Why tomato plant leaves turning yellow: Reasons + Fixes

Numerous farmers like cultivating tomato plants that may flourish with little care if planted in areas with lots of sunlight and water.  

On the other hand, Tomatoes are prone to a variety of issues that can leave their owners in a state of distress. It’s amazing how many individuals still grow these, given how difficult they are. 

Tomato Plant Leaves Turning Yellow can be caused due to different factors. Yellow tomato leaves, though on the other hand, do not always indicate that the plant is in trouble. Pest infestations, illness, or severe warmth may impair the health of tomato leaves causing their discoloration to yellow. These factors also affect the plant’s stalks or fruits which causes the lowering overall production of tomatoes.

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Top 15 Causes Of tomato plant leaves turning yellow 

Several factors can make tomato plant leaves become yellow, the majority of which are simple to fix. Yellow leaves on tomatoes could also be caused by nitrogen deficits in the ground, underwatering, excess watering, or a lack of sunshine on the underside leaves.  

Tomato Plant Leaves Turning Yellow
leaves on tomato turning yellow

The most prevalent reasons for yellowing tomato leaves are listed here, along with what you could do about it. 

1) Early Blight 

Annually in a yard, early blight is the root cause of tomato leaves turning yellow, and it’s simple to notice if you specifically check for it. Early blight is triggered by a soil-borne fungal that spreads from the ground to the leaf margins. 

These bottom, older leaves will develop oddly shaped yellow splodges that grow to brown patches with a yellow “dome” surrounding them in the early stages of the disease. The splodges have a brown core, almost like a bullseye. 

As the illness spreads untreated, the whole branch and bottom tomato leaves turn yellow, eventually brown, before eventually shriveling up.  

2) Septoria Leaf Spot

Septoria leaf spot, a whole other fungal infection, is similar to early blight in many aspects. Marks on the bottom, older leaves start yellow, soon develop into brown, ultimately tan or gray, similar to early blight. 

Such dots are relatively small and far more frequent unlike initial blight spots because they have a more circular shape. The dots will combine into a bigger brown region as the illness advances and the patches expand in size.

Water-soaked sores, almost always on the underneath of the leaf also do occur. A secondary disease can emerge in the core, with small black pimple-like patches (tomato plant yellow leaves brown spots)  that infect the remainder of the crop. The leaves will become yellow, brownish, and eventually die if left untreated.

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3) Verticillium Wilt 

Verticillium wilt causes yellowish and brownish spots on leaves that run from the center vein to the margin, frequently in a V-shape. Throughout the heat of the day, crops wilt. Verticillium wilt progresses slowly and uniformly across the plant, however, there is no treatment, and it will finally kill the plant. 

Remove the stalk at the soil’s surface if you detect verticillium wilt, then if you discover brown in the typically white plant tissues, the disease has gotten out of control. 

4) Fusarium Wilt 

Fusarium wilt does not usually develop until the plant’s fruit has reached maturity. Bottom tomato leaves turning yellow and occasionally only one branch or shoot is affected, which is vibrant yellow and withering. The withering will first improve after night. 

Although the plant’s development is slowed, if the development is restricted to one branch, many of the crops might mature even before the plant dies. Cutting the branch for fusarium wilt will show the brownish vascular structure and verticillium-like wilt, and there is no treatment. 

5) Tomato mosaic virus 

The tomato mosaic virus is often a dangerous and infectious illness. It’s also difficult to see, with indications that vary greatly relying on the species and maturity of the diseased plant, virus strain, and environmental factors.

Fruit development may be severely reduced on diseased plants but those that did develop may be spotted with yellow spots and necrotic patches, with a brownish core. Infected stems, sepals, leaves, and seeds may all display symptoms.

6) Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl 

Tomato plants yellowing leaf curl is an infection transmitted by the Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus that affects tomatoes. Infectious plants’ leaves are tiny and curled up into the air, with mottling and border yellowing and pronounced crumpling. 

Diseased plants’ internodes shrink, and their development is impeded, giving them a bushy look that is frequently alluded to as ‘orchids’ or broccoli-like development. 

7) Aphids

Initially in the blooming period aphids are common on tomato crops. Tomato leaves may yellow and fade as a result of their eating, but the impact is typically not serious except your crops are already affected by dryness or illness. 

8) Psyllids 

Psyllids (Bactericera cockerelli) prey on tomato crops releasing poison into the leaves which produces psyllid yellow discoloration. The veins of the leaves turn purple, while the branches grow twisted. 

Psyllid nymphs are roughly the dimension of an aphid and can be discovered on the lower part of leaves. They are yellow at first before turning emerald. Psyllids release sugar-like particles while they munch on your plant. 

9) Whiteflies 

Tomato pests include greenhouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum), Silverleaf whitefly (Bemisia argentifolii), and Bandedwinged whitefly (Trialeurodes abutilons). 

The most dangerous whiteflies towards your tomato crop are Silverleaf and garden whiteflies, however, numerous kinds can be discovered on the leaves of your tomato crop.

 Leaves might yellow and twist as a result of whitefly eating. Fruit that has been fed by Silverleaf whitefly ripens abnormally. Adults are little yellowish bugs with fluffy feathers which can be seen through amplification and are spotted on the lower part of your plant’s leaves.

10) Flea Beetle 

Small brown or black insects that leap when startled are known as flea beetles. It is a typical seedling tomato bug that causes microscopic perforations in the plant as well as fading of the foliage. 

While immature tomato plants can withstand a flea beetle assault, dry, gusty weather might add significant stress to induce plant demise. 

Flea Beetle also causes yellow tomato plants. 

The presence of yellow-brown leaves on tomato plants might signal that the plant isn’t getting enough sunshine. Even when the plant is in direct sunshine, the lower leaves could be getting insufficient light while becoming yellow.

11) Lack Of Sunlight

A few of the lower leaves eventually become yellow and fade, allowing the remainder of the plant and the budding tomatoes to get enough sunshine to mature. 

Aphids on the other hand may spread viruses, while the dew they produce draws ants and can lead to sooty mold diseases. 

12) pH Level

When tomato crops are regularly replanted in just the same ground, the soil turns barren well as the pH level rises. Yellow leaves on tomato plants as well as no tomato output will occur if the tired soil turns excessively acidic. 

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13) Lack Of Nitrogen

The mature plant leaves usually start to turn light yellow when the soil is deficient in nitrogen. Your plant’s upper leaves would stay green,  however after the leaves appear yellow, this same plant will cease developing and yielding. 

14) Under-watering 

The leaves of a parched tomato crop usually shrivel first then eventually turn yellow. The plant’s first sign of dehydration is wilting. The wilting of the leaves indicates that it is in desperate want of watering. 

The leaves margin will change into a golden tone initially. It will then proceed until the whole leaf has become yellow and has fallen off the plant.

15) Over-watering 

Overwatering makes the soil wet and makes it difficult for oxygen to circulate through it. Given the lack of air, the leaves become yellow, as well as the plant progressively drowns. 

Tips For Fixing Tomatoes Yellow Leaves

1. Make Use Of A Fungicide.

Although a fungicide won’t help your tomato plants if they’re suffering from viral infections. Fungicide would help them if they’re suffering from fungal infections like fusarium wilt. To get the greatest results, use a fungicide that contains chlorothalonil. 

2. Get Rid of Your Pest Challenges 

Pesticidal soap or gardening oil can be used to manage these bugs. Cutworms and hornworms, for example, are simple to handle by plucking them off from the crop by hand. 

3. Keep An Eye On The Watering

Based on the temperature and growing conditions, hydrate thoroughly each five to seven days, however, allow it to dry out amid waterings. 

Nutrient Deficiency Leading To Yellowing Of Tomato Plants Leaves

The most prevalent reason is nitrogen deficiency, which is caused by the under fertilization of tomatoes. 

Nutrient Deficiency Leading To Yellowing Of Tomato Plants Leaves
Nutrient Deficiency For Tomato Plants yellow Leaves

Tomatoes are voracious consumers which means they demand twice as much fertilizer as cucumbers as well as nearly four times as much as beans. 

The mature leaves would start to turn yellow then, in several situations, drop off because you don’t feed them sufficiently with nitrogen. 

The mature tomatoes become yellow tomatoes as they provide nitrogen to the new tomatoes for them to live.  

Read below guides for adding Nutrient to soil naturally.

Add Calcium To Soil Quickly

Add Nitrogen To Soil In Easy Steps

How To Sterilize Soil For Plants Growth

How Often Must Tomato Plants Be Watered? 

It hinges on the temperature and whether or not the plant is continuously developing. During the heat, a reasonable guideline is to provide water every two or three days. 

Keep in mind that water from Mother Nature may be used to irrigate tomato plants around the yard. Reduce irrigation to one a week after the temperature cools and the crop has developed.

Identifying An Overwatered Or Underwatered  Tomato Plants

When you give young tomato plants very shallow hydration regularly, the roots can sprout along the top of the soil rather than going deeper. Rather, water your tomato plant for extended amounts of time but less often. 

When your tomato crop is suffering from lack of water,  the leaves droop and become a yellowing tomato, precisely like it will be when drowned in too much moisture. 

Also, keep in mind that tomato crops cultivated in pots require extra water. Fill the container with water until it seeps out at the base.  

Saving Overwatered Tomato Plants

Overwatering tomatoes may be remedied in two ways: cooling the roots and ground, and thereafter restarting. Both indoor and outdoor tomato crops can benefit from these strategies.

  • To begin, unearth the tomato plant carefully so as not to injure the root system. 
  • Remove any remaining soil from the bulbs and set the plant on tidy, dry cardboard in a well-ventilated environment. 
  • This will enable the roots as well as the dirt underneath the plant to air out.

Do Cutting Tomato Plant Yellow Leaves Revive The Plant? 

You will discover that a few of the foliage underneath the initial set of blossoms have started to become yellow or wilt after your tomato crops are approximately 10 to 20 inches in length. 

One can prune any withered or tomato leaves turning yellow from any tomato species as much as it is beneath the first round of blooms.  

Is It Possible For Tomato Plant Leaves To Turn Green Again? 

Will yellow tomato leaves become green again? It hinges on why the leaves changed it’s color to yellow in the first place. 

If tomato leaves turning yellow and wilting were caused by a nutritional deficit and you corrected it straight after, there’s a good possibility they’ll become green again.

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If the plant is developed and the leaves are mature, yellowing is only a step before they drop off.  

Steps To Caring For Tomato Plants

1) Allow Sufficient Sunlight for Tomatoes.

Farmers must utilize growing lights 12 to 16 hours each day for seeds and immature seedlings to offer an initial advantage and promote upright development. 

2)    Pre-heat the soil in the yard and strengthen it up. 

 Grow tomatoes in the soil as soon as possible. They enjoy the warmth. The temperature of your ground should range continuously between 56 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

3)    Mulch Your Tomato Plants.

Don’t hesitate to protect the surface with mulch. Mulch inhibits soil-borne illness germs from splashing up onto the crops and helps to retain hydration. 

4)    Be sure To Trim Your Tomato Plants.

Throughout the early development of their crops, several farmers clip and eliminate some of the buds that develop in between the primary stalk as well as the side stems. 

5)    Water Your Tomato Plants Moderately.

Also, don’t neglect to water your plants regularly. Uneven irrigation can induce sprout rot as well as fruits to break open.

Pest And Disease Control Of Tomato Plants

Blossom End Rot 

Solution: Make your local farmer’s market store or Cooperative Extension do a soil test before growing tomatoes in the springtime. 

Early Blight 

Solution: Crop rotation keeps the illness from spreading to new crops. Cultivating tomatoes, cucumbers, or chilies in the same area year after year is not a good idea. 

Aphids 

Solution: For efficient operation, use insecticides that include acetamiprid, pymetrozine, or endosulfan.

Whiteflies

Solution: Insecticides comprising imidacloprid or endosulfan can be used to treat a serious infection.

Also find below yellowing plants fixes.

leaves on tomato turning yellow FAQs

Q1: What Season Is The Ideal Season To Plant Tomatoes? 

The Best Season For Planting Tomatoes In Spring.  

Q2: Is Epsom Salt Ideal For Tomatoes? 

Tomato Plants Will Benefit From The Usage Of Epsom Salt As A Seed Treatment Or Soil Supplement. 

Q3: Are Banana Peels Ideal For Tomato Plants? 

Banana Peels Are Excellent Manure Or Fertilizer For Tomato Plants. 

Q4: Which Fertilizer Is Best For Tomato Plants? 

Select A Fertilizer With A Well-Balanced Ratio Of The Three Key Nutrients, Phosphorus, Iron, And Nitrogen. 

Q5: Are Vinegars Ideal For Tomatoes? 

Yes. Vinegar Can Act As A Fungicide For Tomato Plants. 

Q6: What Is The Sign That A Tomato Plant Needs  Watering? 

During The Morning Time, If Your Tomato Plants Are Wilting, Then You Need To Water Them. 

Q7: Are Coffee Grounds Good For Tomato Plants? 

Coffee Grinds Can Be Spread Around The Root Of Tomato Crops Based On The Desired Effect. 

Q8: Can Eggshells Be Used For cultivating Tomatoes? 

Yes. Eggshells Provide Additional Calcium To Tomato Plants Without Altering The PH Of The Soil.

Q9: Is There A Way To Fix Tomato Plant Leaves Becoming Black?  

Sadly, Once The Foliage On Your Tomatoes Begins To Appear Black, The Infection Is Usually Irreversible.

Q10: How Do I Branch A Tomato Plant? 

Check For Sucker Branches That Do Not Have Buds On The Tomato Plant You’ve Picked. 

Bottom Line 

The presence of yellow leaves on tomatoes indicates that it is distressed. Yourself, the surroundings, or pests and illnesses might all be to blame for the stress. Following the listed solutions in this article will solve your tomato plant yellow leaves.

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