Phosphorus status of tomato (cv Floradel) was determined in two experiments where plants were grown in fresh or aged softwood bark or a control medium (perlitetsand, 3:1). The P concentration of plants grown in fresh bark was lower than for those grown in other media. Highly significant correlation coefficients were obtained between growth and P concentrations. The results strongly suggest that growth depression of plants grown in fresh bark is due to bark‐induced P deficiency.