Knowledgebase
Why do my tomato plant leaves look like this? #873533
Asked June 17, 2024, 7:43 PM EDT
I have not had the opportunity to feed my chocolate cherry tomatos on my community garden. Is this nutrient deficiency or a virus? What is recommended?
Jefferson County Colorado
Expert Response
Good afternoon!
Thank you for reaching out - the photos are not uploading - would you mind sending them over again?
Thanks!
Rachel
Good morning! I received your photos! It looks like a nutrient deficiency. A virus would have more yellow and green discoloration in a pattern across the leaves. It looks like the purple is just on the new leaves of the tomato which is a sign of a potassium deficiency. If you haven't fertilized yet this season I would suggest doing so! When choosing a fertilizer there are three numbers on the bag - the last number represents the amount of potassium in the fertilizer so I would try to find something with a higher third number (example some fertilizers have 5-4-5 or 3-3-6 picking the latter will have more potassium)
Here is a great reference for growing tomatoes - page five has more information on fertilizing specifically.
Thanks for reaching out!
Rachel