Top leaves on greenhouse tomatoes curling up...

[Palmers-patch]

Hi All

I'm a first time grower of tomatoes in the greenhouse and am concerned that the top most leaves on some my plants seem to have really started curling up and look quite unhealthy. Each plant has about 4 - 5 trusses on and the tomatoes are on the way. I wondered if the greenhouse is too hot in the morning before I get to open the windows and door.

Any help would be appreciated.

[josie84]

I'd like to hear some opinions on this too. Both my fully grown greenhouse tomato plants have leaves which are crispy (but not brittle) and curled, I thought I had read that this is normal but I can't be sure, the whole conversation about it confused me The plants and tomatos seem fine though with new fruit forming and the existing toms getting bigger each day so I'm not worried.
One plant got too big for the greenhouse so is now planted in the garden.

[Bigmallly]

If the leaves worry you, just take them off. I don't think you need to be closing the doors now so leave them open, make sure they are getting plenty of water, greedy little beggers they are. I am sure other grapes maybe able to tell you what's causing the curl.

[Tomatoking]

Hi All

I'm a first time grower of tomatoes in the greenhouse and am concerned that the top most leaves on some my plants seem to have really started curling up and look quite unhealthy. Each plant has about 4 - 5 trusses on and the tomatoes are on the way. I wondered if the greenhouse is too hot in the morning before I get to open the windows and door.

Any help would be appreciated.

Hi Palmers-patch . for a start your greenhouse should really have the doors left open at this time of the year, or you will get too much condensation on the plants, before the sun comes up.
Most plants curl with overwatering , but you do need to slightly over water to last the day, especially as you have lots of fruit on your plant.

When you say unhealthy what do you mean! are you leaves getting very pale, or still quite dark green, what are they growing in soil or bags/pots, and how often and what are you feeding them with.

Mr TK

[Bigmallly]

oooooooops, did I say give them plenty of water?........

[Tomatoking]

I'd like to hear some opinions on this too. Both my fully grown greenhouse tomato plants have leaves which are crispy (but not brittle) and curled, I thought I had read that this is normal but I can't be sure, the whole conversation about it confused me The plants and tomatos seem fine though with new fruit forming and the existing toms getting bigger each day so I'm not worried.
One plant got too big for the greenhouse so is now planted in the garden.

Hi Josie , do you mean top leaves or bottom leaves, top leaves you never really have to touch, but lower ones can be removed if that are starting to look off colour and crisp on the edges at times.
As a rough guide, remove leaves up to the first truss when you have 6 or so trusses, this will help air curculation, then only remove leaves below the fruit that is ripening.

If you do move your plant out of the greenhouse it is more vulnerable to blight (see other thread) , maybe it it has 5 or 6 trusses you could stop the head, to let all the fruit mature, or train it over the top of the path, but maybe not viable if you have a small greenhouse.
Mr TK

[bramble]

I have been growing tomatoes for more years than I would want to admit.
My late father worked on the a tomato farm, which were experimenting with the growth of tomatoes all the year around.
In my opinion, growing tomatoes in our part of the world if never going to be plain sailing.
Every year is going to be different as the climate is so changeable.
Best advice is, keep the temp up around the 70's, err on the side of giving more, rather than less fresh air, as less air will lead to blight.
Tomatoes will not die from cold unless it dips below 10 deg., but overheating, and lack of air circulation will lead to early blight, and you will have no chance of saving your crop/.

[josie84]

Hi Josie , do you mean top leaves or bottom leaves, top leaves you never really have to touch, but lower ones can be removed if that are starting to look off colour and crisp on the edges at times.
As a rough guide, remove leaves up to the first truss when you have 6 or so trusses, this will help air curculation, then only remove leaves below the fruit that is ripening.

If you do move your plant out of the greenhouse it is more vulnerable to blight (see other thread) , maybe it it has 5 or 6 trusses you could stop the head, to let all the fruit mature, or train it over the top of the path, but maybe not viable if you have a small greenhouse.
Mr TK

Top leaves, most of the bottom have been removed. Thankyou for your reply, tomorrow I will set about removing the leaves below the fruit.

[josie84]

Hi Palmers-patch . for a start your greenhouse should really have the doors left open at this time of the year, or you will get too much condensation on the plants, before the sun comes up.

Mr TK

Ahh, so the doors should be left open at night as well? Last summer I got so obsessive about making sure the greenhouse doors were closed so the plants wouldn't die from the 'cold' night

[Bigmallly]

Last summer I got so obsessive about making sure the greenhouse doors were closed so the plants wouldn't die from the 'cold' night

What cold night?................

[zazen999]

What cold night?................

I wish; we've had the fan on all week and I've hardly slept a wink - it's TOO HOT.

[DavidJP]

I wouldn't worry about this too much, seems to happen every year. I think it occurs when the plants are really getting going and growing very rapidly, the top most leaves take a while to unfurl. If they are yellow then thats another matter. Remember its around the longest day of the year most sun we're going to get and the plants are growing at their fastest. I would leave well alone as long as you have trusses forming and the plant looks green and healthy.

[Brengirl]

does it matter if your toms reach the top of the house and even with shading they get scorched to a cinder. All my toms are now headless.

[josie84]

What cold night?................

haha, I wake up in the night and it's too cold to get back to sleep! At the moment I have a duvet, blanket and an additional quilt on my bed and rarely do I have to move them off

It's usually about 10c outside at night here, quite pleasant really.

[womble]

I don't think anyone has said yet, that its totally normal for tomatoes leaves at the very top where they are unfurling, to be curling up, it's because it's so hot atm.
Forgoodness sake don't go taking them off! They will uncurl and be normal.