[itsallabouttheworms]

Hello to all!

I've been reading and getting really valuable knowledge from everyone for the past 3 months and most of my queries have been answered without having to be sociable at all  So thank you~

I'm new to growing, but have been reading and studying horticulture for 6 months now, so am learning lots all the time.

Anyway, I'm growing tomatoes in a cold greenhouse (Gardener's Delight, Beefsteak, Brandywine, and Red Cherry). I moved them in pretty early (mid April) and they've been in a top soil/manure mix for just over 3 weeks. They were fine until 10 days or so ago when all the new growth started becoming twisted and now the leaves aren't opening at all - they just look like mini ram horns, but not discoloured in any way. This happened at pretty much the same time as I started noticing the trusses starting to form.

I've asked a few experienced people and I've been told it's either nothing to worry about or blight. But it looks to me (from internet searches) that it's weedkiller damage and I'm not really sure what to do if it's either of those anyway!

What do you think? What do I do in the case of either of these - apart from the "nothing to worry about" option, in which case I won't do anything!

Thanks,

PA

[Beetroot queen]

Surely it can't be blight yet, can it, blimey potatoes and that have only just got going 

[pdblake]

Doesn't look like blight. More like some kind of leaf curl. Aphids maybe?

[mumofstig]

Either some kind of leaf curl (sometimes they curl because of large differences between day and night temperatures) or hormone damage.

Certainly not blight  I'd leave them be and see if they recover - but the weather isn't helping with the temperatures *big sigh* can you cover with a make-shift polythene tent to help them stay warmer at night.
It really is too cold at night still - for them to be in the cold greenhouse.

[tribs]

Mine have got like this in the past when they have got far too hot.

Get a min/max thermometer and check the temp range. When they have gotten that bad they recover but get knocked back considerably. 

[itsallabouttheworms]

Thanks all for the very quick responses - great for an impatient gardener like me :-)

Ah, interesting...sounds like temperature fluctuations is most likely the cause then of the leaf curl. I forgot to say that I do have some other tomato plants, a lot smaller, which haven't suffered but they're on the potting bench and in smaller pots...maybe they're a bit warmer there...?

So Tribs, yours have done that in the past, have they? It was during that really hot period we had (our first taste of summer a week ago!) when I really started noticing it (I think the temperature was up to 30 in the greenhouse), so it sounds like it could be the same thing. There's another greenhouse on the farm where I'm growing and their min/max thermometre is reading that it drops to 5 at night :-( I'm always reading on here that they don't like to drop below 10 so they're definitely getting cold...

I've got quite a few plants and as it's my first time, I'd be happy just to see some fruit on them, so not too fussed if the yield is low...just want to eat one of my own tomatoes :-)

Thanks again all - I'll start covering them at night with some fleece and go from there!
PA

[tribs]

IMO they can handle the lower temps, but it does slow them down a bit. The problem for me is they get to a certain size and they've got nowhere else to go.

I think it's the higher temps (30C is too high) that do this type of damage, though.

[mumofstig]

if you'd lived in places like Greece or Italy - you'd know that tomatoes really don't mind heat ( They're quite happy in temps in excess of 30C  )

It's lower temps that they really don't like 

[tribs]

Ok, perhaps its the swing in temperature that does it then

[mumofstig]

That's what I said above^

Either some kind of leaf curl (sometimes they curl because of large differences between day and night temperatures) or hormone damage.

[itsallabouttheworms]

Thanks Lesley and Tribs - I shall cover to keep them warmer at night and that'll hopefully lessen the large temperature swinging 

[tribs]

A bit of googling suggests that tomatoes tend to leaf curl at temperatures above 35C which is not unthinkable in a poorly ventilated greenhouse on a sunny day. Ideal daytime temperature range for tomatoes is 21C - 29C and soil temps of less than 10C will stop the roots from growing or absorbing nutrients.

[salmonking]

if you'd lived in places like Greece or Italy - you'd know that tomatoes really don't mind heat ( They're quite happy in temps in excess of 30C  )

It's lower temps that they really don't like 

don't think its the difference in temp,mine have been in a cold greenhouse since mid april and they are doing fine.we have had 3-4 frosts in that time and they are now a foot and half high.

[JayG]

Surely the truth has to be that tomatoes will be happier somewhere in between these extremes - even though we are warm blooded I'm sure you wouldn't be that impressed with having to cope with 30C+ during the day and 8C or less at night (with no clothes on!)

My toms are still in the house, but like many other people I'm beginning to struggle to keep them healthy and strong while waiting for more helpful weather.

[viettaclark]

I had to put some of mine out and they've got wind burn from yesterday's gales, poor things!
Otherwise they're not too bad considering I didn't harden off properly.
Tomatoes are pretty tough but we need some warmth now!