Knowledgebase

What is wrong with my tomato plants? #939548

Asked July 16, 2026, 10:35 PM EDT

Some of my tomato plants have started to display this almost burned leaf look. It’s limited to 1-2 plants right now, but seems even with removing leaves it’s not helping stop. I saw some things online it might be concerning for blight but I’m looking for help confirming what I might be looking at. I noticed this first ~3 weeks ago. It does seem to be spreading, was limited to 1 plant at first and is now on 2. This is a garden where I’m looking to grow food, other nearby plants include basil, peppers, cucumbers, and squash. The plants are exposed to full sun 6+ hours/day, some shade in the morning. Plants are regularly watered and weeded, currently mulched with some straw.

Hillsborough County New Hampshire

Expert Response

Hi Abby, 

Thanks for reaching out to the UNH Extension Yard and Garden Infoline. Thanks also for providing such good pictures and context about watering and mulching; it really helps us to have all that information. 

You're doing a lot of the right things for your plants including mulching which helps retain water and minimize weeds, as well as giving your plants proper water during this hot summer so far. The symptoms on the leaves don't appear to be septoria leaf spot or early blight. I think your problem is low potassium in your garden soil. It often causes the edges of leaves to look burned and causes the slight yellowing along the leaf veins that you can see in your pictures. 

Have you done a soil test before? If you'd like to get one done, see this website for instructions-

https://extension.unh.edu/agriculture-gardens/pest-disease-growing-tools/soil-testing-services

That would be a good place to start so you know how much potassium to add. We give personalized recommendations based on nutrient levels so it leaves you without some of the guesswork. 

If you have further questions, please ask! 

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