Curling of tomato leaves is a common problem when growing crops in greenhouses. In open ground, such a nuisance is less common. .

Causes of leaf curling

The main reasons are

1. It's too hot in the greenhouse.
2. Tomatoes lack moisture.
3. Lack of batteries.
4. Excess fertilizer.
5. Damage to roots when planting seedlings or subsequent care of tomatoes.
6. Untimely removal of stepchildren. Leaves also curl when too many shoots are removed at once.
7. Pests sometimes also cause tomato leaves to curl.
8. Features of the variety.

Depending on the reason, the leaves curl either upward in a boat or downward in the shape of a chicken's foot.

reason 1. Temperature

In a greenhouse, the temperature is always at least 5-7°C higher than outside, even if the doors and windows are open. Therefore, when the temperature in the greenhouse is above 27-28° and there is low air circulation, the leaves are curled into a tube to avoid excessive evaporation of moisture. At night, when the heat subsides, they straighten out again.

Very often the leaves curl due to high temperatures.

What to do

To prevent leaves from curling in hot weather, greenhouses are left open at night. To reduce the temperature, the greenhouse is shaded. There should be constant air circulation inside it. Even in cold weather it must be ventilated.

reason 2. Lack of moisture

With insufficient watering, especially in the heat (and in greenhouses these factors are inextricably linked), tomatoes also reduce the area of ​​evaporation due to curling of the leaves.

• It is recommended to water tomatoes in greenhouses at a temperature of 16-20°C once every 7-10 days.
• At a temperature of 20-25°C once every 5 days
• At a temperature of 25-30°C every other day
• Over 30°C - daily, but very moderately.

This applies only to greenhouse plants; this watering regime is not suitable for open ground, since tomatoes there are additionally watered with precipitation. When choosing a watering regime, you should always take into account the growing conditions on your site.

If the leaves of tomatoes are curled, then the first thing to do is ventilate the greenhouse and water the crop.

You should not immediately water the plants abundantly. It is better to water in small volumes over several days. It is especially necessary to observe this regime during the fruiting period.

reason 3. Lack of batteries

If neither watering nor airing helped, and the leaves remain curled, then the problem is more serious than expected: the plants. Leaves curl differently depending on which element is deficient.

Phosphorus deficiency

The leaves curl upward and turn purple on the underside. Phosphorus is a macronutrient, and tomatoes consume it in large quantities.

To replenish phosphorus deficiency, the crop is watered with an extract of superphosphate. To prepare it, pour 1 cup of fertilizer into 1 liter of boiling water (otherwise it will not dissolve) and leave for 12-18 hours, stirring regularly. The finished extract is diluted with water to 10 liters and watered at the roots of the tomatoes. The application rate is 0.5 liters per bush.

You can add ash or superphosphate in dry form, but then you will have to wait 7-10 days longer for the effect.

Tomatoes need to be fed with phosphorus.

Copper deficiency

A deficiency of the element is much less common (especially when tomatoes are treated with copper-containing drugs for diseases), but its deficiency is not as rare as one might assume. With a lack of copper, the edges of the leaves curl upward. Yellow blurry spots appear on the leaves, which turn black in case of acute deficiency.

There are many spots and they are located randomly over the entire leaf surface. The leaf appears healthy but yellow and curled. To eliminate the problem, tomatoes are sprayed with any preparations containing copper. You can water the bushes with the same solution.

Both spraying and watering not only replenish the microelement deficiency, but also protect tomatoes well from many diseases.

Feeding with microelements is required.

Potassium deficiency

The leaves curl up into a tube, and a brown border forms along the edges. Tomatoes consume slightly less potassium than phosphorus, so it is advisable to add it with each feeding. In case of severe deficiency, the bushes are fed with any chlorine-free potassium fertilizer.

The best for tomatoes is potassium nitrate, which also contains a small amount of nitrogen. 1 tbsp. l. fertilizers are diluted in 10 liters of water. Watering rate is 0.5 liters per bush.

An excellent fertilizer would be an extract from ash: 100 g of ash is poured with boiling water and left for 24 hours, stirring regularly. Then the solution is filtered and watered at the roots of the tomatoes. The consumption rate is 0.5 l per bush. If spraying is carried out with ash infusion, then 40 g of laundry soap is added to the working solution as an adhesive.

Such bushes require potassium fertilizing.

Nitrogen deficiency

Usually occurs on poor soils and with gross violations in agricultural cultivation techniques. With a lack of nitrogen, the leaves become yellowish and become smaller. As nitrogen starvation increases, the leaves begin to curl down, turn yellow and dry out.

Urgent feeding with any nitrogen mineral fertilizer is necessary. If it is not there, then the tomatoes are fed with manure or herbal infusion. 0.5 liters of infusion are diluted in 10 liters of water and fed to the plants. The application rate is 1 liter per bush.

Pale leaves on tomatoes are due to a lack of nitrogen.

Calcium deficiency

The leaves curl upward. A little earlier, blossom end rot appears on the fruit. Feed the tomatoes with calcium nitrate: 10 g/10 l of water.

And here calcium supplementation is required.

reason 4. Excess fertilizer

Some summer residents, trying to get the maximum yield, apply so much fertilizer (especially organic matter) to their tomatoes that the plants begin to suffer from their excess, and this, in turn, very quickly leads to disease.

Excess nitrogen

The leaves at the top of the bush curl, the rest are very powerful and normal in appearance. To neutralize excess nitrogen, stop all organic fertilizing. An extract of wood ash or any potassium fertilizer that does not contain chlorine is applied under the bushes.

Excess nitrogen can also be harmful.

Excess zinc

It does not occur so often, but most summer residents cannot recognize it and only aggravate the situation. This happens when the multiplicity and frequency of microfertilizer application is violated. The leaves curl up and droop as if in drought.

The main sign of excess zinc is the appearance of a purple tint on the lower part of the stem (no higher than 20-30 cm). To correct the situation, tomatoes are fed with organic matter and no microelements are added for at least 15-20 days.

Some varieties have a genetically determined purple hue. But then the stem is evenly painted in this color.

Excess zinc is difficult to recognize.

reason 5. Damage to the root system

After planting seedlings, especially in a greenhouse, tomato leaves may curl slightly. This is fine. The root system of seedlings is usually less developed than the above-ground part, so for several days after planting, the leaves of the plants may be curled. If after 5-7 days they have not acquired a normal appearance, it is necessary to water the tomatoes with stimulants Kornevin or Heteroauxin.

When planting seedlings in the ground, try not to damage the roots of the plants.

Roots are often damaged when deep loosening tomatoes. The leaves curl upward evenly throughout the bush. Neighboring plants look healthy. To correct the situation, water the tomatoes with root formation stimulants (Kornerost, Kornevin) and substances that support plant immunity: Epin-extra, Zircon.

reason 6. Incorrect stepsoning

Untimely removal of stepsons leads to leaf curling. Stepchildren are removed when their size is no more than 5-7 cm. If they have already outgrown, then it is too painful for the plant, so you will either have to leave them or remove them gradually over several days.

Removing overgrown shoots can affect tomato leaves.

If large stepsons have been removed and the tomatoes react to this by curling the leaves, then the only thing that can be done is to spray the tomatoes with Zircon or Epin-extra.

reason 7. Tomato pests

Greenhouse whitefly very often affects tomatoes in greenhouses. This is a small butterfly that lays eggs on the underside of leaves. Larvae and adults (butterflies) feed on plant juices. Insects secrete sweet honeydew, on which sooty fungus settles. The insect reproduces very quickly. It settles first on the youngest and most tender leaves at the tops of plants.

Avoid large concentrations of pests on tomato bushes.

Signs of defeat.

1. The leaves become deformed and curled, and then turn yellow and fall off.
2. On the underside you can find insect secretions in the form of sticky honeydew and small white scales - the remains of cocoons.
3. Lagging bushes in development.
4. The appearance of black spots of sooty fungus on the stems and leaves.

What to do

Once the whitefly spreads, it is very difficult to control it. The pest reproduces extremely quickly, and most insecticides have no effect on eggs and older larvae. Therefore, emergency measures must be taken when the pest is first detected.

When shaking bushes infected with whiteflies, the butterflies fly up and are easy to spot.

1. To catch butterflies, glue traps are used, which are placed on the tops of bushes.
2. When the pest spread is small, Fitoverm is used. Spraying is carried out on the underside of the leaves. and tomatoes can be removed 2 days after processing. Spraying is carried out repeatedly at intervals of 3-5 days to destroy newly emerged individuals, since the drug does not affect eggs. With strict adherence to treatment intervals, the number of pests can be significantly reduced.
3. Simultaneously with Fitoverm, tomatoes are sprayed with Fitosporin or Alirin-B to prevent and destroy sooty fungi.
4. In case of mass infestation of tomatoes by the pest, all fruits are removed in the technical ripeness phase, and the bushes are treated with Aktara. Treatments are carried out on the underside of the leaves at least 3-4 times with an interval of 4-7 days. After spraying, tomatoes should not be eaten for 20 days.

reason 8. Features of the variety

For some, leaf curl is a genetic trait. Cherry and small-fruited tomato varieties are mainly prone to this.

There are also tomatoes like this.

Usually in this case the leaf blade curls down, forming a “chicken's foot”. But in some varieties the leaves can curl upward. In this case, nothing needs to be done; neither fertilizing, nor watering, nor ventilation will help. This is simply a feature of the variety.

Conclusion

If the leaves on the tomatoes are curled en masse throughout the greenhouse, then this is either a violation of the temperature regime or a lack of moisture.

If the leaves curl only on some bushes, then most likely this is a lack of nutrients. In this case, they curl gradually, first on one plant, then on the second, third, etc.

First of all, these bushes are carefully inspected, and then one of them is fertilized with the necessary fertilizers. If the measures taken have produced results, then the remaining plants are fed. If there is no result, then they continue to select the necessary fertilizer until a positive answer is received. Only after receiving a positive reaction to fertilizing, all other tomatoes are fed with the same fertilizer.

Tomato diseases that lead to leaf curling sharply reduce the yield of the bush. As a result of poor photosynthesis, it ceases to receive nutrients in the required quantities and may die. Therefore, it is important to understand as quickly as possible why tomato leaves are curling and take appropriate measures. In this article we will try to understand the main reasons for the development of such a disorder and tell you how to cure plants.

All causes are divided into two large groups: infection and adverse environmental influences.

The main causes of leaf curling are divided into two large groups: infectious infection and adverse environmental influences. The latter includes the following factors that are destructive to tomatoes:

• damage to roots during transplantation;
• excessive or insufficient application of mineral additives to the soil;
• violation of the watering schedule;
• improper removal of stepchildren;
• leaf eating by pests.

Almost all of the reasons described above can be eliminated, after which the bush will return to normal and continue to grow. The exception is infectious diseases of tomatoes (or bacteriosis). Plants infected with them are removed to prevent the spread of the pathogen.

Root damage

If in the first days after transferring the seedlings to a greenhouse or open ground, tomato leaves begin to curl into a tube, this indicates damage to the plant roots. This usually happens when transplanting is late, when the root system of tomatoes has already gone deep enough into the soil, and during the removal of shoots, some of the shoots break off. Until the bushes recover, they will suffer from a lack of nutrients. But don't worry. After all, if you follow the care standards, tomatoes will quickly adapt to new conditions, and the leaves will stop curling.

Excess fertilizer

When excess fertilizer is applied to the soil, the leaves of tomatoes curl into a ring and become fragile, and the stem expands. In this way, the plant reduces the rate of photosynthesis because it is not able to absorb all the nutrients. Some gardeners, in pursuit of a large harvest, begin to fertilize tomatoes immoderately even in the first stages of their growth. As a result, the leaves of tomatoes begin to curl up at the seedling stage.

Due to excessive amounts of fertilizer applied, the leaves may curl even at the seedling stage.

In order for the bush to return to normal, you first need to stop fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizers. To restore the balance of metabolic processes, it is recommended to make a solution based on a phosphorus-potassium complex (2 tablespoons per 10 liters of water) or monopotassium phosphate (1 teaspoon per 10 liters of water). When the crop is ripe, you should also avoid applying mixtures containing nitrogen.

Lack of microelements

For this reason, the leaves of tomatoes growing in a greenhouse more often curl, since the soil warms up faster there, which speeds up the release of microelements important for the plant. But the lack of regular fertilizing is also detrimental for bushes planted in open ground. The leaves on the tomatoes curl down and change color, and the veins on them become coarser and take on pronounced outlines. A deficiency of the following substances is characterized by the following symptoms:

• phosphorus - leaves, starting from the center, acquire a brown tint;
• zinc – the upper leaves curl;
• boron - first of all, young leaves are affected, their yellowing and drying are observed;
• copper - especially affects the viability of seedlings and shoots recently transplanted into open ground, the leaves of which acquire a yellowish tint and die off over time;
• calcium - plants become faded, stepsons fall down;
• iron - leaves turn yellow.

Such plants need to be treated by applying complex fertilizers and, depending on the type of soil, additional fertilizing with the missing microelement. Thus, a lack of copper is observed near peat bogs, and boron - on calcareous soil. In hot weather, it is recommended to fertilize diseased tomatoes with solutions containing immunomodulators or Zircon. If the season turns out to be rainy and cool, biostimulants (Epin) are used.

Excessive humidity

Although tomatoes love moisture, its excess negatively affects their development. With excessive watering or during prolonged rains, the leaves on the bushes curl upward. In the first case, it is enough to simply water the beds less often, and the plants will return to normal. If rainy weather is predicted, the tomatoes should be covered with a film canopy and the soil should be loosened so that moisture penetrates faster into the lower layers of the soil.

Irregular watering

If plants lack moisture and dry out, they trigger a protective mechanism - a curled leaf.

This is perhaps the most common mistake gardeners make. Due to lack of free time, people hope for rain and skip watering. Plants begin to lack moisture and dry out, so they trigger a protective mechanism - the curled leaf loses less liquid from evaporation. Seedlings especially suffer from this.

The solution to the problem is simple. It is necessary to organize a clear watering schedule, and it is not necessary to do it once every 2-3 days. A bucket of water will be enough for the bush for a week, but this volume should be added to the soil in several approaches to evenly saturate it with moisture. In extreme heat, you need to increase the number of waterings to twice a week.

Heat

Gardeners often wonder why the leaves on greenhouse tomatoes curl even with regular watering. This happens in extreme heat, when the air in the greenhouse warms up to 35° or more. Moreover, attentive owners notice that during the daytime the leaves can curl tightly around the central veins, and at night they straighten out again.

To prevent this from happening, you need to regularly ventilate the greenhouse by opening it from opposite sides. At noon, it is recommended to cover the bushes from direct sunlight. To prevent the evaporation of moisture from the soil, it should be mulched with organic compounds. If, despite preventive measures, curling of the leaves of tomatoes still occurs, you can spray them in the evenings with a solution of potassium permanganate (diluted until light pink) or urea (1.5 tablespoons per bucket of water).

Incorrect stepsoning

If, a few days after removing the shoots, the leaves of the tomatoes curl, it means you did it wrong. In a situation where the shoots were too large, the plant would experience stress and respond with external changes aimed at increasing survival. In this case, in the best case, the top leaves of the bush may curl, and in the worst case, it will lose color.

If pinching is incorrect, the plant experiences stress and reacts with external changes.

Regular pinching directly affects the quality of the crop, but this procedure must be carried out according to the rules. It is recommended to remove excess shoots, the length of which is in the range of 4 - 10 cm. Cutting larger shoots harms the plant. The same applies to cases when gardeners tear off all the lower leaves of a tomato at once and then wonder why the remaining ones curl. This should also be done gradually.

When the mistake has already been made and the leaves on some bushes begin to curl, you need to immediately begin treating them so as not to be left without a harvest. To support sick plants, complex fertilizing with the addition of biostimulants is recommended.

Features of the variety

In some tomato varieties, curled and downward-pointing leaves are the norm. Sometimes novice gardeners do not know this and think that the plants have been affected by some kind of disease. But if the structure of all bushes is the same, and this becomes noticeable even at the stage of planting seedlings, there is no need to worry. Thus, the leaves of tomatoes of the “Honey Drop”, “Japanese Crab”, “Fatima”, “Oxheart” varieties, as well as most varieties of “Cherry”, curl slightly.

Pests

Tomato leaves are attacked by insects, sucking out the life-giving juices from them, causing them not only to curl, but also turn yellow, become stained and dry out. More often, tomatoes suffer from spider mites, whiteflies and aphids. And if the first two pests are easy to see with the naked eye, then aphids initially settle at the base of the leaf, only moving to its surface over time.

To avoid the harmful effects of insects, which will lead to further curling and wilting of tomato leaves, treatment should begin immediately. Any insecticidal preparation of biological origin will do (for example, Fitoverm). You can also get rid of aphids and whiteflies using folk remedies, such as tobacco infusion, yarrow or chamomile decoction.

Diseases

Tomato diseases that can curl a tomato leaf are bacterial canker, tobacco mosaic virus, fusarium and verticillium.

The most serious reasons why leaves on tomato bushes can curl are various types of diseases. As in humans, they are provoked by pathogens of a viral, bacterial and fungal nature. Below are the most common tomato diseases.

• Bacterial cancer. The leaves of the plant curl down, quickly lose their juices, turn brown and dry, and cracks form on the stems. Bushes with bacterial cancer need to be urgently destroyed. To do this, the tomato is cut and treated in this place with a solution of the drug “Hom”, pouring the roots as well. When the plant dries out, it is removed from the garden bed. Bushes located within a radius of 10 m from the infected tomato are also subject to preventive treatment.
• Tobacco mosaic virus. In addition to curling, leaves affected by this virus develop alternating areas of dark and light green, sometimes swelling.
• Fusarium. This is a fungal disease that initially affects the old leaves, but over time spreads to the rest. Additional symptoms include yellowing, wilting, and pink growth on the stem near the roots. Such plants need to be destroyed, and the remaining ones should be treated with antifungal drugs.
• Verticillium. It appears almost like the previous disease, but with less pronounced symptoms. Tomatoes affected by it, if properly treated, often survive until fruiting.

If leaves curl on tomato bushes, what to do is a very important question and requires an immediate solution. But without a preliminary analysis of your actions and a careful examination of the plant for additional symptoms, it is impossible to answer it.

​Similar articles​

Why do tomato leaves curl?

​Tomato leaves can also curl due to strong pinching or pinching, as well as frequent watering. As a rule, plants experience such a situation when the second half of the growing season begins. The lower leaves are the first to react to this, after which the higher leaves begin to curl up to the very top. When curled, the leaves have the shape of a funnel, where the axis is the central vein, and the leaf itself, when curled, is directed towards the upper surface. These changes compact their plates, make them hard to the touch and brittle. If the flowers of such plants are excessively twisted, then, as a rule, this is followed by their falling off.

1. ​plant tomatoes where there were no diseased fruits;​​increase ventilation and drafts, shade the plants with lutrasil;​
2. ​potassium monophosphate 1 teaspoon per 10 liters of water.​​The first reason is quite banal: the plant is simply hot, it lacks water. As a rule, the lower leaves of such tomatoes do not curl, as they are shaded by the upper leaves.
3. ​zinc - old leaves bend downwards, in which the underside of the leaf blade from the edges begins to acquire a purple color.​ ​When the stem is cut across, a brown ring is visible.​
4. ​In this article, we’ll look at the main reasons why tomato leaves curl down and dry out, and we’ll also find out what should be done.​ ​The seedlings were improperly rooted​
5. ​If you have just recently planted tomatoes, or tomatoes as they are also called, in a greenhouse, then some time after planting you may notice that the leaves of the tomato seedlings are curling up.​ ​, .​
6. Along with this, curling of tomato leaves can be caused by the application of large quantities of organic fertilizers, herbal infusions, as well as nitrogen-containing fertilizers against the background of a sharp deficiency of phosphorus, potassium, copper and calcium. The situation can be corrected only by including the necessary microelements in the diet. To do this, fertilize with complex fertilizers, for example, mortar (a couple of tablespoons per bucket of water) or potassium monophosphate (a teaspoon per bucket of water).​ ​destroy plant residues;​

​treat tomato leaves with urea - 1.5 tbsp. spoons per 10 liters of water, and after 1-2 days with raspberry-colored potassium permanganate.​ ​Also, you should not fertilize tomatoes with manure or slurry: due to the release of ammonia, the leaves can get burned.​

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Tomato leaves curl down

​The second reason is incorrect, excessive feeding. Excessive nitrogen content in the soil leads to the fact that the stem of the bush becomes thick and powerful, but at the same time the leaves of the tomatoes curl. This problem is fairly easy to fix. To do this, you need to water the soil generously several times: the water will wash away the excess fertilizer. The main thing is not to overdo it, since stagnation of water is extremely undesirable: it can cause rotting and fungal infection. If you are afraid to overdo it with “water procedures”, simply balance the excess nitrogen with potassium. You can feed the plant with potassium sulfate, or you can fertilize the soil with ash, which also contains this substance.

​Damage to roots during transplantation.​

Why do the leaves of tomato seedlings curl downwards?

​Lack of essential nutrients in the soil.​

​Gardeners are very sensitive to growing seedlings, so even a slight deviation from the norm in their condition causes them concern. Their fears are not always confirmed. For example: if the leaves of a tomato seedling curl downwards and at the same time resemble the shape of a chicken foot, then this is not a sign of a disease. This change occurs because the vein grows faster than the leaf plate itself, and therefore curls. Also, the curling of the leaf ends may be a species feature of the variety, which is more visible in young plants than in adults.​

What to do if tomato leaves curl down?

​tomato seedlings in open ground, their roots have been severely damaged, then the plant will not be able to immediately receive enough of the nutrients it needs from the soil, which, as described earlier, leads to the leaves curling down. In this case, this goes away over time without additional feeding.

​phosphorus - the leaf blade becomes gray-green, and the veins become purple-red;

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Why tomato leaves curl: main reasons

​Peculiarity of the variety.​

​. Excessive use of fertilizers that contain nitrogen can cause drying of the leaves. A lack of potassium, phosphorus, copper and calcium can cause tomato leaves to curl. Manure is also contraindicated as a fertilizer, since it also damages the leaves as a result of the release of ammonia. In this case, complex fertilizers (for example, mortar, monopotassium phosphate) must be used to treat curling.

​Overheating of the plant

​We must not forget that when growing tomatoes, you will not encounter various troubles if, starting in spring, when it is time to prepare for sowing, you follow agricultural practices, apply complex fertilizers to the soil containing the necessary microelements, especially in the first half of summer, as well as implement preventive measures aimed at combating pests and diseases. Only by following these simple rules can you count on a rich harvest.​

​treat tomatoes with fungicidal preparations.​

​To avoid diseases, it is necessary to properly fertilize and water tomatoes and ensure the required temperature conditions. Proper treatment of seeds before sowing will also give positive results. If you collect seeds yourself, then choose only healthy plants.​

​use rainwater for irrigation - due to the presence of carbonic acid in it, it has a mild effect. The water should be warm – 24-26°C;​

​How to recognize the curly hair virus? According to the appearance of the tomato: the upper leaves of the bush curl, the central shoot stops growing, the young foliage acquires a sickly light green or yellow tint, the plant begins to rapidly lag behind its fellows in development.

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Why do tomato leaves curl? | Questions and Answers – www.FAQL.ru

If there is a deficiency of any tomato nutrient, it is necessary to add them to the soil. If you cannot determine exactly what is missing, then you should take any complex fertilizer (for example: Polymicro or Sudarushka), or spray the plants with an immunomodulator (Zircon, Epin or Mortar). If there is an excess of microelements, it is worth watering the beds with tomatoes with clean water.​

How to properly feed tomatoes?

​boron - young leaves curl, and the middle ones become yellow with purple veins;

• ​This leaf structure is observed in tall varieties. These include Fatima, Oxheart, Honeydrop and most varieties of cherry tomatoes.​
• The presence of a viral disease in the plant

​. If your greenhouse is too hot and the thermometer readings exceed 35 degrees, then the leaves may not have enough moisture, which they need for natural cooling. At this temperature, nutrients are less absorbed and the leaves begin to starve. As a result, you can observe curled leaves on tomatoes. And in especially severe cases, they can even dry out. To save tomatoes, it is enough to water the plant well once, and also additionally spray its leaves with urea (you need two tablespoons of liquid per bucket of water). After two days, instead of urea, use a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

How to water tomatoes correctly?

• ​, .​
• Late blight is the reason why tomato leaves dry out. Late blight occurs due to frequent watering or incorrect temperature in the greenhouse. In addition to the leaves, late blight also affects the fruit itself and can destroy the entire crop in the shortest possible time.
• If the tomatoes are still sick, then buy fungicidal preparations in specialized stores. They will not only protect the plants, but will also nourish and feed them.​
• ​in hot weather, postpone watering to the evening - this way the water will be better absorbed and absorbed by the roots;​
• So, these are all the main reasons why tomato leaves can curl. Care for the plant carefully, follow all the rules of agricultural technology for this crop. Then this problem will bypass you.​

High temperature stress

If you have diagnosed that a tomato is infected with bacterial cancer, then you need to get rid of it. At the same time, you should check the bushes adjacent to it. For prevention, all other tomatoes should be sprayed with a solution of copper oxychloride (40 g per 1 liter of water).​

• ​sulfur - only young leaves also bend, on which necrotic spots then appear;
• ​Infection with bacterial cancer.​

​. To stop the leaves from curling, you can spray them with special chemicals.​

Bacterial infection

​Lack of fluid.​

​: . . , . .​

Why do tomato leaves wither?

To prevent this from happening, prevention must be carried out. It must be carried out in dry and calm weather. If the summer is full of rain, then chemical treatment should be carried out as often as possible. But only when the tomatoes are still unripe, ripe fruits cannot be processed. Apply fertilizing that strengthens the plant’s immunity, because the stronger it is, the more resistant the tomatoes will be to late blight. To combat late blight, you can use ash-based tincture and various products with the addition of copper.​

The reason why tomato leaves wither is Fusarium wilt. In open ground, the disease spreads to tomatoes in the southern regions, and in greenhouses - everywhere. The first signs, in addition to wilting, are also yellowing of the leaves. Then whole shoots wither, and then all the plants.​

​water the tomatoes at the roots - this watering allows you to moisten the soil, and the air humidity will not change;​

• ​Tomatoes are one of the most capricious types of vegetables. And if you do anything wrong in growing tomatoes, they will immediately signal this. The most common whim is curled leaves. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to establish why plants behave this way. But such behavior, in turn, can lead to the fact that the fruits of the plant become unfit for consumption. Therefore, today we will tell you why tomato leaves curl and what needs to be done to prevent this from happening.​
• ​There is nothing tastier than your own tomatoes, grown with love. Such vegetables will not only be tasty, but also healthy. After all, if you grow vegetables for yourself, then, as a rule, you do not use harmful insecticides. And you handle fertilizers extremely carefully, because their excess can begin to accumulate in the fruits, changing the taste not for the better. In general, homemade vegetables grown with your own hands are the best.​
• ​copper - not only the ends of the leaves, but also the petioles go down, and subsequently necrosis and chlorosis begin on them.
• ​This dangerous disease for plants can be identified by the following signs:​
• ​In order to understand why the leaves of tomatoes curl, you should reconsider their care regimen and the conditions under which they are kept.​

Why do tomato leaves dry out?

In this case, the leaves may begin to curl into a boat. It will take the plant quite a long time to recover in such a situation – on average two weeks.

​: . , . . .​

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Why do tomato leaves curl?

Lina

​By taking the necessary preventive measures, you will stop wondering why tomatoes are drying up. And your harvest will be tasty and healthy!​

​Fusarium spreads especially quickly with high soil moisture and excess nitrogen fertilizers. The disease itself is transmitted when transplanting seedlings, watering and loosening the soil. Fusarium is also the reason why tomatoes wilt.​

​use mulching of the soil - this will help maintain optimal moisture.​

Due to the fact that many gardeners abuse infusions of herbs, nitrogen and organic fertilizers, there is a lack of potassium, phosphorus and zinc in the soil. This may be the reason why tomato leaves curl. To ensure balanced nutrition, it is necessary to fertilize the soil according to the following scheme:

​Cultivation begins with a process such as planting tomato seeds. The seedlings are then transplanted into a greenhouse or open ground (depending on climatic conditions). After some time, the bushes grow, flowers appear on them, and then small green tomatoes. It would seem that it will be possible to harvest the crop any moment now, but the problem is that the leaves of the tomatoes are curling. What to do in this case?​

​Excess of boron and zinc in the soil. Too many of these elements are accompanied by the following symptoms:​

The lower leaves begin to quickly wither, change color and dry out;

?

​It is necessary to maintain a certain level of soil moisture, avoiding drying out or excessive moisture. Adding complex fertilizers to the soil, which include microelements such as potassium, calcium, phosphorus and copper, will promote the active growth of tomatoes and keep its leaves fresh and green. It is also necessary to carefully inspect the plant for the presence of pests such as spider mites, tobacco thrips, whiteflies and Colorado potato beetles. If you find that the tops of the leaves of your tomatoes have curled, then do not be upset: adequate treatment will help restore them to their original appearance. If you initially strictly follow the agricultural technology of growing tomatoes, then you will never recognize such a problem as leaf curling.
​Lack of fresh air​
​: AgroBioStim. AgroBioStim һ 1-2 / 0.1%. http://www.agrobiostim.com/russian/pages_ru/bolesti_ru/illness_micro_ru.htm​
​,​
There are times when in the heat the leaves curl into a tube. A reasonable question arises - why do the leaves of tomatoes curl?

To avoid Fusarium wilt, you need to:
​Another reason why tomato leaves curl is incorrect temperature conditions. High temperatures - 35°C and above - will become a dangerous factor that can lead to tomato leaves curling and the death of the plant. To avoid this, in hot weather you need to:

Polina Shubina

​fertilizer mortar at the rate of 2 tbsp. spoons per 10 liters of water;

​Let's try to understand the reasons why this phenomenon may occur. If you know why it happened, you can take some measures to prevent this process.​

​boring - the curved ends of the leaves become dry and brittle, curling starts from the bottom and reaches the top;​

Cracks and sores form on the stem and petioles;

If a plant is not happy with something in your care, it signals this with the help of its leaves. They may change color or curl up or down into a tube. Knowing what each of the symptoms means, you can very quickly and easily help the plant return to normal and grow further. If this is not done in time, it may die or later produce a poor harvest.​

​. If the greenhouse is not ventilated often enough, it can also become too stuffy, which is why the leaves on the top of the tomato may become curled.​
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Curling of leaves is a signal that accompanies several deviations in the development of tomatoes in the greenhouse and in the open ground. The nature of the twisting itself, as well as the signs accompanying it, allows us to more accurately determine the need or disease of the plant. But leaf curling in tomatoes is never a harmless symptom. What to do to quickly identify the problem and take steps to eliminate it.

Why do tomato leaves curl - problems in care

When faced with leaf curling, you first need to check whether there have been any violations of agricultural practices. Errors in care not only weaken plants, but also provoke the appearance of pests and diseases. Treatment of any causes of leaf curling usually requires correction of growing conditions.

Violation of watering tomatoes

Tomato leaves react to deviations from the optimal watering regime in both directions:

1. Curling edges down may be due to lack of moisture. This is a plant’s way of reducing moisture loss by reducing the area of ​​evaporation. The leaves become limp and soft.
2. If the leaves curl upward and become brittle, you should check to see if the tomatoes are getting too much water. This deformation of the leaf plate may be an attempt to increase evaporation.

In case of deficiency, the dose of water during irrigation should be increased. If possible, use finely dispersed moisture sprays - sprinkling will help the tomatoes recover faster. But you should not spray the bushes with a stream from a hose or watering can; irrigation should be fine droplets.

If tomatoes suffer from excess moisture, you should stop watering for 12-15 days, and then continue, observing moderation.

In a greenhouse, it is optimal to water tomatoes 2 times every 7 days, giving 5-7 liters of water per bush. During periods of flowering and fruit ripening, a larger volume of water is needed - 7-9 liters.

High temperature in the greenhouse

If the temperature in the greenhouse is above 35°C, the tomatoes are likely to overheat. The leaves are curled into a tube with the edges up - the plants thus “hide” them from the sun’s rays. If this is the reason, in the evening, when the temperature drops, you can observe the leaves returning to their normal shape. During flowering, overheating is accompanied by falling flowers.

Tomatoes can be revived from the effects of “heat stroke” by spraying with a 0.2% urea solution. Three days later - spraying with a 0.1% solution of potassium sulfate. It is necessary to control the temperature in the greenhouse through ventilation and protection from sunlight. The structure should be covered with white or light cloth, especially on the south side; in a glass greenhouse, the ceiling and walls can be whitewashed for this purpose.

Improper fertilizing with organic fertilizers

Sometimes gardeners are let down by the belief that everything organic is better than “chemicals”. But excess organic matter applied to tomatoes can seriously damage them. Fresh manure is especially dangerous, as it causes leaves to curl for three reasons:

• oversaturation of nutrients;
• burns from ammonia released during the fermentation of organic matter;
• root damage.

Even rotted manure fertilizer will be harmful if you prepare a high concentration solution from it or apply it too often. Not only manure, frequent fertilizing with green infusions can cause an excess of nutrients, primarily nitrogen. This manifests itself in the thickening of the stem, compaction of the leaves, and the acquisition of a dark green color by the bush. The upper leaves curl down into a ring.

Attention!

The consequences of excess nitrogen will be a delay in flowering and fruiting, the formation of fewer flowers and ovaries on the bush, and slow fruit growth.

It is recommended to water abundantly to flush out nitrogen from the soil and exclude nitrogen-containing fertilizers from the tomato diet. In case of severe overfeeding, pinching should be carried out, removing long shoots - 12-18 cm in length, and fertilizing with potassium. You can add wood ash (1 cup per 10 liters), or spray with potassium sulfate or monophosphate (1 teaspoon per bucket of water).

The use of organic matter as the main fertilizer can also cause phosphorus deficiency - its content in manure and herbal infusions is not enough to provide adequate nutrition to tomatoes. With a slight lack of phosphorus, the leaves curl up with their edges, then, if “starvation” continues, they bend down, darken, and purple tones appear through the green color, starting from the veins. The process of color change begins on the reverse side on the lower leaves of the bush, but over time, young leaves also become purple. The growth of the bush slows down due to the weakening of the root system, the stem becomes brittle. When these signs appear, it is recommended to fertilize with superphosphate.

Stepchildren not removed in time

If curvature of the leaves appeared after the pinching procedure, the reason for this was the stress experienced by the plant due to the removal of too many shoots or too large shoots. In this case, the leaves curl both down and up.

The affected plant needs to be given foliar feeding (so that nutrients arrive faster) with complex preparations containing basic nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium). But it will not be possible to completely eliminate the effects of stress - the potential yield of the bush will decrease. Therefore, it is important to prevent the bushes from becoming overgrown by planting tomatoes in a timely manner.

The optimal number of leaves to be removed is no more than 2-3 per week, and the length of the cut shoots should not be more than 5 cm.

Tomato infections

Greenhouse conditions are conducive to the development of populations of pathogens of several dangerous tomato diseases. It is important to identify the lesion at an early stage, before the disease spreads throughout the planting.

Bacterial cancer

The disease, characteristic of greenhouse tomatoes, manifests itself in conditions of high humidity (above 80%), poor lighting, good soil moisture and temperatures above 25°C.

Tomatoes affected by bacterial canker are characterized by yellowing and curling of the leaf edges on one side; the second part may retain its original shape. First of all, leaves in the middle tier of the bush are susceptible to this. Other symptoms gradually appear:

• necrotic spots on leaves, stems, fruits;
• ulcers on the stalks and petioles;
• drying of leaves without falling off;
• stem cracking;
• yellow mucus discharge from cracks when pressed;
• yellowing of the stem core;
• white spots on fruits.

It is impossible to cure an infected plant; it is recommended to dig it up and burn it to destroy the source of infection. Externally healthy tomatoes in a greenhouse should be treated with preparations containing copper - copper sulfate, Bordeaux mixture or copper chloroxide.

Tobacco mosaic

The causative agent of the disease is a virus. Favorable conditions for damage are lack of light, poor air circulation in the greenhouse (crowded planting, lack of ventilation), excessive watering, high air humidity.

On a virus-infected plant:

• yellow spots appear on the leaves;
• dark and light green spots appear;
• leaves curl very tightly;
• swelling may appear on the leaves;
• The fruits grow only small in size.

As with any viral plant diseases, there are no drugs to treat tobacco mosaic. But the fruits of a diseased tomato are edible and the disease can be contained for some time by removing the affected parts to healthy tissue.

You can protect other tomatoes in the greenhouse by preventative treatment with whey. To do this, the bushes are sprayed with a mixture of equal parts of water and serum every week. Dairy products act as a barrier for the virus, through which it cannot penetrate plant tissue.

Fusarium

A fungal disease that is provoked by a lack of lighting, excess or deficiency of moisture in the soil, growing a crop in one place for several years.

Fusarium is characterized by:

• yellowing of the lower leaves followed by necrosis, which eventually appears in the upper part of the bush;
• the color change begins with the lightening of the veins;
• curling the leaves with the edges up;
• wilting of the upper shoots;
• dark brown color of stem vessels on a cut;
• white or pinkish coating in the root collar area.

On a note!

It is also possible for a white coating to appear on the bush. This symptom appears more often in a greenhouse than in open ground, since it occurs only with high air humidity.

Symptoms of fusarium appear during the flowering period. Treatment in this case is ineffective; the gardener’s task is to prevent the spread of the fungus. Sick plants need to be dug up, healthy tomatoes and soil need to be treated with antifungal drugs. Due to the flowering phase, you should prefer biological products containing beneficial bacteria that feed on the fungus - “Gamair”, “Alirin-B”, “Trichodermin”, “Planzir”. But these drugs are not effective on already diseased plants.

Verticillium wilt

Like Fusarium, Verticillium wilt is caused by a fungus. The impetus for the development of the disease can be abundant watering after severe drying out of the soil and a drop in temperature below 20°C.

Signs of the disease:

• curling of the upper leaves with the edges up;
• yellowing and subsequent drying of leaves in the middle and lower parts of the bush;
• light brown color of stem vessels on a cut;
• development of necrosis inside the roots and stem.

Tomatoes quickly become infected with fungus, while there are no effective drugs to treat the disease. The infected plant must be dug up, removing the entire root system from the soil, and burned. The soil in the greenhouse on which the diseased plant grew must also be replaced, and the remaining tomatoes should be treated prophylactically 2 times with a 10-day break with a soap-ash solution.

Foliar fertilizing with microelements can increase resistance to Verticillium wilt. It is recommended to dilute 3 grams of boric acid, 2 zinc sulfate, 5 magnesium nitrate, 2 zinc sulfate in a bucket of water. You need to spray the tomatoes with this solution 3 times, taking breaks of 15-20 days.

Impact of insects on tomato leaves

The symptom may appear due to the activity of pests feeding on the juice of tomato leaves. It is necessary to inspect the back side of the leaves - most sucking insects hide there.

Aphid

Among the many species of aphids, leaf curling is caused by potato aphids - small red or green colored insects. As a rule, young leaves at the top of the bush suffer, the edges bend upward. Sticky spots appear on the plant - traces of honeydew secreted by insects.

Attention!

Aphid honeydew, like whitefly honeydew, is a favorable environment for fungi, increasing the likelihood of Fusarium or Verticillium wilt infection.

The affected leaves should be removed and the plant should be doused with water, washing away the remaining insects. In case of minor damage, it is effective to wipe the leaves with a cotton swab dipped in a soap solution and spray with bioinsecticides (Bitoxibacillin, Fitoverm, Akarin).

If there are a large number of pests, it is necessary to carry out treatment with chemicals - “Aktara”, “Kinmiks”, “Trichlorometaphos”, “Biotlin”, “Fufanon”.

Of the folk recipes against aphids, the most effective are:

• Tobacco infusion. Dry tobacco leaves (400 grams) are finely chopped and poured with a bucket of boiling water. You should insist for 5 days.
• Yarrow decoction. Pour 500 grams of chopped green parts of yarrow into a liter of boiling water and boil for 20 minutes. You need to insist for 2 days. Similarly, you can prepare a decoction of wormwood or celandine. These herbs are best at repelling aphids. Decoctions of marigold, dandelion or chamomile are also suitable.

Whitefly

The reason for the curling of the lower leaves can be small white midges that fly up from the bushes when a person approaches. Plant sap is fed by their larvae, which look like gray dust particles covering the leaf. Their presence is also indicated by:

• pale or yellow spots around bitten areas on the outside of leaves;
• dark and light - on the reverse side;
• sticky spots caused by honeydew;
• curling of leaves upward followed by wilting.

To combat the pest, the bushes are sprayed with contact insecticides (Tanrek, Actellik, Alatar, Inta-Vir, Rovikurt and others). But such products are highly toxic, so they can only be used in a greenhouse in case of severe damage. An alternative would be biological agents that contain fungi that feed on pest larvae (Boverin, Verticillin).

A plant-safe method of controlling whiteflies is to introduce predatory insects (encarsia, amblyseius, macroflorus) into the greenhouse. Fumigating the greenhouse with tobacco sticks will also work well, which should be done 3 times with intervals of 10 days.

With a small lesion, you can get by with folk remedies. Spraying will be effective:

• alcohol (1.5% solution);
• soapy water (1:6);
• garlic infusion (200 grams per liter of water, leave for 5 days, add a spoonful of infusion to each liter of water for spraying).

Spider mite

Curling of the lower tomato leaves inward may indicate a spider mite attack. It is difficult to detect the insect, and the clear sign – the web – appears later, when there are already a lot of ticks. The pest reveals itself by white or colorless areas on the surface of the leaf.

Affected leaves must be removed from the bush. The tick cannot tolerate soapy water, so spraying or wiping with it is the first response measure. Other folk remedies for ticks:

• Infusion of henbane. Dry, crushed henbane should be filled with a bucket of water (per 1 kg of raw materials). After half a day of infusion, the product can be used. Spraying should be carried out 2 times with a break of no more than 7 days.
• Horseradish infusion. Fill the bucket a third with shoots and leaves of the plant (chopped), add water to the edge. After an hour, the tomatoes are sprayed with the strained infusion. The procedure is repeated after 12 days.
• Medical alcohol. Spray the planting 3 times at intervals of 7 days.

Of the specialized biological products against ticks, general ones work, such as Fitoverm, as well as special bioacaricides, for example, Kraft. If it is not possible to eliminate a colony of ticks using gentle methods, effective chemical agents will be Anti-Tick, Oberon, Apollo, Sunmite, Borneo.

Soil problems

Due to the inability to apply crop rotation, the soil in the greenhouse “deteriorates” faster than garden soil. The soil becomes depleted, accumulates toxins after chemical treatments and nutrients, and becomes a permanent refuge for fungal spores and pests for wintering. An imbalance of microelements in the soil or obstacles to their consumption is another reason for leaf curl.

Attention!

In soils with high acidity, there is often a lack of elements important for tomatoes. But plants growing on alkaline soil cannot fully absorb them, even if the soil is saturated with useful substances. To grow tomatoes, the soil in the greenhouse must be neutral or slightly acidic.

If the leaves curl upward, the plant may need copper, magnesium, molybdenum or have an excess of boron, zinc, magnesium. If the leaves curl down, there is likely a lack of zinc, calcium, and boron.

Lack of microelements

Ideally, laboratory analysis of soil samples is necessary; a less reliable way is to try to determine the need for microelements by other criteria.

Localization of curled leaves	Element	Susceptible to soil deficiency	Deficiency Symptoms
Lower leaves	Magnesium	Acidic soil, sandy and sandy loam sod-podzolic soils.	the leaf blade turns yellow between the veins; the tips of the leaves bend upward, the leaf takes on a dome-shaped shape; red and purple spots appear on yellowed areas; the edges of the leaves wrinkle and die.
	Molybdenum	Acidic, light soils.	yellowing of leaves between veins; curling the leaves with their edges up; new leaves acquire a spotted color; yellowed areas swell; necrosis appears along the edge of the leaf and at the tips.
	Zinc		the appearance of brown and brown spots on the leaves, affecting the veins; the edges of the leaves curl upward; young leaves grow small, unnaturally narrow, and can curl in a spiral; yellow specks or uniform yellowness on young leaves.
Upper leaves	Calcium	Light, acidic soils, usually peat. Saline soils.	yellowing of young leaves; darkening of old ones; the edges of young leaves bend down; increasing necrotic spots on leaves; blossom end rot on fruits; death of the top of the bush.
	Bor	Acidic or alkaline soils saturated with calcium carbonate.	young leaves curl upward from the edge to the base; retain light green color as they grow; the veins are painted brown or black; leaf fragility increases; ovaries are poorly formed; Possible flower fall.
	Copper	Sandy and peaty acidic soils.	curling of young leaves towards the central vein; small size of new leaves; the color of the leaves acquires cold, blue-green shades; flowers falling to the ovary.

As a response to a lack of microelements, foliar spraying is recommended.

A strategic solution to the issue is to periodically (every 2-3 years) replace the soil in the greenhouse. You can use the soil on which cabbage, pumpkin, cucumber, beets, turnips, carrots, and green onions grew last season. It is necessary to adjust the structure and acidity of the soil to values ​​that are optimal for tomatoes.

Excess microelements

Micronutrient poisoning is caused by improper feeding. The situation is aggravated by long-term cultivation of tomatoes in one place - substances accumulate in the soil.

Excess of microelements, leading to leaf curling, manifests itself in symptoms:

• Magnesium – darkening, shredding of leaves, severe curling of young leaves, dying of tips.

Excess magnesium can be accompanied by symptoms of calcium deficiency because it interferes with the absorption of this element from the soil.

• Zinc – transparent spots, irregularly shaped growths appear on the lower leaves, and necrosis develops.
• Bor - areas of leaves dry out, damage begins from the lower tier of the bush.

It is more difficult to solve the problem of excess microelements than to solve the problem of deficiency. It is recommended to limit fertilizing and provide abundant watering to flush out substances from the soil. Regularly replacing the soil in the greenhouse is a good preventative measure in this case as well.

Root damage

Damage to the roots can cause leaves to curl in tomatoes. In this case, the leaves curl downward in the length direction (rolled into a ring). Most often this happens during transplantation or as a result of pests eating the roots.

Mechanical damage

If a symptom appears soon after transplanting seedlings into a greenhouse, there is a high probability that the cause is due to injuries to the root system. Errors in planting timing are especially dangerous when plants are kept in pots. Due to the tightness, the roots are woven into a dense lump, which will inevitably be damaged when moved to a new location. You can also touch the roots while loosening the beds.

If the damage is minor, over time, with proper care, the plant will restore its roots and the leaves will return to their natural shape. Phosphorus feeding can help bushes - the element stimulates the development of the root system. Fertilizer must be applied by spraying.

Pest damage to roots

The cause may also be underground pests, which will be more difficult to “calculate” than those affecting the green part of the plant. Among these insects, the most dangerous for tomatoes are:

• mole cricket;
• wireworm larva;
• root-knot nematode.

Interesting!

Often the problem that causes leaf curling occurs more than once. Aphids and whiteflies contribute to the proliferation of fungi; damage to the roots, including cracking due to drying out of the soil, opens the entrance to plant tissue for bacteria; lack of care weakens tomatoes, making them vulnerable to diseases and pests. There is only one way out of this vicious circle - providing the culture with favorable conditions for growth and quality care.