Purple edges on my tomato plants - Ask Extension
Please let me know what to do about my tomato plants. The leaves have puple around their edges.
Knowledgebase
Purple edges on my tomato plants #878506
Asked July 23, 2024, 9:33 PM EDT
Please let me know what to do about my tomato plants. The leaves have puple around their edges.
Montgomery County Maryland
Expert Response
Purple on tomato leaves tend to indicate a nutrient deficiency. Sometimes this is because the soil itself is deficient (more common in containers than in the ground), and sometimes it's because the soil is either a pH (acidity level) outside of the plant's preferred range or the plant's roots are ailing and not functioning properly.
Is this plant in the ground? If so, it is located in full sun (a minimum of 6-8 hours of direct summer sun)? We're not sure if what looks like fallen tree leaves in the background are just a mulch or suggest that the plant is near a shade tree and not getting enough light.
Has the planting site, if it's in the ground, had the soil tested by a lab in recent years? If not, this would be the best way to determine if any nutrients are lacking or if the pH needs adjusting. Soil testing works on in-ground soil, and will not be accurate for potting mixes or compost, which instead need their own type of "soil" testing. A phosphorus [P] deficiency tends to be associated with purple leaf color changes, but it's not the only possibility.
You can learn more in our Key to Common Problems of Tomatoes web page. If fertilization is all that's needed, the Fertilizing Vegetables and (if the plant is in a pot) Maintaining Container Grown Vegetables pages may also be helpful, as might the general Growing Tomatoes page.
Miri
Is this plant in the ground? If so, it is located in full sun (a minimum of 6-8 hours of direct summer sun)? We're not sure if what looks like fallen tree leaves in the background are just a mulch or suggest that the plant is near a shade tree and not getting enough light.
Has the planting site, if it's in the ground, had the soil tested by a lab in recent years? If not, this would be the best way to determine if any nutrients are lacking or if the pH needs adjusting. Soil testing works on in-ground soil, and will not be accurate for potting mixes or compost, which instead need their own type of "soil" testing. A phosphorus [P] deficiency tends to be associated with purple leaf color changes, but it's not the only possibility.
You can learn more in our Key to Common Problems of Tomatoes web page. If fertilization is all that's needed, the Fertilizing Vegetables and (if the plant is in a pot) Maintaining Container Grown Vegetables pages may also be helpful, as might the general Growing Tomatoes page.
Miri
