Tomato plant issues/rubbery leaves - Ask Extension
Hi! My tomato plants this year are strangely struggling. I’ve been gardening for 10 years and have never seen anything like this. Their growth is st...
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Tomato plant issues/rubbery leaves #877150
Asked July 14, 2024, 11:30 AM EDT
Hi! My tomato plants this year are strangely struggling. I’ve been gardening for 10 years and have never seen anything like this. Their growth is stunted. The tops are very rubbery and curling. There is a definite difference in stem color and they aren’t flowering. I’ve stayed up on watering, fertilizing, pruning, etc. the soil is no till raised beds and I alternated from last year so there weren’t tomatoes in these beds last year. I’m not sure what the issue is. These are mostly Roma or plum tomatoes. Our hoop house variety is thriving and any of the heirlooms are fine. I also started these from seed this year using soil blocks in the greenhouse. (Johnny seed company) they looked amazing before going in the ground. Can you help? Thanks!
Licking County Ohio
Expert Response
Hello,
It looks like the tomato plants are exhibiting signs of physiological leaf roll. The causes of such a condition are environmental or cultural. This might mean extreme heat, excess nitrogen, over or under-watering, an insect/soil borne virus, or herbicide drift. Since the plants in the hoop house are not affected, then something in the garden environment is the cause.
The best method for determining the cause of the problem is to send samples of the plants to a diagnostic clinic. The C. Wayne Ellett Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic (PPDC), run by OSU, can examine and test the samples and give you a definitive diagnosis.
The last link below takes you to the PPDC website which gives you all the information that you need for submitting plant samples, if you should decide to do so.
I've found several articles about physiological leaf roll. The first four links listed below will take you to those articles. After reading these articles, please write back if you should have more questions.
Thanks for asking Ask Extension.
Betsy B. - MGV
https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/tomato-leaves-rolling/
https://apps.extension.umn.edu/garden/diagnose/plant/vegetable/tomato/leavescurled.html
https://extension.sdstate.edu/why-are-my-tomato-leaves-curled
https://caldwell.ces.ncsu.edu/2021/07/what-is-causing-my-tomato-leaves-to-curl/
https://ppdc.osu.edu/
It looks like the tomato plants are exhibiting signs of physiological leaf roll. The causes of such a condition are environmental or cultural. This might mean extreme heat, excess nitrogen, over or under-watering, an insect/soil borne virus, or herbicide drift. Since the plants in the hoop house are not affected, then something in the garden environment is the cause.
The best method for determining the cause of the problem is to send samples of the plants to a diagnostic clinic. The C. Wayne Ellett Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic (PPDC), run by OSU, can examine and test the samples and give you a definitive diagnosis.
The last link below takes you to the PPDC website which gives you all the information that you need for submitting plant samples, if you should decide to do so.
I've found several articles about physiological leaf roll. The first four links listed below will take you to those articles. After reading these articles, please write back if you should have more questions.
Thanks for asking Ask Extension.
Betsy B. - MGV
https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/tomato-leaves-rolling/
https://apps.extension.umn.edu/garden/diagnose/plant/vegetable/tomato/leavescurled.html
https://extension.sdstate.edu/why-are-my-tomato-leaves-curled
https://caldwell.ces.ncsu.edu/2021/07/what-is-causing-my-tomato-leaves-to-curl/
https://ppdc.osu.edu/
Thank you for your assistance. Based on the articles you included with the pictures, it looks like an herbicide. We are surrounded by farmland and even noticed along our property some grass damage and tree damage. I can only assume this is the case since the hoop house tomatoes weren’t affected and most of our garden is suffering. I appreciate the quick response. I’m sad our garden took a hit this year.
thank you.
That is a shame. I hope the tomatoes
in the hoop house do well. Thank you for responding.
Betsy B.
in the hoop house do well. Thank you for responding.
Betsy B.
