Tomato Drama!!

[veggiemad]

Hi all,

Currently growing 4 tomato plants in grow bags in my plastic greenhouse. Yesterday evening I watered 3 of the plants and this evening I've seen that the top leaves are tightly curled. I watered again this evening in panic. Does anyone know if I've done anything wrong? It's the first time I've grown tomatoes in growbags inside a greenhouse. I normally plant them out in pots so not sure what I may have done wrong. The tomato plant I didn't water looks fine.

Everything was going so well so I'm a little confused

[VirginVegGrower]

No that's normal. Top leaf curling happens all the time.

[Florence Fennel]

Stop worrying VM, it's just something you've not seen before, it'll be fine

[chefgage]

Happens to mine now and again, they still grow ok. No need to panic

[donnakebab]

It's happened to mine too and I was starting to think I was jinxed as far as growing tomatoes goes.

I love this forum.

[SarzWix]

It's something to do with the tops growing faster than the roots, which means that the plant loses more moisture from than the leaves through transpiration than it can draw up through the roots. So in defence it curls the top leaves up to prevent some of the transpiration. The roots catch up quickly enough, and then the leaves unfurl. You can help it out by providing a bit of shade, and by watering slightly less in quantity, but more often, so that it has even moisture.

[veggiemad]

Thanks for your replies and re-assurance everyone. I had a look at the tomato plants this morning and they seem to have uncurled slightly. I'm trying to save money by growing my own as things are pretty tight at the moment so get a bit disheartened when things go a bit wrong, however I guess the first few years is trial and error.

Last question promise, I'm also grwowing strawberries in the plastic greenhouse. I'm planted them in growbags and they seem to be doing really well. Lots of strawberries are growing so waiting for them to ripen however should they be outside in the sun or are they OK in the plastic greenhouse?

[redser]

So long as you ventilate they will be fine, and earlier than if they were outside. But no harm to move them outside while there is fine weather. Take some runners too for next year. Not too many or you will exhaust the plants. Strawberries are the biz, so generous