Rhonda, is it the leaves that were already on the plant that have changed color, or new leaves that have grown since you bought it? Can you describe it's location since you brought it home? Are new leaves emerging? I don't think 5 months is long enough for a Dief to have cycled through to all new canes so my anecdote probably doesn't answer your question. But I've had a Dief for many years that has gone from being a variegated potted plant, to a pathetic almost forgotten stick barely alive in a cup of water, and back to being a potted plant that had regrown enough to be divided recently. Years ago, I remember it being distinctly variegated but all of the canes of the current generation are plain green. Until I read your question, I hadn't even registered that fact. It gets burned spots from any amount of direct sun but it has greatly expanded "in volume" since moving to AL to spend most of the year on my covered front porch. It may just need a more gradual acclimation to direct sun and I've failed in that regard. If memory serves back to when it was variegated, even the variegated leaves would lose most of the variegation as they aged. If your plant is outside, you may want to ask on the FL forum also since FL is its' "own little world" in regard to growing things outside.

over pruned??? Sounds strange... cutting off the sprouts is one of elementary care about tomatoes or not? Everywhere is written that, everyone whose i know do that. Without any problems. Maybe keep only one sprout and let plant duplicate, but not more, because of slower growing and ripening, smaller fruits, lower quality etc... I guess that could be a common practice in your area but it isn't true here. Most growers over here do not grow their plants that way. Tomato plants do not require "cutting off the sprouts" or keeping only 1 stem. They do just fine without any trimming or pruning at all and the more leaves on the plant the more energy the plant makes with photosynthesis to produce fruit. Some US growers may trim them to 3 or 4 main stems but you rarely see a single stem plant over here except inside a greenhouse where it is very crowded. All that pruning causes too much stress to the plants. There has been a great deal of tomato growing research done in the last 30 years and growing methods have changed greatly as a result. See these photos as examples: Some of mine. Note all the straw mulch. You can't see them but there were over 60 large tomatoes on each of these 4 plants. Tomato Plants Tomato Plants 2 And there is no proof that slower growing or ripening or lower quality comes from letting them grow naturally. What is proven is all that pruning cuts the crop by at least half or more. But you do what works best for you in your garden. Next year try growing one without all the trimming and see what happens. :) Dave

Not to get off-topic, but this companion planting business strikes me as pretty mysterious. These detailed lists of who is good for who and who is bad for who never give any references or point to any biochemical mechanisms. Sure, if you plant potatoes next to arugula, one of the two won't do that well, because one loves acid soil, and the other loves alkaline soil. But one isn't doing violence to the other. It sure would be interesting to know if kale changes the color of tomato foliage. Soil-less mixes don't retain water well, so it's possible that a pot thereof with a lot of kale roots in it might hold onto water somewhat better than one without, especially if the roots are matted over the drain holes. Of course, a tomato plant in a mix that retains water better might well be greener.

Sorry for reading that all wrong! I guess the one with the kale is holding the water better and the tomato plant in that container is getting more consistent moisture. If it's possible to put a bowl or large saucer under the other plant, I would try bottom watering. Fill up the saucer and let it sit for an hour or two so that it gets a good drink. As Sey says, some liquid fert. would help too! Linda