soil) leads to a pale yellow color in the lower tiers.
If, in addition to yellowness, thickening and hardness of the leaves, as well as some woodiness of the stems, are noticeable, then we are talking about a lack of sulfur. When a light yellow color covers young and old leaves, which gradually dry out even with sufficient watering, then there is definitely little manganese in the soil (calcareous plants suffer from a similar deficiency). soil mixtures).
The same symptoms when old leaves persist indicate iron deficiency. A lack of magnesium leads to yellow-red pigmentation, in which the leaf edges additionally curl upward. In some cases, an excess of phosphorus leads to a general yellowing of the plant, while a deficiency causes only the tip of the leaf.
7. Fusarium wilt infection.
A similar fungal disease often affects tomatoes. In addition to the yellowness of the leaves, a decrease in turgor is visible. It feels like the plants were watered several weeks ago. This problem is further complicated by the fact that these soil fungi can quite long time live in the ground. Their effect on the plant significantly reduces tomato yield.
The sources of spread of the disease may include not only infected seeds, but also plant residues from compost or labor tools that are constantly used to cultivate the soil. Also, spore distributors include wind and high temperature, in which the disease spreads faster among seedlings. The disease begins to affect the roots, smoothly climbing the stems in order to affect the entire vascular system of the plant.
In advanced cases, tomatoes stop absorbing water and useful material from the ground. A serious stunting occurs, which is accompanied by yellowing of the leaves. Even if tomatoes are set, their fruits are characterized by exceptionally small sizes.
How to get rid of yellowness?
A prerequisite is to pay sufficient attention to compliance preventive measures. They start with small seeds, which are first disinfected in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate (add 1 g of the substance to 100 ml of water, and then soak the seeds for 20 minutes). For further washing, use fresh clean water. In addition, it is advisable to disinfect seedling boxes, soil mixtures and all garden tools in advance.
You should carefully study the recommendations for growing each tomato variety that is selected for a specific plot of land. Compliance with the temperature regime and proper care of the plant will avoid the unpleasant situation with yellowing of the foliage.
If yellow spots begin to appear on the plants, everything possible should be done to eliminate them. First, the irrigation system is normalized. Then they make a weak solution of fertilizers, which are characterized by a maximum concentration of salts. For every liter of water add up to 10 grams of selected fertilizers (nitrates, chlorides or phosphates). If you increase the concentration, you can cause pinpoint burns. Tomatoes are sprayed with a similar solution on top several times a day until new leaves grow to replace the old ones.
It is unlikely that completely yellowed leaves can be restored. So, instead of feeding vain illusions, it is better to pay attention to the restoration of tomatoes. A timely response will only cause a delay in the development of the plant for 1-2 weeks, but the harvest will be saved.
Many gardeners, especially beginners, ask questions about how to save tomatoes if the lower leaves turn yellow after planting. The concern is completely justified, since the tomato is a capricious crop, susceptible to fungal and viral diseases, and also reacts strongly to deficiencies of a number of elements in the soil. Untimely measures taken to solve problems often lead to loss of seedlings and crops.
To correctly determine the cause of yellowing of tomato leaves after planting, it is necessary to evaluate the nature of the lesion. Often, inexperienced vegetable growers begin to panic and spray the plants with everything, only aggravating the situation.
When there is no reason to worry
It should be taken into account that a healthy strong bush can shed its lower leaves as unnecessary, first of all getting rid of the cotyledons. This period may coincide with planting in the ground or greenhouse.
If after transplants root system is injured, the plant redistributes resources to the growth point, taking nutrition from the lower part. But at the same time, the plate turns yellow evenly, pronounced spots and lesions do not form.
Lack of elements
The reason why the lower leaves of a tomato turn yellow is not always due to disease. With a lack of nutrients, the top of the plant begins to pull them from below, after which the leaf plates weaken and dry out.
The need for fertilizing with one or another element can be determined by a number of signs.
- Nitrogen: the leaf blade turns yellow evenly, the plant itself looks fragile, the stem is thin. You can help by watering with a solution (30 g per 10 liters of water).
- Potassium: the veins remain green, the lesion begins at the edges, along which a brownish border is formed, the leaf curls and gradually dries out. The reason may be too acidic soil, because in in this case potassium is used to deoxidize it. The deficiency of the element is compensated for by potassium nitrate, diluted in the proportion of 1 tbsp. spoon on a bucket of water.
- Magnesium: by external signs Magnesium starvation of a tomato resembles potassium starvation, but there is no pronounced leaf curling. The veins remain green, and the yellowness around them appears as a fine mosaic. The problem is solved by spraying with magnesium nitrate (5 g per 10 liters of water).
- Molybdenum: is expressed in the appearance of speckled chlorosis, in which the lower leaves of the tomato gradually become covered with brownish inclusions, after which they turn yellow and curl upward. For treatment, fertilizing with a 0.02% solution of ammonium molybdate (2 g per 10 liters of water) is used.
With a lack of phosphorus, the lower leaves of the tomato are also the first to suffer, but they become not yellow, but...
Advice for those who prefer natural fertilizers: the lack of nitrogen can be compensated for with granulated vermicompost or compost. Humates will also provide potassium and phosphorus.
Violation of watering, lighting and poor soil quality
The reason why the lower leaves of a tomato begin to turn yellow after planting may be the soil. The roots of the plant require loose and moderately nutritious soil; they must receive enough oxygen. If the soil is dense, compacted, and covered with a crust, then the absorption function of the roots is inhibited, and the tomato begins to save nutrition, starting from the bottom. A solution to the problem is careful loosening and moistening. Ideally, it is better to transplant the tomato into a lighter soil mixture. Too high acidity also leads to the death of the lower tier of foliage.
Violation of the watering regime also has a detrimental effect on the plant. With a regular excess of moisture, the air exchange of tomato roots is disrupted and the soil becomes sour. The lower leaves of a tomato also turn yellow when they are overdried, since nitrogen and phosphorus move from them to the stem. It happens that watering is done in hot weather, water gets on the leaves, resulting in burns and white spots.
Often, seedlings are kept at home for a long time or in too small a container, which leads to the formation of a dense lump of roots. This is also the reason why, after planting in the ground or greenhouse, the lower leaves of the tomato turn yellow and die. In this case, the roots need a long time to unfold and begin to function normally.
Diseases
If nutritional deficiencies can be overcome with several feedings, then diseases, especially viral ones, have to be dealt with not only with special drugs, but also with a change in the microclimate.
"Dropsy" - seedling disease
Gardeners often complain about an unknown disease in which the lower leaves of tomato seedlings become covered on the inside with small water bubbles. Subsequently, they burst, leaving a yellow, dried stain. The lesion begins from the edges, gradually spreading to the entire leaf blade. Characteristic feature is that after planting in a greenhouse or in the ground, this phenomenon, as a rule, disappears. It is likely that the reason is the quality of the soil, violation of the lighting and watering regime, too stagnant air (especially with double-glazed windows).
Some experienced plant growers recognize this disease as edema (oedema), a leaf dropsy more typical of peppers. But there are differences: with oedema, it is not bubbles that appear, but growths that do not burst or wear off (and on all leaves), and in the case of tomatoes, as soon as you run your finger along the back of the leaf plate, all the pustules flow out.
The disease is not contagious, since it is a consequence of a violation of the metabolic processes of a particular plant. Standing nearby with an affected tomato, bushes of other varieties may not be affected - it all depends on how comfortable their root system is. Therefore, there is no point in organizing a “quarantine”. If all the tomatoes are of the same variety and planted in equal conditions, then everyone will get sick. Gradually, as the bubbles burst, the leaf becomes stained, turns yellow and dries out.
Treatment methods:
- arrange the seedlings sparser, ensuring good air circulation and ventilation;
- if there is not enough sunlight, then it is recommended to purchase a phytolamp;
- let the soil dry, then replant the tomatoes or add soil with vermiculite or agroperlite;
- protect the container with the plant (if it is transparent) from direct sunlight to avoid overheating of the roots (you can wrap it in newspaper).
The main reason why dropsy appears is considered to be overwatering, as well as too dense soil.
Fungal infections
It happens that after planting in the ground or greenhouse, completely healthy seedlings After some time, spots appear on the lower leaves of the tomato, which, merging, lead to their yellowing and drying out. It is likely that the plant was exposed to spores of the fungus that caused septoria (white spot). Characteristic signs: chaotically located gray specks with a light halo.
Brown spot also begins its development on the lower leaves of tomatoes. The plant is covered with brown spots with a lemon edging. The lower leaves also turn yellow due to cladosporiosis.
Measures to combat fungus:
- reduction of air humidity;
- soil and plant treatment antifungal agents(Bordeaux mixture, “Fitosporin”);
- regular ventilation;
- timely removal of the lower “spent” leaves.
It is wiser to prevent fungus and bacterial infection using preventive measures, treating with Fitosporin once every two weeks. The basis of the drug is the spore culture of Bacillus subtilis, which inhibits the development of pathogenic microorganisms. The main advantage is that “Fitosporin” is completely non-toxic. You can spray at any growth phase.
Treatment with Fitosporin should be carried out in cloudy weather, since the bacterium dies in bright sunlight.
As a rule, the reasons why only the lower leaves of tomatoes turn yellow after planting are easily eliminated. Severe disease usually affects the entire plant, including the tops and stems. If there are no signs of fungus, then you should feed the bush and optimize its growth conditions.
A good remedy for strengthening the immunity of tomatoes and other crops is the drug “Epin” (adaptogen). It will help cope with diseases and also neutralize their consequences.
We tell you why the leaves of tomatoes turn yellow, what to do if the leaves of tomatoes turn yellow and dry, and what is the reason for the unhealthy plants.
Why do yellow spots form on tomato leaves?? Does it matter on which leaves - upper or lower - they form? How to treat tomatoes if the leaves begin to turn yellow? Read about all this in our article.
Why do the leaves of tomatoes turn yellow in greenhouses?
If you notice that the lower leaves of your tomatoes have begun to turn yellow and wilt, the reason lies in one of the following problems.
1. You do not follow the watering schedule. Both excessive and insufficient moisture are equally dangerous for tomatoes. When the soil dries out, water the tomatoes sparingly. Upon recovery optimal mode By irrigating the beds and regularly loosening the soil, the plants will quickly come to their senses.
Tomato leaves turn yellow when affected by Fusarium wilt or other diseases. To save the harvest, you need to recognize the disease in time and begin to fight it.
3. The plant lacks trace elements and minerals. Perhaps your tomatoes just need feeding. During fruit ripening, plants need complex nitrogen fertilizers.
4. The tomatoes' root system is damaged. The problem may be hidden either in the fact that the roots of the plants are eaten by pests, or in the fact that you accidentally damaged the roots when transplanting seedlings into the ground or loosening them.
If the issue is mechanical damage, yellowing of the leaves is due to the fact that the plant is putting all its energy into forming new adventitious roots. Once the root system is restored, the leaves will regain their healthy green color.
If the roots are damaged by pests, it is necessary to immediately declare “war” on the uninvited guests. Read our article about measures to combat the most common tomato pests.
5. The humidity in the greenhouse is too high. The optimal humidity level in a greenhouse or hotbed is 60-70%. If the air is too humid, the leaves may begin to yellow and rot. Especially if the temperature in the greenhouse has dropped below the recommended level.
What causes the leaves of tomatoes in open ground to turn yellow?
Basically, yellow spots on the leaves of tomatoes grown in open ground appear for the same reasons as when grown under cover. However, there are also some nuances.
1. Low temperature air. This problem is practically unknown to greenhouse tomatoes, but “outdoor” tomatoes can get hypothermia during cold weather, which results in yellowing of the leaves.
2. Damage by diseases and pests. Fusarium, as well as other tomato diseases, can lead to yellowing of the plant's leaves. In addition, this problem may indicate that the plant's roots are infested with pests.
3. Lack of watering. If the weather outside was hot, dry, and the tomatoes were not getting enough required amount moisture, their leaves begin to turn yellow.
4. Excess moisture. Excessive watering is also dangerous and can cause yellow spots to appear on tomato leaves.
5. Deficiency of elements and minerals in the soil. Lack of nutrients, especially nitrogen and potassium, can also cause yellowing. To return green color tomato leaves, you need to feed them with complex fertilizer.
6. Damage to roots. If you break the roots of tomato seedlings when planting or damage them when weeding or loosening, the leaves may turn yellow for a short time. As soon as new roots form on the plant, the green color will return.
Why do the leaves of tomato seedlings turn yellow and dry?
Yellowing of the leaves of tomato seedlings is most often associated with errors in care or improper growing conditions.
Yellowing of seedling leaves is most often the result of hypothermia and improper watering 1. Small container. Cramped conditions do not allow the root system of seedlings to develop normally. This means that the leaves will certainly turn yellow and fade.
2. Excessive or insufficient watering. To prevent the seedlings from drying out and rotting, water them moderately.
3. Hypothermia. Maintain the optimal temperature for the development of tomato seedlings – 18-22°C.
4. Lack of nitrogen. For good growth Seedlings need a sufficient amount of nitrogen in the soil. If you follow all the recommended growing conditions and the leaves still turn yellow, the plants may need nitrogen supplementation.
5. Lack of lighting. Without good sunlight, photosynthesis is impossible. It is not surprising that tomato seedlings begin to turn yellow in dark rooms.
6. Soil acidity. It is easier to prevent any problem than to fix it. Therefore, it is advisable to initially use specially prepared soil for growing seedlings. If it turns out that the soil in the containers with seedlings is sour, the situation can be corrected by adding a little ash.
Why do tomato leaves turn yellow after planting?
1. Improper watering. If you water tomato seedlings too diligently, or, conversely, irregularly, this can lead to the appearance of yellow spots on the leaves of the tomato.
2. Damage to the root system. If the tomato root system is not functioning well, this will inevitably lead to yellowing of the leaves. The reason may lie in mechanical damage to the roots when planting seedlings, weeding or loosening. In this case, the plant will recover on its own.
3. Diseases and pests. When a plant is damaged by viruses and diseases, as well as pests, the leaves often begin to turn yellow. In this case, it is necessary to immediately save the plant and begin the fight against diseases and insects.
4. Hypothermia. If after planting seedlings in the ground the temperature drops, the seedlings will begin to wither and turn yellow. You can save the situation by prudently covering the tomatoes in unfavorable weather.
What to do if the top leaves of tomatoes turn yellow
If only the upper leaves of tomatoes turn yellow, while the lower leaves remain green, the reason is a lack of nutrients.
Yellowing of the upper leaves is a sign of element deficiency. 1. Calcium. With calcium deficiency, the upper leaves turn yellow, the tips of the leaves are deformed, the flowers fall off, and dark growing spots form on the top of the fruit. If you limed the soil before planting, you most likely overused nitrogen fertilizers, which interfere with the free absorption of calcium. The situation can be corrected by spraying the bushes with calcium nitrate (20 g per bucket of water).
2. Sulfur. Sulfur starvation can lead to lignification and thinning of the stems, reddening of the veins and gradual yellowing of the leaves. In this case, the tomatoes are sprayed with a solution of magnesium sulfate (10 g per 10 liters of water).
3. Iron. A symptom of insufficient iron content in the soil is yellow spots in the center of the tomato leaf and along the midrib. To return the plants to a healthy color, they are sprayed with a 1% solution of iron sulfate or iron chelate. You can also carry out root feeding with the same substances. The yellowness should go away within a day.
4. Manganese. The signs of manganese deficiency are similar to the signs of iron deficiency. The only difference is that the color of the veins is heterogeneous, yellow-green. To restore the required amount of manganese, foliar treatment is carried out with a 1% solution of potassium permanganate.
5. Boron. Initially, with a lack of boron, the upper leaves retain their green color, but are deformed at the base. If the problem is not addressed, the leaves turn yellow and the veins turn dark brown. To prevent this, tomatoes are sprayed with a solution of boric acid (10 g per 10 liters of water).
What to do if the lower leaves of tomatoes turn yellow
Yellowing of the lower leaves is less dangerous than yellowing of the upper ones, since it does not always indicate a disease of the plant. Most often, the plant gets rid of older leaves in order to direct all its resources to the development of fruits.
Yellowing of the lower leaves does not always indicate a serious problem. In order for tomatoes to feel good, you must follow the recommendations we gave above:
- Regularly, but water the plants moderately.
- Avoid hypothermia.
- Conduct in a timely manner complex feeding.
- To fight with diseases and pests.
- Replenish the deficiency of elements. For example, yellowing of the first two pairs of true leaves, which is accompanied by their curling upward, may indicate a lack of molybdenum. In this case, yellowness first appears in the form of small spots, and then covers the entire surface of the leaf. The leaf veins remain green. In this case, it is necessary to treat the tomatoes with a solution of ammonium molybdate (2 g per 10 liters of water).
Yellowed lower leaves sooner or later they will dry out and fall off on their own, but it is better to remove them yourself so that the plants do not waste nutrients on them.
What to do if the edges of tomato leaves turn yellow
Tomato leaves turning yellow around the edges indicate insufficient nutrition of the plant with the necessary elements.
1. Nitrogen. The leaves turn yellow and burn at the edges, and later die. Plants stretch out, become weak and stunted. In this case, it is necessary to carry out nitrogen fertilizing. For example, urea (1 tbsp per 10 liters of water).
2. Potassium. Young leaves are deformed, curling into a tube, old leaves turn yellow at the edges. It is necessary to treat the tomatoes with potassium nitrate (1 tablespoon per 10 liters of water).
What to do if the leaves of tomatoes wither and turn yellow
Withered and yellowed tomato leaves are most often the result of hypothermia or insufficient watering of the plants.
1. “Warm” the tomatoes. To do this, place them in a warm place and water them with water at room temperature.
2. Feed the tomatoes. Wilting and yellowing of leaves may be due to a deficiency of essential elements. You can use complex nitrogen fertilizers.
3. Remove seedlings from bright sun. Direct sunlight can also depress tomatoes. Ideal lighting is diffused light.
What to do if the leaves of tomatoes turn yellow and curl
Curling of tomato leaves is an “aggravating circumstance” that indicates more serious problems than simple hypothermia. There can be three reasons for yellowing and curling of leaves.
If tomato leaves not only turn yellow, but also curl, the plant needs emergency help! 1. Lack of minerals and elements. If there is a deficiency of substances necessary for the growth of tomatoes, it is necessary to feed the plants. How to process tomatoes? The easiest way is to add ready-made complex fertilizer. In addition, you can sprinkle the bushes with wood ash in a layer of 0.3 cm or pour 0.5 liters of potassium nitrate solution (2 tablespoons per bucket of water) under each bush.
2. Uneven leaf growth. With a sudden growth spurt, tomato leaves may curl. This happens because the leaf is stretched lengthwise, and the leaf plate itself does not have time to grow following the midrib. This problem can be solved by placing the tomatoes in a sunny place.
3. Pest damage. Curling leaves may indicate that the plant has been attacked by mite larvae or aphids. To get rid of pests, you can treat tomatoes folk remedies. For example, every five days, spray them with an infusion of onion peels (1 tbsp per bucket of water, leave for 24 hours). You can also spray tomatoes with a 1% solution of potassium permanganate.
