Tomato problem - ideas please?

[Flummery]

It actually looks like they've been sprayed with weedkiller. I'm sure you haven't done it, but could it possibly have drifted from anywhere? It's just the distortion at the ends of the growing tips that makes me think that. I hope I'm wrong!

[T-lady]

Thanks for looking Chris - maybe I have been being a bit mean with the feed this year. I'll beef up their routine and see if I get any changes

[T-lady]

Hi Flummery

I'm pretty sure that there's been no use of weedkillers around (we're pretty much out in the sticks with nothing but a stables near us) but I'll have a good look round tonight. Even if a farmer has sprayed a field I'm not sure that it could drift into the reenhouse whre we have it sited. mind you, it does look like that sort of damage now you mention it ...

The best photo is the one that Mr Dinkle posted. That is how my plants looked before, the crispy bit has followed on.

Confused!

[Flummery]

Have you used manure that might have had something nasty in it. (We are talking relative here - nastier than a horse's poo!)

[T-lady]

I've not put anything other than shop-bought tomato food on the toms and they are growing in new, sterile compost. Mind you, the tom food is from Tesco so it might not be as organic as it claims!

[Flummery]

Hmm. I give up!

[T-lady]

Rats! I CAN'T give up, they're my babies!

[dandamegs]

I think the leaf roll is just due to overheating.

How are you watering? Are you spraying the plant, or watering directly into pots/growbag?

[SueA]

T-Lady, worst case scenario they could have some kind of tomato leaf curl virus in which case they probably should be destroyed!
Best case scenario they could just have been erratically watered, over fed or got too cold overnight or hot in the day.
Also as Flum says they could have been damaged by weedkiller. The RHS apparently had loads of calls last year about curly leaves & blotches on tomatoes & said a lot of them were caused by weedkiller either from residues in manure or by drifting in from nearby gardens/farms etc. Just a tiny bit blowing in your greenhouse could cause problems.
If you're a member of the RHS I think you can send samples to them for a diagnosis.
I'd just check that you're not overfeeding them & aren't alternately drowning/ parching them & see if things improve.
Here's a link to some pics on Defra of leaf curl virus.
http://www.defra.gov.uk/planth/pestp...2004/qic55.pdf
Mr. Dinkle, I love the pic. of the 'cat's butt' disease on your link!

[mrdinkle]

I have upped the feed on mine and it looks like some are improving, I think mine might have gotten too hot as well as hungry.

yup the cat gets everywhere!

[Mushroom]

hi
yes mine were doing that alot too, but they seem to have straightened out now.
I'm new to toms and thought they may have 'curly top' but nobody had heard of it on here - it's spread by a bug but mine were indoors on windowsill so unlikely. I think mine are ok.

[Flummery]

I'm sure it's an American ailment - I don't think we get it here - but some plants do just naturally open up curly then straighten as the leaves grow.

[gojiberry]

It may be that there is more than one reason for your tomatoes state of health. I would say that the leaves curling is not a problem as it is probably the type of tomato, some curl more than others. Haven't been out to confirm but one of mine, I think sungella, has very curled up leaves and when I went away for three days they were even more curled up due to not being watered. So may not be a big problem having curly leaves. The growing tip looks a bit more serious, may be sun scorch and the whole tip has been frazzled or it could be some sort of disease. How close to the glass has the tip been. Could always trim the tip off and allow a side shoot to develope and take over as the lead shoot. Hope you sort it out with a good result.

Ian

[dandamegs]

There is an interesting post in another section here that looks remarkably similar

Royal Horticultural Society - News: Cherrybank closes



Flummery might have hit the nail on the head here

[Flummery]

Funny - I usually miss the nail and hit me thumb!