[peskypixie]

Hi all. I seem to have a problem with my polytunnel toms this year. I raised gardeners delight and money maker as normal in the propogator and planted them into the polytunnel around late March - they were normal happy healthy plants. Within the the last two weeks the leaves have started rolling, and are slightly yellowish BUT what worries me is that they are really stunted, are impossible to pinch out as they have become really dense and tangled at the tops (still only about 2 foot high) and seem to have no 'normal' leaders. stems are becoming thick and woody. Most do have flowers on but I am not hopeful that the fruit will come to anything.

The plum tomatoes next to them are all fine and there are no signs of pests or fungal growth.  What do we think?? Seen it before? Could it be Vertucillum wilt - I thought that these two varieties were resistant to it though? Anyway any advice gratefully received. Thanks.  

[fatcat1955]

Hi, had the same problem. Placed the toms on the polytunnel floor to shade them and they have recovered. I believe it was due to the hot days cold nights we had recently.
                              Good luck
                                 Garry

[viettaclark]

Mine outside did the leaf curling trick but I noticed they uncurled at night.
Too hot!!

[Howard]

When you say: 'and planted them into the polytunnel' am I right to assume you're talking straight into the ground or are they in pots or growbags?

If they're in the ground, was that area manured differently from where your plum toms are perhaps?

If they're in pots or growbags, what exactly is the growing medium?

[peskypixie]

Hi sorry been flat out last few days. They are in raised beds within tunnel and are growing in a mixture of our own compost, bit of chicken manure and soil. The beds were all made at the same time although last year the toms were in pots with compost and horse manure. They seem to be throwing out a few flowering stems now but still got the wierd tangled growth at the top. Most odd. :blink:

[RichardA]

is chicken manure too fresh, too strong etc
R