You can blow off dust particles from tomato seedlings as much as you like, but still it periodically throws up unpleasant surprises. For example, the leaves look painful, curl, and generally behave suspiciously. But don't worry: we've already figured out why this is happening!
Main reasons
Most often, the problem is in the heat, lack of fresh air and changes in the microclimate. These are violations of agricultural technology that have a bad effect on any plants, and tomatoes are no exception.
Varietal features
Before sounding the alarm, study the characteristics of the variety of your seedlings. For example, there are several small species for which curly leaves are completely normal.
Heat
If the temperature around has long exceeded 30 degrees, then the tomatoes are just very hot. The leaves curl up as they try to hide from the heat. In this case, you need partial shade and more fresh air.
Low temperature
If the tomatoes are suddenly frozen over due to freezing or some other reason, the leaves may also curl up. This is a natural plant response to stress, but under favorable conditions it will recover on its own.
Dryness
The tomato is not the most capricious plant, but it still requires regular watering. And the hotter it is, the more often you will have to do it, up to once every 2-3 days on sultry days. Be sure to monitor the condition of the soil and keep in mind that the roots of tomatoes are quite deep, so you need to water the soil well, and not superficially.
Excess moisture
When water stagnates in the soil, a favorable environment is formed for the development of fungi, and the roots begin to rot. In this case, tomato leaves do not curl down, but up along the edges. It is necessary to dry the soil and carry out preventive treatment with fungicides.
Root damage
When the root system is damaged, the plant always directs all resources to its restoration. Therefore, they carefully loosened the soil and replant the seedlings, use drugs for immunity and rooting. If the leaves began to curl after planting in the garden, under favorable conditions they will recover within a couple of weeks.
Lack of food
Regular feeding is necessary for all garden crops, because most of the problems arise precisely due to lack of nutrition. In this case, the leaves not only curl, but also turn yellow, fade, become stained or dry around the edges. We recommend combining root dressing with spraying.
Oversupply
When there is too much fertilizer in the soil, it is even more dangerous than when there is not enough fertilizer. Most often this happens when organic matter is introduced, because it seems more harmless. But an overkill of trace elements leads to developmental disorders and can even destroy the plant due to root burns.
Excessive nitrogen leads to the fact that the lower leaves grow too fleshy and large, and the upper ones curl. And when there is too much zinc, the leaves curl down, hang and take on a purple hue. In any case, you need to urgently stop feeding and you can try to slightly reduce the reaction with sawdust, ash or shavings.
Late pinching
Tomatoes must always be cut on time, up to 7 cm, because too large stepchildren take up a lot of resources. The plant is constantly suffering from stress and nutritional deficiencies, so the leaves begin to curl.
Thickening of the beds
If the tomatoes are planted too close, they are just cramped, there is not enough sun and air. Because of this, the leaves curl up and wither, a fungus develops and the tomato withers. Be sure to observe the recommended distances when disembarking.
Diseases
Most often, the fungus affects the leaves, but it is easy to identify it by other symptoms - the presence of plaque, discoloration. The upper leaves are deformed if the tomatoes are struck by a columnar.And if the plates twist, wither and turn black, it may be bacterial cancer.
Pests
Some pests arrange masonry on the back of the leaf plates, which causes the leaves to curl. This is a common aphid or whiteflies, which are much more dangerous for tomatoes. In the process of life, they secrete a sweet substance, which is why the leaves stick together even more and the fungus progresses.
Why pepper leaves curl: reasons for what to do
What to do?
The first step is to adjust the conditions for keeping tomatoes, and only then go on to feeding and processing. But keep in mind that twisted leaves may not even out anyway, but young ones will grow healthy.
Treatment against diseases and pests
Even before planting, dress the seeds in special fungicides and do not forget about preventive spraying. If a fungus is found, choose specialized preparations for tomatoes or vegetables. If the seedlings are infected with a virus or bacterial cancer, the damaged plants must be removed as soon as possible.
Pests will have to be dealt with in a comprehensive manner, because scheduled spraying is not enough. Place traps for butterflies and use special biologicals for larvae and clutches. If the pests have already been detected, several treatments will be required at intervals of 3 to 10 days.
How to feed
First of all, tomatoes need nitrogen, with a deficiency of which the plant, in principle, cannot build up a healthy green mass. If the leaves are curled in a boat and become brown at the edges, the tomatoes lack potassium.
If they turn up and give off burgundy or purple, it's time to use superphosphates. And when the leaves are curled up, but the spots are yellow and blurry, then it's time to add copper!
