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Garden Notes
What Causes Purple Leaf Edges on Tomato Plants

Purple margins on tomato leaves can be a sign of phosphorus deficiency, which is often associated with cold or overly wet soil. After periods of heavy rainfall, saturated soil can make phosphorus less available to tomato plants, resulting in purple discoloration along the leaf edges. To help the plant recover, apply a complete, balanced fertilizer such as triple-13 at half strength. Improving drainage is also important, since well-drained soil helps prevent excess moisture and allows nutrients to remain more available to the plant. If the purple coloration appeared after extended wet weather, correcting the soil moisture conditions may be an important part of addressing the problem.

Related Videos:
​Where do tomato hornworms come from?
How To Support Growing Tomato Plants

Related Resources:
Tomatoes
Growing Home Garden Tomatoes
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  • Home
  • Watch
    • TV Schedule
    • Full Episodes Online
    • How-to and Informational
    • Questions and Answers
    • This Week in the Garden
    • Garden Notes
  • Garden Topic Collections
    • Pruning Ornamentals: How-to and Information
    • Apple Trees: How-to and Information
    • Peach Trees: How-to and Information
    • Tomatoes: How-to and Information
    • Square Foot Garden Blog
  • Resources
    • Soil Testing
    • Extension Publications
    • Gardening Resources
    • Blogs
    • Organic Gardening
    • Articles
    • Privacy
  • Guests
  • Contact Us
    • Ask a Gardening Gardening Question
  • Search