Leaf yellow then red/spongy veins green

Heidelberg · January 18, 2011

Hello,

This is my first time posting. I have a beefsteak on which the bottom leaves have been turning down. They then start to turn yellowish. After that they become a reddish-brown and become spongy. Throughout the veins in the leaf seem to remain green for the most part. It is moving slowly up towards the top of the plant. The upper half still looks great but growth has slowed a bit. Does anyone know what this might be? FYI I have an early girl in the same container which does not appear to be having the same problems at all.

**Mischka** · January 19, 2011

Do you have a digital camera that you could use to take a photo or two? It would help us with a diagnosis.

travis · January 19, 2011

Interveinal chlorosis (yellowing between the remaining green leaf veins), which it sounds like, is a sign of micronutrient deficiencies such as iron, manganese, magnesium, or sulfur. Without a picture, it's hard to diagnose.

Some micronutrient deficiencies affect the lower leaves because some micronutrients are mobile and the plant can move them from the lower leaves to the new growth where they are needed to assist photosynthesis and tissue building. This leaves the lower foliage to die off. Other micronutrients are not mobile, so the chlorosis shows up in the upper leaves which cannot develop properly.

Some varieties are more needy than other varieties, which may explain why one plant is affected and the other is not yet showing the same signs. Also, one of your plants is a hybrid and may be exhibiting more vigor, or simply the ability to out-compete the other plant.

Growing tomato plants in containers can be challenging with even one plant per container. If you grow two plants per container, you definitely need to employ regularly applied and sufficient nutrient supplements, with a formula that includes micronutrients in addition to the macronutrients NPK.

Heidelberg · January 19, 2011

Good info thanks. I will try supplementing that. I have a good Camera but my computer is old and it will not communicate. I think I need a software driver. Once I can get a disc burned I will post a pic.

I also have a mortgage lifter which seems to be doing fine but is in a different container. It has the same soil mixture.

dice · January 19, 2011

Pictures of micronutrient deficiencies can be found here:
http://4e.plantphys.net/article.php?ch=5&id=289

(It is probably not iron. That starts from the top leaves down.)

Heidelberg · January 19, 2011

Attached is a picture. Bear in mind I trimmed this about two days ago so it wasn't quite as 'crispy' and curly as it looks here. I have flushed the whole thing (in case our hard AZ water was making it too saline) and added some Ironite which appears to have all the important micronutrients. Figured it couldn't hurt as it says it does not burn. After looking at some of the pictures provided by dice I would say it looks like it may have a couple of micronutrient issues. Maybe Zinc and Calcium and possibly other issues as well. If anyone else has any thoughts let me know. Good job guys.

dice · January 21, 2011

Starting from the bottom up, it is often a lack of nitrogen,
but if that were the case your other plant in the same
container would be showing the same symptoms.

travis · January 21, 2011

The leaf in the photograph does show interveinal chlorosis which more often is reflective of micronutrient deficiency* rather than nitrogen deficiency, which is more often expressed in general chlorosis. I'm going to guess magnesium.

Alternatively, *potassium deficiency also my be expressed as interveinal chlorosis with crusty leaf edges.

I don't agree that two plants in the same container will both show the same degree, or even relative signs of nutrient distress, as some varieties and individual plants are more adaptable or competitive under adverse conditions than other individual plants or varieties.

Regardless, a good dose of fertilizer with sufficient macro and micronutrients should tell the tale, unless you just happen to have a loser plant that cannot digest what is available in the soil.

dice · January 21, 2011

Quote:

I don't agree that two plants in the same container will both show the same degree, or even relative signs of nutrient distress, as some varieties and individual plants are more adaptable or competitive under adverse conditions than other individual plants or varieties.

True for micronutrients like magnesium. I have not heard that
some cultivars make more efficient use of nitrogen than others,
though.

travis · January 21, 2011

Yes, and usually it's the modern hybrids that are nitrogen hungry rather than the heirloom types.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heidelberg

I have a beefsteak on which the bottom leaves have been turning down. They then start to turn yellowish. FYI I have an early girl in the same container which does not appear to be having the same problems at all.

Heidelberg · January 22, 2011

Sounds good. I added a dose of all the micronutrients and NPK as well. We will see what happens. There already appears to be an increase in growth for both the plants. On a side note aphids seem to have taken interest in my early girl, but I think I have that under control with my spray bottle. No sign of them attacking the beefsteak or the mortgage lifter yet.

dice · January 23, 2011

A lot of plants will get crud of one sort another on leaves
near the bottom of the plant but outgrow it with sufficiently
nutritious soil and plentiful sunlight. The plants put on new
growth at the top and the ends of branches faster than
the problem progresses up the plant.

So the fertilizing is probably a good idea even if the plant
continues to lose leaves lower down for some reason that
is not entirely obvious.

January 18, 2011	#1
Heidelberg Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Phoenix Posts: 22	Leaf yellow then red/spongy veins green Hello, This is my first time posting. I have a beefsteak on which the bottom leaves have been turning down. They then start to turn yellowish. After that they become a reddish-brown and become spongy. Throughout the veins in the leaf seem to remain green for the most part. It is moving slowly up towards the top of the plant. The upper half still looks great but growth has slowed a bit. Does anyone know what this might be? FYI I have an early girl in the same container which does not appear to be having the same problems at all.

January 19, 2011	#2
Mischka Tomatoville® Administrator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: The Bay State Posts: 3,207	Do you have a digital camera that you could use to take a photo or two? It would help us with a diagnosis. __________________ Mischka One last word of farewell, Dear Master and Mistress. Whenever you visit my grave, say to yourselves with regret but also with happiness in your hearts at the remembrance of my long happy life with you: "Here lies one who loved us and whom we loved." No matter how deep my sleep I shall hear you, and not all the power of death can keep my spirit from wagging a grateful tail.

January 19, 2011	#5
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	Pictures of micronutrient deficiencies can be found here: http://4e.plantphys.net/article.php?ch=5&id=289 (It is probably not iron. That starts from the top leaves down.) __________________ -- alias

January 21, 2011	#7
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	Starting from the bottom up, it is often a lack of nitrogen, but if that were the case your other plant in the same container would be showing the same symptoms. __________________ -- alias

January 23, 2011	#12
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	A lot of plants will get crud of one sort another on leaves near the bottom of the plant but outgrow it with sufficiently nutritious soil and plentiful sunlight. The plants put on new growth at the top and the ends of branches faster than the problem progresses up the plant. So the fertilizing is probably a good idea even if the plant continues to lose leaves lower down for some reason that is not entirely obvious. __________________ -- alias

January 19, 2011	#3
travis Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 2,984	Interveinal chlorosis (yellowing between the remaining green leaf veins), which it sounds like, is a sign of micronutrient deficiencies such as iron, manganese, magnesium, or sulfur. Without a picture, it's hard to diagnose. Some micronutrient deficiencies affect the lower leaves because some micronutrients are mobile and the plant can move them from the lower leaves to the new growth where they are needed to assist photosynthesis and tissue building. This leaves the lower foliage to die off. Other micronutrients are not mobile, so the chlorosis shows up in the upper leaves which cannot develop properly. Some varieties are more needy than other varieties, which may explain why one plant is affected and the other is not yet showing the same signs. Also, one of your plants is a hybrid and may be exhibiting more vigor, or simply the ability to out-compete the other plant. Growing tomato plants in containers can be challenging with even one plant per container. If you grow two plants per container, you definitely need to employ regularly applied and sufficient nutrient supplements, with a formula that includes micronutrients in addition to the macronutrients NPK.

January 22, 2011	#11
Heidelberg Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Phoenix Posts: 22	Sounds good. I added a dose of all the micronutrients and NPK as well. We will see what happens. There already appears to be an increase in growth for both the plants. On a side note aphids seem to have taken interest in my early girl, but I think I have that under control with my spray bottle. No sign of them attacking the beefsteak or the mortgage lifter yet.