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Lower leaves on tomatoes going yellow
Sue Higham
Posts: 85
Good morning Gardeners!
I have 8 vine tomatoes, in 10" pots, 2 Ruby, 2 Chocolate Cherry, 2 Gardeners Delight and 2 Galina. One of each on the left hand side of the greenhouse, and one of each on the right. All looking good apart from the fact that the lower leaves on the Galina and Gardeners Delight plants on the right hand side are going yellow - the top leaves and flowers looking healthy. All plants have been given exactly the same treatment, so could anyone out there offer any clue as to why only these two plants are affected ... and probably more important - by what?!
Many thanks
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Posts
As the fruit set, you can remove leaves at the bottom. Mine yellow as the plant gets larger. I just remove them.
I agree with Fidget - just take them off - tomato plants are individuals, and just like people some respond just a little bit differently to similar conditions
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I just take them off as mentioned above
Yep. Quite normal. Worry not.
I always take the lower leaves off whether they go yellow or not.
Thank you all for your reassurances!! I've taken off the lower yellow leaves and noticed that there are yellow leaves further up the stem of one of them. I've not taken these off - it seems a bit drastic! I learned something else today ... over watering can cause leaves to curl (upwards - not downwards) and that seems to be the case on all of the plants, so I've a feeling that whilst the yellowing is confined to 2 of them I might have been 'over generous' with water during our recent spell of hot weather. Today I've given them all some screening of horticultural fleece curtains (very fetching) and will cut back a bit on watering to see how we go ... Thanks again!
I was advised only this year by a nurseryman here in the North that upturning leaves is generally the result of low night time temperatures. The aim being to maintain a minimum of 50 degrees. This I have managed this year with no problems, but yes, it has been a warmer Spring. A minimum/maximum thermometer is a must for checking these temps.
Regarding removing leaves from your tomato pants. It has to be remembered that they are there for a reason and don't be over enthusiastic in removing them.....yellow leaves have done their job and can be removed of course.
A rule of thumb that has served me well of the years is to only remove leaves from below trusses of fruit that are ripening.
The prime reason for removing these leaves is to improve air circulation and thus aid ripening.
I agree with that, Old timer.
Hi Sue
I'm glad you listed the names of your tomato plants as I have now learned that there is a tomato called Galina, which is from Siberia. Where did you get your seeds for it from? I have a friend at work who is a keen gardener, she is called Galina and is from Russia so I'd love to grow it for her next year.