Tomatoes are among the easiest to grow from the long list of vegetables because of the few requirements to make them thrive. But what are some indications to watch out for when your tomato plant is dying?
You may need to inspect the leaves, stem, and roots and determine if it is irreversible.
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Inspect The Color Of The Leaves On Your Tomato Plants
If the leaves look wilted, and there are plenty of dried leaves dropping off, this may be a sign that your tomato plant is dying. The condition of the leaves is the first sign that something is wrong with your plant if not to show that it is already dead.
Leaves that turn yellow, maybe a sign that there is not enough nitrogen in the soil where you plant your tomato. You may need to do a soil test to be sure that it is not the issue with your tomato plants.
Another reason the leaves are turning yellow may not just be because of drought, but also because it is over-watered. Too much water can cause the roots to rot, this will slowly cause the whole plant to die.
Rotten roots may still be salvaged as long as there is just a small portion that is rotten, for totally rotten roots, this may not stand a chance.
What To Look For When Inspecting You Tomato Plants
The leaves will turn brown, and spots will appear infecting the whole plant, eventually. This is still saveable when you just cut the part with infection and brown spots as long as the damage is not root-deep, there is still a chance for this tomato plant.
Fungi can thrive on poorly spaced tomato plants as the sun does not reach some of these plants, making them prone to fungi.
The sun can help to make the leaves and the whole plant less ideal for fungi and mold to grow on.
Sticky Leaves With Brown And Black Spotted Patches
Aphids may have caused your tomato plants to die. When you notice your tomato plants have residues on the leaves that appear sticky, this may be signs that aphids have taken over your plants.
The sticky substance causes fungi to thrive, and then black spots will appear in the advanced stage.
If you catch this, you may still save your plant by using a spray solution made with soap and water. This will repel the pest and make them leave the plant.
Removing the dead leaves and part of the plant will be your best option and salvage the rest and try to stop the plants from dying.
Stems that look dried or withered. When you touch the stems, does it crumble or break even with a slight touch or push? This is an indication that your plant may be rotting. Dried stems show it was left without water for so long that it has used up all the water reserve it has.
Moisture can evaporate even before the plant can absorb it, so you should make sure that your tomato plant is getting all the water it requires.
Shriveled Roots. Another sign that your tomato plant is dying and which you can still salvage at the right time. The roots are the most important part of a plant, and this is what you should check if you can still salvage it. There is also a reason the roots dries up such as high minerals and chlorine in the water and the plants got soaked in it for a long time. This will dry it up eventually, and the leaves, stems will follow.
Signs That You Can Still Revive Dying Tomato Plants
- Leaves are wilted, but the rest of the plant is not. This is a sign that there is still hope for your tomato, and you may need to ply it with water on a schedule. Water can revive plants that are just dried up, as this shows there is just enough to keep them growing.
- There are bite marks on the leaves, but not the rest of the plant. Bite marks may show that there are just pests using your plant to survive getting the nutrients that are supposed to be for your tomato plant. Just remove these pests and check which part of the plant has been affected, and remove it as well. Leaving some affected parts may also get the other part of the plant to get infected as well.
- The soil is all dried up. This may have caused your tomato plants to also lose nutrients. The soil may not have the required nutrients for the tomato plant to survive. Sometimes soil cannot support the requirement of any plant. It may require you to transfer your plants to another area in your garden where they can grow healthier.
- The plant is still bearing fruit, even in such a small size. This is another sign that you can still save the plants as it is still growing fruits. However, this may indicate another problem that you need to discover fast.
Here are some pests that you need to watch out for and prevent your tomato plant from dying.
- Aphids
- Cabbage loopers
- Flea beetles
- Stink Bugs
- Thrips
- Whiteflies
- Tomato hornworms
- Tomato pinworm
- Tomato budworm
- Tomato fruit worm
- Slugs
Common Tomato Plant Diseases To Watch Out For
- Bacterial Canker – turns tomato leaves yellow, brown, and then will die, eventually.
- Tomato Tobacco Mosaic – gives the plant a patchy yellow mark with bright green leaves. The plant is stunted and will not grow as it should.
- Timber Rot – producing hollow stems and shows moldy spots on tomato stems and leaves.
- Septoria Leaf Spot – Gives the tomato plants brown and grey spots on older leaves.
- Fusarium Wilt – Even if you water the plants frequently, they still wilt and eventually die.
- Leaf Mold – showing yellow spots on the tomato leaves that will turn brown after some time, and then whole leaves will turn yellow.
- Bacterial Spot – The tomato plant will have black spots on its leaves that will slowly decompose. The leaves may fall off. Unattended plants with this disease may eventually die as well.
