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alamo5000

Twisting and Curling Leaves

16 years ago

I have a lot of tomato plants (60 to be exact)...

They are all outdoors 24/7 and have been transplanted to their final homes a couple weeks ago.

Actually I am growing in containers this year so we will see what happens with that...

All of my plants (except a few) are around 1 foot high and seem to be doing extremely well.

Some of the leaves on some of the plants are twisting or curling up some.

So far its not an epidemic, but I wanted to ask why and what would cause this?

The only two things that I could even think of is #1 about a week ago it got very cold one night. Our last frost date is Easter and about a week after that it got down to 37 degrees or less.

I did what I could to protect the plants, namely I moved all the buckets up under a big barn and left the lights on to generate some heat. I could see some minor damage the day after (some of the tips of the leaves were damaged) but that seemed about it...

The only other thing that it could be would be fertilizer, but I am really unsure. The only fertilizer I used was some of the miracle grow granules mixed into the soil. Other than that I have had no fertilizer.

Maybe I put too much granules into the buckets???

I don't know what else could cause twisting and curling of leaves.

Comments (11)

  • 16 years ago

    FYI None of the leaves are miscolored. All are very healthy color of green.

    Also I have seen fertilizer burn before and there is zero evidence that this is what is happening, although I could be wrong.

    I put them in their final home April 2-3. The literally took off like rockets. They had a solid 4 or 5 days before the cold and most of them seemed like they were adding an inch a day.

    The night of April 8 is when it got cold and for the last 2-3 days I was noticing some of this.

    Again, the color is excellent.

    The twist I saw is described like this... hold your palm up with your arm out. Now twist your palm face down. This is what a few of the branches are doing.

    Some of the other leaves are rolling up like a scroll lengthwise.

    It is by far not all the plants, and not even all the leaves on any particular plants.

    Also on some of the plants some of the leaves show a slight cupping. Its not bad but its there.

    Again, I see no fertilizer burn at all and I have seen none if any discolored leaves.

    NONE of the plants had curly leaves before that cold night.

  • 16 years ago

    Sounds like someone near you has spayed a herbicide. Classic symptoms of a Round up.

  • 16 years ago

    Do you have a pic? It could just be a physiological condition from the cold, transplant shock, or from some other factor.

    Is there any new growth, and what does it look like? When my plants were damaged by herbicide, the leaves got really tough and leathery and were misshapen, not just "rolled"

  • 16 years ago

    my bottom branches have leaves that are curled while the rest of the plant is normal, I think I overwatered them.

  • 16 years ago

    Umm. "Classic symptoms of a Round up." are pale to nearly white in the newest growth. Other weed killers -- e.g. 2,4-D & triclopyr -- produce twisted leaves.

    But I agree with the thought about cold exposure.

    Even so, we need images please.

  • 16 years ago

    I don't think is herbicide. No one here has sprayed any and my neighbors are far away. I am in the country.

    When I put them under the barn there was a strong stink of gasoline, but thats pretty much it. It could has caused it.

    I will have to try and take some pics tommorrow but someone has to help me put it up.

    Personally I think its the reaction to the cold. I also do not think it is transplant shock because that normally will stunt the plants. In less than 2 weeks since setting them out they are at least 3 times the size they were when I set them out.

  • 16 years ago


    "Classic symptoms of a Round up."

    OOPS! wrong herbicide. Broad leaf weed killer, maybe 2,4-D or triclopyr.

  • 16 years ago

    Hey Alamo5000, Just checking to see if you figured out what was causing your plants to twist and curl. I'm having the same problem with my plants, but they haven't been outside at all. Did you take pics yet? I'd love to compare. I, like you, have several tomato plants. I have 400 tomatoes and 400 peppers to be exact. No, I don't put them all in my gardens. I grow them and give them to everyone else. I'm leaning towards too much fertilizer. I just can't find any pictures on the web describing the leathery texture and curling of my plant leaves. They are kept in my furnace room so it's not the cold temps.

  • 16 years ago

    Make sure you turn the Hard Rock music down when you are near tomato plants.

  • 16 years ago

    Overwatering will cause them to curl under. If too severe they will wilt and die. The roots need oxygen as well.

  • 16 years ago

    There are herbicides that can leave persistent residues in compost that are especially damaging to tomato family crops. Aminopyralid, clopyralid, and others are being used more and more, with no quality control measures in place to keep them out of commercial composts and potting soils. Check Mother Earth news for killer compost, and there is some stuff at compostgardening.com as well. Also pictures at NC State and Washingtong State extension.

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