8 Common Problems With Tomato Plants and Solutions

You have lovingly tended to your tomato seedlings. You have encouraged them to develop into healthy, green plants. And all of a sudden, you see leaves turning yellow or dark staining on the fruit. Many gardeners find themselves dealing with these issues with tomato plants. It's a bummer. The great news is that these are very typical issues and problems that can be dealt with. Early intervention can prevent you from losing your entire crop!

The key is quickly noticing the signs of trouble. Wilting leaves or slow/poor growth are signs that something's wrong. We will focus on non-disease-related issues here. This would include insect pests, inadequate nutrients, and improper watering. Each of these can usually be solved quickly and easily, and does not require any special training.

This guide offers you effective solutions. You'll become adept at quickly identifying symptoms. You will also get practical fixes for each of the issues. Most issues can be resolved effectively. Plants can be restored to health. You can harvest again.

The summer heat can be more damaging to tomatoes than you think. Most home gardens suffer when temperatures rise above 90°F. The leaves curl tight. The flowers drop without creating fruit. Most people experience this in nearly 80% of home gardens. Things you can do about it exist. Put on shade cloth in the hottest part of the afternoon. Use thick mulch to keep the roots cool and moist. Water deeply in the hottest part of the day.

Cold stress usually begins with the enthusiastic spring planting. Tomato plants experience stress at anything below 50°F. You may notice purple leaves or a stop in growth as a red flag, but generally, it means you started too early. Be patient and wait until the soil temperature rises above 60°F before you transplant. If you're expecting nights to be cold, cloches can keep your seedlings warm. Attention to microclimates is important, too. Planting close to a sun-warmed wall helps buffer cooler air, too.

Humidity encourages fungal diseases. You can minimize your risk. Plant 24 36 inches apart. It helps airflow. Always water in the morning. Leaves dry out quicker. Do not wet leaves directly. Removes humidity from around the plants. Your tomatoes will be healthier in sticky weather.

Notice disparities between shaded and sunlit areas. Tomatoes in direct sunlight need more frequent watering. Tomatoes in some shade may escape heat stress but become lanky and leggy. Rotate pots for uniform sun exposure. Recognize the unique microclimates of your yard or garden. Adapt care to each plant's specific location.

Thorough soaking is preferable to shallow watering for tomato roots. Water reaches a depth of 6-8 inches and is soaked thoroughly. Watering shallowly causes weak roots near the surface. Provide 1-1.5 gallons every two to three days for each plant. This develops drought-resistant roots, so that your tomatoes can tap into deeper soil moisture during dry periods.

Blossom drop indicates drought stress. Last summer, my neighbor lost her entire early crop. My neighbor lightly watered her crop every day of the week. During hotter weather, my neighbor's plants dropped flowers regardless of watering. Watering deeper prevents this. Maintaining consistently moist soil allows the roots to access cooler, moist soil, consistently wet soil results in a consistent crop.

Drip irrigation is efficient with water and reduces disease. It sends water directly to the root zone with 90% efficiency. Sprinkling water loses up to 50% of its benefit due to evaporation and wet foliage. Wet foliage creates fungal disease issues. Years ago, I switched to a drip line, and my plants remain happy throughout the humid summer.

Cracking of fruits occurs after sudden watering following a drought. When tomatoes take up too much water too quickly. The skin cracks under pressure. Maintain a relatively even moisture level in your soil to prevent this from happening. After a drought, water slowly over two days. A mulch helps maintain a stable moisture level in the soil.

Leaf color changes can indicate more specific nutrient deficiencies. Yellowing of older leaves indicates nitrogen deficiency. Yellowing between the veins of mature leaves indicates magnesium deficiency. Purple undersides of the leaves show that there is a phosphorus deficiency. My purple leaves turned green last year after I applied bone meal.

Soil pH regulates nutrient availability. Below 6.0, phosphorus becomes fixed. Above 7.0, iron becomes unavailable. Make it a point to test your soil pH annually. My soil is slightly acidic. I add lime to get it to around 6.5. This range enables plants to utilize all nutrients effectively.

Be cautious when selecting amendments for phosphorus. Bone meal gets released quickly but encourages leaching. Compost will release slowly and build soil structure. I use composted manure and bone meal. The compost feeds the microbial biomass. Bone meal provides immediate phosphorus for my flowering plants.

Blossom end rot is primarily caused by calcium deficiency. Dark, leathery patches ruin the bottoms of the fruit. Adding consistent water during hot temperatures also allows better calcium uptake. Gypsum adds calcium without changing the pH levels. I apply at planting time. This keeps the sweet rot at bay on your tomatoes.

Hornworms and stink bugs account for the majority of what can be claimed as visible fruit damage. Hornworms destroy leaves literally overnight to leave just the bare stem behind. Stink bugs inject a chemical into the flesh of the fruit, producing white corky blemishes under the skin of the tomatoes. When tender fruit can be damaged, inspecting plants daily for these guys is important for prevention. Handpick before they wreck your crop.

Small holes in leaves indicate the presence of flea beetles. They are quick to jump when disturbed. A magnifying lens will capture them. They are particularly harmful to young plants. You can use row covers to protect seedlings. Sticky traps capture adults. Neem oil sprays target significant infestations while leaving beneficial insects unharmed.

Pests are active on different schedules. Aphids congregate on new growth, eating sap during the day. You see the sap-sucking activity. Cutworms are active at night and cut the stems off at the soil surface. Check the seedlings after dark with a flashlight. Another way to protect seedlings is with cardboard collars.

Companion planting develops natural defenses. Basil repels thrips and whiteflies - plant it between your tomatoes for a natural pest control solution. Marigolds deter nematodes with their root exudates - I plant French marigolds around my beds. This decreased pest pressures without pesticides.

Blossom end rot is the number one tomato problem. Dark, leathery patches form on the bottoms of the fruit, a calcium deficiency along with irregular watering, causes this. The best way to prevent it is to maintain consistent soil moisture and use cultivars with tolerance or resistance, such as Mountain Fresh. Gypsum could also be added at planting, which would enhance calcium insurance.

Problems with leaves can be baffling for the grower, brown spots surrounded by a yellow halo signal a problem with fungus. Overall yellowing of leaves of a plant indicates a lack of nitrogen. I'd group these two as they both affect the leaves. Enhancing air circulation between plants will help. Apply a balanced fertilizer every 4 weeks to maintain healthy, green leaves.

Fruit cracking occurs after sudden heavy rain. Radial splits destroy ripe tomatoes. You can avoid this with consistent, even watering and a 3-inch mulch. Wilted plants need to be assessed. Start by testing soil moisture. Overwatered roots will be brown and slimy. Fix drainage right away.

Excessive heat can lead to poor fruit set. Flowers can drop if they are not pollinated. Use shade cloth if the temperature exceeds 90°F, Hand-pollinate with a soft paintbrush. Catfacing causes ugly scars on the fruit. Wait until the soil warms to over 60°F to plant. To avoid catfacing, select only smooth varieties, such as Homestead 24.

Almost all tomato issues come from water, nutrient, or climate stress. Look for early warning signs: changes in leaf, stunted growth. Prevention is key to ensuring small problems don't escalate into large crop failures. Your attention to detail defines the difference between a successful harvest and regret.

Keep these three solutions in mind: Water consistently with deep watering. Test your soil prior to adding nutrients. Look for pest issues every day. If you develop these three habits, you'll avoid most of the problems you might encounter. They also help build resilience in your plants, which can ameliorate unanticipated circumstances or challenges throughout the growing season.

Even the most serious concerns can usually be remedied. Wilting plants and plants suffering from pests often recover if drainage problems are solved. Plants suffering from a nutrient deficiency can benefit from green-up beverages and soil amendments. If you take care of your tomatoes, they can recover in a matter of weeks.

Don't be disheartened at setbacks. Most of the problems with your tomatoes are solvable in a single season. Put into practice what you learned here. Make your adjustments. Next year's feast will be overflowing baskets of well-grown tomatoes from your own garden.