skip to main content

Tomato Pests & Diseases Vegetable Gardening Alabama Gardening

Purple discoloration and withered leaves on tomato vine

Ed Hart (Zone 7b/8a Cen AL)

10 months ago

last modified: 10 months ago

Does anyone know what might be causing the leaves on some of the branches of this vine to turn a bit purple and wither? And recommendations on how to treat? My only treatment so far is a light spray with some neem oil this morning. This vine is a Kellog's Breakfast variety planted in a raised bed among several other varieties. So far this is the only vine affected and it's on 3 branches. I'm in central Alabama, Zone 8. Thanks for any guidance!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
10 months ago
last modified: 10 months ago
https://www.tomatobible.com/tomato-leaves-turning-purple/

But nutrient deficiencies would probably show up over the whole plant. Somewhat unusual to see a highly localized symptom. Have you done a soil test? If a nutrient deficiency, Neem is irrelevant.
Ed Hart (Zone 7b/8a Cen AL) thanked daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
Cindy 7 VA
10 months ago
I would cut off the affected parts and toss them.
Ed Hart (Zone 7b/8a Cen AL) thanked Cindy 7 VA
Related Discussions
Discolored seedling leaves, lighting or nutrient?
Q
Comments (4)
a Big whack of UV is a good possibility, It was fine the 12th, the 13th I noticed the color change. Which means I should of raised the lighting or lowered the plant on the 12th :) The inside one doesn't have to reach for light, the fan makes the stem stronger. The outside one had to reach for the light and there was barely a breeze. It's already looking much better since I moved it indoors and potted it up, Which might give it a better chance because it has more stem in the ground for roots. The outside one that I moved in and potted up will prolly catch up the the yellowing one in just a few days or so. and I think it will have a better root sytem because I was able to bury more of the stem when I potted it up. The stem is already noticeably thicker. And there are some of the little notes I lost on my hard drive, but now I have remembered them :) You should try it just to see the results, Last year I killed all of my seedlings, this year they all survived and I started plants for others too. So I'm getting the starting part down, now I want to grow the seedling healthier :) Thank you Joyce
...See More
Weird tomato vine foliage
Q
Comments (2)
The growth you are describing sounds spot on for herbicide damage, and it's possible your grass clippings had trace herbicide on them, but the most likely culprit to be found on grass clippings is "2,4-D" a broad leaf weed killer approved for use on home lawns and is sold at your local hardware stores, no doubt ("weed-b-gone" is one of them). The other parts of your mix could also have been the culprits. Manure can sometimes be contaminated with Clopyralid as jean said above. Clopyralid is a much more toxic and persistent herbicide than 2,4-D. Clopyralid also requires a license to purchase / apply, partly in response to the persistance and potential damage it can cause. If Clopyralid is in your mix, it's going to have problems for a year or more. Let's hope for your sake that, if it is herbicide damage, that it's 2,4-D and not Clopyralid, because the breakdown of 2,4-D is significantly shorter in duration (anywhere from a few weeks to a few months). Depending on the level of exposure, if it was 2,4-D, the plants might even be able to recover as-is.
...See More
My tomato plant is withering away even with big healthy fruit
Q
Comments (1)
Looks like late tomato blight to me. (See my posting today.) For more, just Google "late tomato blight"--lots of information there.
...See More
Roma Tomatoes--Bottom leaves have a purple edging
Q
Comments (7)
Many of my lower leaves show phosphorus deficiency this year Too much cool wet weather. Not one heat wave all year. One hot day and then a thunder storm at most a few times. Its that or 80 highs and 60 lows and getting drier. A handy list of observations this year. 1. I have powdery mildew on some grass and even some weeds where I used the milk defense. 2. Every single Lima rotted on me in the ground even in a raised bed. 3. I just pulled snow pea vines because they just never died until now. Bumper crops of peas... 4. My coworker still has lettuce that he says is not bitter. Its that kind of year. I will make sure I add a bit of bone meal to fight it off for next year but it will probably just be too hot next year. I am in a new spot and had to use crappy commercial compost somewhat as well but its the weather for the most part. No later heat waves made up lost time either. Here is a side by side for my area. May just killed all early growth for summer crop. If you were in the Midwest this may have been your issue. Last year was great year for Tomatoes. http://home.att.net/~chicago_climo/CHI2007.gif http://home.att.net/~chicago_climo/CHI2008.gif
...See More
daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
10 months ago
That would be a smart move. The purple-colored leaves aren't going to add anything to the growth of the plant, and may be harboring disease.
Ed Hart (Zone 7b/8a Cen AL) thanked daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
Ed Hart (Zone 7b/8a Cen AL)
Original Author
10 months ago
Thanks all. Upon closer inspection, there's some discoloration on one of the stems, so I'm thinking it's maybe some kind of fungus or blight? There are a couple small tomatoes that also seem to have it on the underside. If a fungus or blight of some kind, any recommendations for treatment?
daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
10 months ago
last modified: 10 months ago
Unfortunately, fungus/blight in tomatoes is pretty much uncurable. Fungicides applied proactively are good at preventing the fungus from starting, but once it's infected, not much to do. As noted, remove and dispose of infected parts (DO NOT COMPOST), and just hope for the best. To the extent the fungus has infected the bed, you should start early with fungicide next year and, better yet, just grow tomatoes elsewhere for a few years.

That all being said, if you've never done so, it would be smart to get a soil test to check for nutrient problems.
Ed Hart (Zone 7b/8a Cen AL) thanked daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES 8 Flowering Vines to Plant for Nonstop Summer Blooms

By Lauren Dunec Hoang

Bursting with colors ranging from fiery red to purple, these showy climbers will carry your garden through summer

EDIBLE GARDENS Summer Crops: How to Grow Tomatoes

By Marianne Lipanovich

Plant tomato seedlings in spring for one of the best tastes of summer, fresh from your backyard

VINES 8 Flowering Vines to Plant This Spring for Tropical Style

By Lauren Dunec Hoang

Bring on the color with wild climbers that look like the tropics but tolerate cooler climates

LANDSCAPE DESIGN See 5 Unexpected Ways to Use Vines

By Falon Mihalic

Vines can grow over slopes, trail off pergolas and add seasonal color to the garden

FOLIAGE Great Design Plant: Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine

Versatile, fast growing, inexpensive and easy on the eyes, ornamental sweet potato vine has it all

SOUTHWEST GARDENING 10 Flowering Vines for Southwestern Gardens

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

These resilient, adaptable plants thrive in the region’s extreme climate and provide a variety of garden benefits

COLORS OF THE YEAR Pantone Picks a Purple for Its 2018 Color of the Year

By Jennifer Ott Design

Move over, Millennial Pink. Pantone’s color experts think Ultra Violet is ready to influence design choices next year

EDIBLE GARDENS Open Up a World of Color and Flavor With These 10 Edible Plants

By Aislin Gibson

Jewel-toned corn, tie-dyed tomatoes, purple broccoli? Expand your horizons with heirloom varieties

GARDENING GUIDES Southwest Gardener's April Checklist

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Welcome the return of roses and herbs, and consider a new use for vines as you rejoice in your newly green spring garden

MOST POPULAR The Perfect Houseplant for People Who Kill Houseplants

By creative jewish mom.com

If you can fill a jar with water, you can keep golden pothos vine happy — and it will pay you back with cleaner air and a greener home

Sponsored

Peabody Landscape Group

8 Reviews

Franklin County's Reliable Landscape Design & Contracting

More Discussions

Cherry Bomb tomatoes

1

How to combat early blight?

1

Soil high in calcium but End Blossom Rot

30

trim the lower leaves on determinate tomatoes?

3

Something wrong with my tomato seedlings

20