Why Are My Tomato Plant Leaves Curling?

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Have my tomatoes been poisoned? Have they developed some kind of disease? Why are my tomato plant leaves curling? All these questions were running through my head this morning when I went out to the garden.

They are curled up, and a couple of them are looking like leather. They are not turning colors, though, so what is happening? What does it mean when your tomato plant leaves curl up?

Every morning, I naturally wake before daylight and wait on it to get light enough to see my way to the garden.

Since I’m not a big fan of the heat and humidity, I’m always outside early. I try to get all my outside chores done and back inside as quickly as possible.

In the garden, I slowly walk by and thoroughly examine every single tomato plant looking for signs of hornworms or any other problems that may be brewing with them.

See, tomatoes are the most prized vegetable I grow, as with most gardeners. I know it’s actually a fruit, but I use them for everything from canning them whole, making pizza sauce, spaghetti sauce, and many of my other recipes use them too.

The past few days, we’ve had a lot of rain, and I’ve not been able to get out to the garden on a regular basis as normal. So this morning, when I went out – I noticed something very different about several of the tomato plants.

Tomato Plant leaves curling Disease

Have they gotten some kind of tomato virus? Have they been poisoned? 3 days ago, when I made my routine check, all the plants were healthy, blooming, and hanging full of little green tomatoes.

When I was finally able to go back out today, I found about 10 of the tomato plant leaves curling up, but the rest were fine.

So after finishing up my outside chores, I came in to do some simple garden sleuthing and research to figure out what is going on.

4 reasons tomato leaves Curl and Twist

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Herbicide drift/contamination

Tomato plants can be damaged by herbicides drifting not only through the air but also from mulch or compost that has been made with hay or manure from fields that have been sprayed with Grazon.

The active ingredient in it, aminopyralid, can persist or linger for 18 months after it has been applied. Many lawn care services use this stuff to kill broad-leaf weeds. So be careful of your neighbor’s grass clippings and even leaves.

Well, I knew this wasn’t the problem. Our homestead is organic, and I use no type of herbicide at all. We don’t have a neighbor close by that does either, thankfully. And I didn’t get any new mulch or compost this season.

broad mite damage

Broad mites (Polyphagotarsonemus latus) affect many different plants, such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, potatoes, and others.

It also affects flowers such as dahlias, zinnias, and chrysanthemums.

I saw no sign of broad mites when I looked at the underside of the leaves with my magnifying glass. So I eliminated this.

Tomato viruses

There are hundreds of tomato viruses that can cause tomato leaf curling or stunt growth in them.

The two most common are the Tomato Mosaic virus and the Tomato Spotted Wilt virus.

I ruled both of these out since my tomato leaves looked nothing like the pictures and just didn’t fit the description either.

Physiological Leaf Roll

After reading several articles, I determined physiological leaf roll is my problem. Thankfully, it is not a tomato issue that will affect their growth and their fruiting of them.

Our weather this whole season has been a roller coaster ride. We started out with cold and damp temperatures. And then it turned off extremely hot with no rain for over a month. I was using my irrigation system from Drip Depot regularly.

And then, in the last couple of weeks, we have had torrential downpours and winds! I have figured out my tomato plants are simply trying to protect themselves.

The lower leaves are cupping upward and turning to a leathery feel. The other leaves are rolling in on themselves and curling up. They are not curling down, and there are no color changes or spots in the leaves. This is a good thing.

how to treat Tomato Plant leaf curl

The great news is – there is really nothing that has to be done. Since the weather conditions have been such a flip-flop lately, the tomatoes are stressed and trying to protect themselves.

In normal conditions, they would receive a normal watering schedule and be happy and fruitful. But there are some things you can do to help control it.

Tips to avoid leaf curling On Tomato Plants

Of course, as you know, we can’t control the weather. But there are some control practices we can do to help with Physiological Leaf Curling.

• Maintain regular soil moisture by watering regularly during dry spells and using mulch
• Avoid planting tomatoes too deep and close to each other – this is very stressful during dry spells
• Plant tomatoes in well-drained soil
• Fertilize regularly according to soil test recommendations

With all the recent rains, extreme temperatures, and crazy weather, my tomatoes have gotten too much water.

How do you fix over-watered tomatoes?

Can you save a plant that has been over-watered? With a little work, yes.

If the tomato plant is in a container, gently remove it from the container, carefully break some of the soil/compost from the roots, and wrap them in some newspapers.

Be careful not to damage them. This will help to draw water out of the plant. Re-pot it in dryer soil. Wait a couple of days and check it closely before watering it again.

If the tomato is in a garden, this is a bit more of a challenge, but not impossible. If the plant is in the ground and you are receiving excessive amounts of rain, you could gently cover it with very lightweight plastic and remove it when it stops raining.

This might seem a bit excessive, but it could help to save your tomato crop.

Other tips to help with over-watered tomato plants are:

• gently prune and remove smaller limbs to increase airflow through the middle and prevent mold
• with sharp pruning shears or scissors, remove very young leaves and shoots, careful not to harm matured stems
• apply a 4-6 inch layer of mulch around the plant, leaving a 2-inch radius around the stem

All of these, working together, will help strengthen your tomato plants. Every little bit helps when we care for overwatered tomatoes.

Remember, the key to tomato leaf curl is prevention. Once it curls, it will most likely not straighten itself out.

On a positive note, it may not be pretty, but at least it does not affect the growth or fruiting of the plant.

Have you experienced your tomato plant leaves curling on your tomatoes? If so, what was it, and how did you fix it?

More Garden Pests and Diseases to Learn About:

• How to control Cabbage Moths
• 15 Ways Naturally Control Tomato Hornworms
• How to Naturally Get Rid Of Yellow Jackets
• How to Get Rid of Aphids in Your Garden
• How to Identify and Get Rid of Squash Bugs
• How to Get Rid of Squash Vine Borers
• How to Get Rid of Slugs in a Garden
• Get Rid of Earwigs and Protect Your Plants with These Simple Tricks

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