There may be several reasons for this "behavior" of leaves on tomato bushes. Leaves curl, either due to the presence of any disease or pest, or due to improper plant care. It is necessary to deal with this problem immediately, as the plant loses strength and lacks nutrients. This will certainly affect its fruiting, future harvest and, in general, its development and life.
When an infectious disease appears on tomato bushes, it is impossible to save the plants. A disease such as bacteriosis can destroy all plants, so it is urgent to rid the beds of damaged bushes. Affected tomato stands can infect healthy plants as well. Therefore, after their removal, it is necessary to carry out preventive treatment of the remaining crops.
Most often, infection with infectious diseases occurs at the seed stage. If they are improperly or insufficiently processed before planting, such a deplorable result can be expected. Insects - pests (for example, aphid, butterfly - whitefly or scoop). They easily transfer infection from plant to plant.
In order to completely get rid of the causative agent of the infection, you need to water all the beds with Farmayod's solution.
If it's not a disease, then you can save tomato bushes. The main thing is to understand what is the reason. Having found out the reason, you need to immediately proceed to eliminate it and save the future harvest.
Leaves curl due to lack of moisture
Drought for tomatoes is a big challenge. With a lack of water, the plants begin to save themselves - they twist the leaves so that the liquid evaporates as little as possible.
With proper watering, this problem can be easily resolved. Tomato bushes should be watered abundantly, but not often. Each bush needs about one bucket of water per week. It is not poured out immediately, but during the day in two or three doses. With this watering, water gets deep into the soil and stays close to the roots for a long time. If the weather is very hot and dry, then you can add another additional watering per week.
Leaves curl due to excess moisture
If, with a lack of moisture, the leaves curl inward, then with an excess of moisture, on the contrary, outward. This happens when long and prolonged rains are added to the abundant and timely watering.
As a first aid, it is recommended to stop watering. And in the future, it is worth making sure that the soil in the beds is loose. This will allow water to quickly be absorbed into the soil and not interfere with air exchange.
Leaves curl due to high air temperatures
Curling of leaves into tubes can be observed on plants that are grown in a greenhouse at an elevated air temperature (over 35 degrees Celsius).Although at night the leaves return to their normal position. This behavior of the leaves during the day confirms the violation of the temperature regime.
There are several ways to solve this problem:
- Conduct daily ventilation.
- Use organic waste mulching of tomato beds.
- Apply covering materials to shade crops from the scorching sun.
- Carry out preventive spraying of plants after sunset with solutions based on manganese or urea.
Rolling leaves due to an excess of nitrogen fertilizers
An overdose of nitrogen can be determined by the external signs of tomato bushes:
- Very thick stem.
- Leaves are watery and brittle.
- The leaves curl into rings.
Possibly too much bird droppings, fresh mullein, and herbal infusion were added.
The problem is solved after the abolition of nitrogen fertilizers. You can maintain the vitality of plants with the help of complex dressings. During the period of formation and ripening of fruits, it is recommended to use only fertilizers containing potassium and phosphorus.
Leaf curl due to micronutrient deficiencies
With an insufficient amount of potassium and phosphorus, plants can also curl leaves.
If the plant's diet lacks potassium, then the leaves curl upward or look curly, and light specks appear on ripe fruits. If the leaves darken noticeably, and even acquire a purple hue and at the same time curl downward, then this indicates a lack of phosphorus.
Correct and timely feeding is capable of solving this problem. For those who prefer organic matter, ordinary wood ash will come to the rescue. For everyone else - mineral supplements (for example, superphosphate).
Rolling leaves due to improper pinching
The pinching procedure is a real stress for the plant. It must be carried out very carefully and gradually, removing only the minimum number of unnecessary side shoots at a time. You should not start and postpone this process for a long time. It is necessary to remove unnecessary stepsons and sheet mass in a timely manner. If the permissible number of removed stepchildren is exceeded at a time, the culture reacts by rolling leaves and even dropping buds and opened flowers.
Additional complex fertilizing and various biostimulants will help alleviate the "suffering" of plants.
Leaf curl due to pests
Pest insects that prefer to feed on tomato leaves usually settle on their underside and suck out all the moisture from them (these are aphids, spider mites and whiteflies). The leaves, from which all the juices were taken, naturally dry up, while they still turn yellow and curl. In some cases, the leaves are also stained.
You can fight this cause only by destroying pests. It is advisable to use only natural organic solutions and infusions for spraying. Other drugs must be used strictly according to the instructions, so as not to harm health when eating the fruit.
Leaves, slightly curled down from the very beginning of planting seedlings, speak of the individual characteristics of this variety. Cherry tomatoes can have these leaves for no reason.
