Tomato is an irreplaceable culture, not only in any garden plot but also in cooking. Despite the fact that most varieties of tomatoes are extremely unpretentious, they are not afraid of diseases and pests, sometimes it happens that their top leaves roll up like a boat. And if you are interested in the question of why the leaves of tomatoes curl, then we have a detailed analysis of almost all the reasons for this trouble.

Possible causes and help

If the leaves of tomato seedlings curl - this is a reason to worry, because the delay can cost you your harvest. The reasons for this behavior may lie in illness, lack, or, conversely, an overabundance. nutrients, in the attack of pests, excessively high air temperature. In general, there are a lot of options. To determine which one specifically suits your case, we will look at the most common ones, and also talk about what to do in each case.

Feature of the variety

The leaves of some tomato varieties are twisted due to selection and genetics. For example, the varieties "Fatima", "Oxhart", "Cherry" have leaves that curl downward. Moreover, if the leaves of all the seedlings are twisted in the same way, then there is no need to worry - this is just a feature of this type of tomato.

Air temperature

Young plants have not yet developed resistance to scorching sunbeams, some varieties are completely shade-loving, so the leaves with a straw may be a reaction to too high an air temperature. In fact, this is a defensive reaction of tomatoes - they try to reduce the evaporation area in order to retain more moisture. What to do in this case? Try to water the beds so that the water does not fall on the leaves in the sun, arrange a canopy or transplant tomatoes in the shade.

Low amount of moisture

The love of moisture in tomato seedlings can be sung in poems. Therefore, if you notice the strange behavior of the leaves, check if they are getting enough water or sitting on dry rations, trying to extract moisture from the soil. Maybe this is the reason. In this case, to stop curling, increase the frequency of watering, and also mulch the ground with cut grass. On the one hand, this will help the plant retain moisture, and on the other hand, it will help to avoid too rapid evaporation of liquid from the ground during dry periods.

Excess moisture

Sometimes a lot - even worse than nothing. With watering seedlings, this saying works 100%. If you overdo it with watering, then the leaves curl up. This happens, first of all, because the roots of the tomato have nothing to breathe. To avoid this, you should fill the holes with loose soil, as well as make grooves from the holes to drain moisture.

Pests and diseases

A common cause of diseases that affect tomato leaves is the invasion of harmful insects or fungal diseases. The larger the area of ​​the beds, the more likely this kind of trouble will appear. Most insects settle on the lower part of the leaves, suck out vital juices, which is why the leaves curl inward, and then die off.

One of the most malevolent enemies of tomatoes is the whitefly. This insect rarely exceeds 1.5 mm in length, it yellow color with two pairs of wings. Gathering in flocks, whiteflies completely stick to the leaf and eat it. The plant becomes covered with a black bloom and soon dies. If a whitefly is found, you should immediately treat the tomato leaves with an insecticidal solution.

Another reason for leaf rolling is bacterial cancer. The main symptom of the disease is that the leaves curl down, and then in short term become brown and dry out. Cracks also appear on the lower part of the petioles. Plants that have undergone the disease should be removed from the garden: pruned, treated with copper oxychloride, and then destroyed.

Curling the leaf can cause the tobacco mosaic virus. The leaves are covered with a mosaic of dark green and light green segments, and swellings appear. With this disease, it is necessary to remove diseased plants, and spray the rest with antifungal agents.

One more fungal disease that can affect tomatoes - fusarium. First of all, the lower leaves wither, gradually the disease moves up. In addition, the leaf plates can change color to yellowish, the upper shoots wither, a light bloom forms on the leaves and pinkish on the root area. Symptoms of verticillosis are very similar to fusarium, but the leaves curl upward, wither, darken, but the plant, with proper care, easily survives the disease and survives to harvest. In both cases, it is necessary to use antifungal drugs.

Brown spot is one of the diseases of tomato seedlings in a greenhouse. A brown plaque with a velvety texture spreads along the lower edge of the plate. The leaves wither, and the fungus from them spreads to neighboring plants. It is necessary to reduce the number of waterings, do spraying with copper oxychloride.

If you suspect the causes of wilting of seedling leaves in the harmful effects of diseases or insects, then you need to make infusions from ash, celandine juice and onion husks, and then spray diseased plants.

Nutrients

If the reasons for the poor condition of the leaves of seedlings are not moisture, pests or disease, then you may have encountered a shortage or, conversely, an excess of nutrients in the soil, which should not be.

The lack of useful trace elements is characterized by a change in leaf color to dark brown. The leaves are bent down, the shoots become smaller, turn yellow and sag. In this case, it is necessary to carry out a comprehensive foliar feeding as a plant support.

It so happens that the fertilizer has been overdone. In such cases, the leaves form tubules, they are ulcerated with burns and quickly die off. This happens because the plant cannot absorb all the trace elements and, from an excess of them, tries to reduce active photosynthesis.

Incorrect pinching

Pinching or pinching should be done carefully and in the right time, otherwise you will lead the tomatoes with your own hands to the fact that instead of beautiful leaves dry tubes will remain.

If the stepchildren have reached a length of 7-8 cm - you can pinch, less or more - harm the plant.

Try not to delete at once a large number of parts involved in the growing season.

Watch your plants. If you notice signs of unusual behavior of leaves, stems, flowers, then try to identify and eliminate the causes.

Video "Lack of nutrition in tomatoes - the cause of curling leaves"

Find out what nutrients you need to add to keep the leaves from curling on your tomato bushes.

When growing tomato seedlings at home, one of the frequent problems there may be a "pulling" of tomatoes. This happens for the following reasons:

• Lack of light for plants.
• Violation of the temperature regime.
• Excessive watering of tomatoes.
• Excessive feeding of seedlings.

Dealing with such a problem is easy.:

1. It is necessary to ensure that the growing tomato does not block the access of sunlight to each other. Artificial light can be used.
2. In bright sunny weather, the room temperature should not exceed 28 degrees Celsius. In cloudy weather, the temperature should be no higher than 20 degrees.
3. Watering the seedlings is necessary when the soil is completely dry.
4. It is worth adding top dressing only when absolutely necessary (when the plant is late in growth, the leaves change their color, and much more).

This is what the disease looks like:

Leaf problems

The upper leaves curl downward

Sometimes the leaves of tomatoes are bent down due to a lack of substances., such as:

1. Phosphorus.
2. Sulfur.
3. Zinc.
4. Copper.

Attention! To help the seedlings, you need to apply a fertilizer containing the necessary substance.

Also, curling of sheets can occur for reasons:

• Fertilizer overdose... It is worth feeding tomatoes when the plant begins to lag behind in development or the leaves lose their color.
• Violation of the roots... Most often when transplanting. It is necessary to carefully examine the roots of the seedling. If the damage is severe, the plant must be removed.
• Low air or soil moisture... This can be corrected with a spray bottle. It is necessary to spray the ovaries 1-2 times a day with settled water. It is also recommended to drain the seedlings in a pot.
• Temperature rise... The temperature in the room where the seedlings are kept should not exceed 35 degrees Celsius.
• Too abundant watering of seedlings... It is advisable to water tomato ovaries no more than 1-2 times a week. In dry weather, water every 3 days.
• Viral or bacterial disease... As a rule, the seedling must be removed, and the remaining seedlings must be disinfected with special preparations.
• Tomato bacteriosis... The disease is manifested by yellowing and curling of the leaves. In this case, the seedlings must be removed.

Dry

Leaves dry out for the following reasons:

• Deep root damage... In this case, the seedling cannot be saved.
• Dry indoor air... The problem can be solved by using a spray bottle several times a day. It is necessary to humidify the air of the seedlings. You can also install a humidifier.
• Not enough moisture in the ground... If lumps or crusts appear on the soil, the seedlings should be watered more often.
• Excessive watering of the tomato... In this case, the process of root rotting begins. Such seedlings should be removed. If the roots of the seedling are healthy, you can transplant it into a new container.
• Soil salinity... Need to remove upper layer soil and add fresh earth. Exclude groundbait for several weeks and water the ovaries with settled or boiled water.
• Lack of minerals... In this case, it is necessary to apply certain fertilizers.

In the photo - seedlings with dry leaves:

Wither and fall

The plant can begin to wilt due to various problems.:

• Bad soil... Too heavy, durable soil is not suitable for tomatoes. Also, the ground should not be too acidic or salty. It is advisable to transplant the seedling into more suitable soil.
• Thickening of seedlings... When plants are cramped and lack light, they begin to lose leaves and wither. In this case, you need to increase the space between the seedling pots.
• Lack of light... To avoid this problem, artificial lighting can be used.
• Wrong temperature... For seed germination, the air temperature in the room must be at least 15 degrees Celsius.
• Wrong watering regime... It is undesirable to water tomatoes more than 2 times a week.
• Oversupply of fertilizers... The most common occurrence is nitrogen overdose. As mentioned above, you need to make additional fertilizing only as needed.
• Various diseases of seedlings... In this case, treatment depends on the specifics of the disease. Sometimes it is enough to remove the affected leaves.

This is what the disease looks like:

Curl up

This problem occurs for reasons:

• Root damage... Plant to water warm water... When the ground becomes softer, the seedling must be carefully removed from the container and the roots must be examined. If the roots are severely damaged, the plant should be removed.
• Breakage of the stem... In this case, the ovaries cannot be saved. They must be removed.
• Serious seedling disease... A diseased tomato should be destroyed and the rest of the seedlings disinfected.
• Insect damage to seedlings... It is necessary to remove the affected areas of plants and decontaminate all seedlings.
• Lack or excess of tomato groundbait... For seedlings, both a lack of fertilizers and an overdose are destructive. It is advisable to feed the plant if necessary.
• Heat and lack of air... To cope with the problem, you need to ventilate the room with the seedlings. But in no case should a draft be allowed.
• Excess or lack of moisture in the soil... The problem can be avoided by using potted drainage.
• Gardener incorrectly stepson the plant... In developing seedlings, it is undesirable to cut off the lower leaves.
• Ammonia formation in soil... Or an excess of zinc or nitrogen in the earth. This problem can be dealt with with wood ash. It is necessary to dissolve 200 grams of ash in 10 liters of water, then water the soil and tomato ovaries.
• Lack of copper... Here it is enough to spray the plant with any copper-containing agent (for example, a solution of copper sulfate).

Fungal diseases

Fungal diseases most often affect tomato ovaries... The reasons for their appearance may be:

• Poorly cultivated soil.
• Sick tomato seeds.
• High humidity in the room.
• Improper care of seedlings.
• The ingress of moisture on the sprouts during watering.
• Poor drainage of planting pots.
• Stagnant water in the ground.

The latter seems to be the most favorable environment for the development of fungal diseases. One of these diseases is rhizoctonia. Otherwise referred to as "black leg" or " root rot". Symptoms include:

1. Darkening of the ovary stem at the root.
2. The stem becomes thinner.
3. Withering of the sprout and its fall.

The plant itself cannot be saved. It dies within a day. The tomato ovary should be removed and the soil should be treated with a 3% manganese solution. It is advisable to spray the remaining seedlings with Bordeaux mixture.

Important: before planting the seeds, they should be disinfected with a 5 percent solution of potassium permanganate.

This is what a black leg looks like on tomato seedlings:

Late blight

A fatal fungal disease. Infection of seedlings occurs through poorly cultivated soil... It is quite difficult to diagnose a fungus at an early stage of development, therefore it is difficult to treat a plant. The disease can affect any vegetable crops at all stages of growth and flowering.

Signs of illness:

1. Manifestation dark spots with light edges on the leaves and stem of the seedlings.
2. Rotting stem.
3. Complete drying of the tomato ovary.

To cope with the fungus is possible only with the timely removal of the affected leaves or stems of the plant. The removed parts of the ovary must be burned... The remaining seedlings should be disinfected with a solution of Bordeaux mixture.

Important: Do not leave infected plant parts in the garden. You shouldn't use them as compost either.

To avoid further spread of the disease, the removed grass must be burned.

Alternaria or dry rot

The disease manifests itself as:

1. The emergence brown spots on the underside of the leaves.
2. The spots grow quickly and cover all areas of the leaves.
3. Falling leaves of seedlings.
4. Darkening of the tomato stem.

Fight the fungus with chemicals:

• Acrobat.
• Ditan.
• Quadris.

White spot

The fungus spreads from the soil to the lower leaves of the seedlings and quickly spreads throughout the stem.

Symptoms of the disease:

1. Darkening of tomato leaves.
2. The appearance of blackheads on the affected foliage.
3. Drying and dying off of leaves.

With the timely detection of the disease, the plant must be treated with a solution of copper sulfate (1 glass - 10 liters of water). In case of a protracted illness, the seedlings should be destroyed, and the soil should be disinfected with potassium permanganate and sprinkled with wood ash.

Cladosporium

Most of the infection with olive spot occurs after the planting of tomato ovaries in the greenhouse. The first signs of a fungus are:

1. The appearance of yellow spots on the lower leaves of the seedlings from the outside.
2. Formation of a velvety coating on the inside of the sheet.
3. Foliage curling and dying off.

For treatment, it is enough to remove the diseased foliage from the seedlings and carry out the treatment with any of the means:

• Bordeaux acid.
• Barrier.
• Barrier.

Powdery mildew

The disease is caused by a marsupial fungus... Transmitted to the plant from contaminated soil. Outwardly, it appears as a white bloom on foliage. For the treatment and prevention of the disease, seedlings are sprayed with the following means:

• Quadris.
• Strobe.
• Topaz.

Before planting seeds in containers, you can soak them in Epin solution.

Viral pathology

Plants can get these diseases through contaminated soil or insects... Detecting a disease is not easy from the outset. Serious manifestations of the virus become noticeable only with complete infection. For plant prophylaxis, it is necessary to treat the soil with a weakly diluted solution of manganese or boric acid. One of these viral diseases, which occurs very often, is "yellow curl". The disease carrier is the whitefly.

Virus symptoms:

1. Low stature of the ovary.
2. The manifestation of light yellow spots on the leaves.
3. Deformation of the plant.
4. Seedlings lagging behind in development.
5. Uneven color of the plant.

The disease cannot be cured. Affected seedlings subsequently do not bear fruit. To avoid the spread of the virus, the diseased germ must be removed. The remaining seedlings must be treated with mineral oils.

The causative agent of the mosaic

The disease develops when a plant is damaged by a rod-shaped virus. External manifestations:

1. Uneven color of leaves from dark to light shade.
2. The appearance of yellow spots on seedlings.
3. Darkening of the leaves.
4. Drying of the plant.

Sick tomato seedlings must be removed and burned. The rest of the ovaries can be treated with a urea solution.

Important... For the prevention of many viral diseases, you can water the seedlings with a 5 percent solution boric acid 10 and 17 days after sprouting.

This is what a mosaic on tomato leaves looks like:

Aspermia or seedlessness

Another of the most common seedling diseases... Outwardly manifested:

1. Weak and thin stem.
2. General underdevelopment of the seedling.
3. Deformation of the plant.
4. Small undeveloped leaves of the ovary.

The disease cannot be cured. Therefore, you need to remove diseased seedlings and disinfect the rest of the plants with a solution of potassium permanganate or poorly diluted urea. Also, you should thoroughly disinfect the soil before planting seeds. In addition, you need to keep the seedlings clean and monitor the humidity of the air and ground. Possible consequences virus:

• The infected plant does not bear fruit well.
• The fruits of tomatoes are small.
• Deformation of vegetables.
• Lack of seeds in infected tomatoes (which is main feature disease).

Streak

The disease is caused by the tobacco mosaic virus. Its external symptoms:

1. The appearance of brown streaks on the stem and leaves.
2. Ulceration at the site of the streaks.
3. Dying off of the top of the seedling.
4. Loss of ovary leaves.

As a rule, the disease does not destroy the entire sprout.... For treatment, you can remove only the affected part of the plant. Then treat the tomato and the ground with a 5-10 percent solution of potassium permanganate. It is advisable to disinfect the roots of the seedlings with the same solution. This will slow down the development of the seedling, but completely cure it of the virus. The disease can cause:

• Reducing the yield of tomatoes.
• Deterioration in fruit quality.
• Weak vegetable vitality.

Diseases caused by pathogenic microorganisms

• Temperatures above 28 degrees Celsius.
• High soil moisture.
• Stagnation of water in planting pots.

reference... For the prevention of bacterial diseases, one should not neglect the thorough disinfection of soil and seeds. Any copper-containing solution is suitable for the treatment of seedlings.

The most dangerous bacterial disease can be considered "bacterial cancer"... The disease destroys the vessels of the plant. Outwardly manifests itself as:

1. The appearance of ulcers throughout the stem of the stem.
2. Complete death of seedlings.

No cure is possible. The diseased plant must be removed and burned. The soil in which the seedlings were located is no longer used. Prevention of this disease can be seed treatment with 40 percent formalin (in the calculation of 1 part of the solution - 300 parts of water).

Spotting

Brown

This disease has the following symptoms:

1. Small yellow spots on outside leaves.
2. Rapid growth of these spots.
3. White bloom on the inside of the leaf.
4. The dying off of the leaves of the seedling.

The disease can be cured by spraying with cuprosil, copper sulfate or any other medicinal preparation.

Black bacterial

External symptoms of the disease appear late enough:

1. Slight lethargy of the sprout.
2. Small black spots on the leaves and stem of the tomato.
3. Rapid spread of stains throughout the plant.
4. The death of a seedling.

It is better to remove infected seedlings. The rest of the shoots must be treated with 1 percent Bordeaux solution every few days.

Mottling

The disease develops due to the penetration of phytopathogenic bacteria into the crop. External signs diseases:

1. The appearance of transparent oil spots on the leaves of seedlings.
2. Leaves are affected from the edges to the middle.
3. Twisting the foliage of the plant.
4. Complete loss of leaves.

To cure seedlings, it is necessary to spray copper sulfate(in the calculation of 1 glass - 10 liters of water) or Fitolavin-300.

Pillar

The most common bacterial disease of home seedlings... The disease is caused by microplasma bodies, which are carried by many species of insects. Disease symptoms:

1. Pink or purple spots on seedlings.
2. The leaves and trunk of the plant become very coarse.

Treatment and prevention is carried out with any special drug:

• Confidor.
• Aktara.
• Mospilan.

Spraying is carried out twice:

1. Three weeks after planting the seeds in the container.
2. Before planting seedlings in a permanent place.

Bacterial wilting

A dangerous disease when plants begin to wither suddenly... Other symptoms may include:

1. The formation of aerial roots.
2. Cessation of plant growth.
3. Covering the leaves of seedlings with yellow spots.
4. Formation of longitudinal brown stripes on the stem.

The disease is incurable. Seedlings should be burned and the soil cultivated. Other plants need to be disinfected with Phytoflavin-300.

in the photo below - a plant affected by the disease:

To get a large harvest of tomatoes in the fall, it is necessary to properly maintain the seedlings in the winter. If you take care of the seedlings responsibly, you can avoid many diseases.

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Receive good harvest, when the top leaves of tomatoes curl during the growth process, it is difficult. Such leaf plates absorb a minimum amount of light energy from the sun, which, in turn, negatively affects photosynthesis and, ultimately, the development of culture.

Leaf curling occurs not only in tomato seedlings, but also in adult plants.

Common causes of leaf curl

Leaf curling occurs not only in tomato seedlings, but also in adult plants. However, this should not be feared. You just need to understand the causes of the onset of the disease.

It is important to understand that what happens is not always associated with infectious diseases. It may simply be a feature of a particular cultivar reacting in this way to an unusual situation. For example, intense heat in the daytime (+ 30 ... + 35 ° C and above) forces the plant to respond by twisting its leaf top, thereby reducing the evaporation area. And in the evening, when the heat subsides, the leaves of the tomatoes straighten and stay in this state until the next high-temperature stress.

Of course, you can do nothing, the plant will cope with the misfortune on its own. However, it is better to still help him. For this purpose it is necessary:

• organize frequent ventilation;
• periodically arrange drafts;
• increase humidity by spraying moisture in the air;
• shade the roof of the greenhouse, covering it with non-woven material - panbond or lutrasil, and periodically water it (material) to enhance the effect cold water from a hose;
• using the same covering material, provide shade for tomato planting;
• using white non-woven fabric, hay or straw, cover the dark layer of mulch laid on the beds;
• select varieties that are most resistant to heat and cold.

Or another example, when the leaves of tomatoes are curled into a tube - sharp drop temperatures. If the sun is hot during the day, as in the desert, and at night the mercury column drops to + 6 ° C, then the plant reacts accordingly.

Therefore, in the daytime, one should act by analogy with the previous situation, but at night, in order to save vegetables from hypothermia, it is necessary to close all doors and windows.

And you should also add potash fertilizer. It strengthens the plant, increases its resistance to disease, frost and drought, makes it stronger and stronger.

What else affects curl

In addition, one should not get too carried away with organic matter and nitrogen fertilizers, when the minerals contained in the soil - phosphorus, potassium and zinc - are in minimal quantities. The surplus of some and the lack of other elements entails curling of the leaves. And although tomatoes will show a dense green mass, you should not expect good offspring from them.

To correct this situation, tomatoes must be fed with a balanced diet containing a sufficient amount of basic mineral substances, or use a complex fertilizer.

The negative impact on the culture in the form of twisting of the top of the leaf is manifested not only from late and excessive pinching, but also from abundant cutting of leaves. This leads to an imbalance between the ground part and the root system of the plant.

As a rule, this process should be carried out in the 2nd half of the period required for the development of the plant. Overgrown stepchildren should be removed when their length reaches 5-7 cm, and no more than 2-3 leaves per week should be cut off.

It is important to understand that not always what happens is associated with infectious diseases.

Tomato tops can curl due to lack of moisture... Tomatoes love water. However, it takes a lot to reach the roots deep in the ground. Therefore, watering in small batches, even if it is frequent, will not quench the thirst of the plant.

But here's the paradox: an excess of water also causes the leaves to curl. Why?

1. Access to the roots of oxygen and nutrients is difficult.
2. Rot develops, the roots begin to die off.
3. Shoots overgrowth.

Tomato tops can curl due to lack of moisture

The best option: water the tomatoes rarely, but abundantly and without excessive overflow. Correct watering should be done once every 3 days for open beds and at least 1 time per week - for mulched ones. If the weather is hot, you need to irrigate every evening, and if it's cool - every other day.

Diseases of tomatoes

A situation where the top leaves on tomatoes have curled up into a tube may indicate that the plants are affected by infectious diseases caused by pathogens.

They are conventionally divided into the following groups:

• fungal;
• viral;
• bacterial.

The most harmful and dangerous among them are black bacterial spot, late blight, tobacco mosaic viruses and leaf curl.

The most effective therapeutic measures against these diseases are mandatory and careful adherence to all agronomic techniques used in growing tomatoes, as well as the implementation of preventive measures to protect against infections.

Unfortunately, if the plant is already infected, it should be immediately destroyed and the soil disinfected.

Pests such as aphids, whiteflies, spider mite... If found, the plant must undergo insecticidal treatment with special systemic preparations.

In tomatoes with deformed leaves, photosynthesis is disrupted, they do not receive sufficient nutrition, so there is no need to rely on a stable and healthy harvest. When a plant with twisted leaves is found, you need to quickly find out the reason and only then take the necessary measures. Of course, this is not a very simple matter, but you shouldn't give up either.

Kira Stoletova

If the top of the tomato begins to wither or curl, you should immediately determine what exactly is causing the plant discomfort.

Causes of the problem

Tomatoes react immediately to inappropriate growth and development conditions. There are many reasons why the tops are twisted. Let's consider the most common:

• Root damage during planting. A plant with a pruned system weakens quickly. Root pruning is less scary because the roots will heal and the leaves will revive.
• Incorrect or insufficient feeding. Tomatoes need constant feeding. Once every 2 weeks, fertilizers need to be applied both in the greenhouse and on open area... Often the tops of tomatoes curl from an overabundance of organic matter. If you apply a lot of manure or compost, the plant begins to give all the fertilizer to the green parts, forgetting about the fruits. Also, from insufficiently rotted manure, the plant begins to wilt.
• The temperature is very high. At high temperatures, seedlings in the greenhouse begin to lose their attractive appearance... The upper leaves stop growing and begin to curl. To prevent this from happening, there must be air circulation in the greenhouse. A urea solution can be used to protect the plant. For him they take 1.5 tbsp. l. urea and 10 liters of water. Leaves are treated with this agent. You can also mulch. An 8 cm layer of grass will help keep the roots from overheating.
• The plant does not receive enough light, and the process of photosynthesis is slowed down. This has a negative effect on the growth and development of vegetable crops.
• Improper watering of tomatoes. Due to the lack of moisture, the leaves of tomatoes begin to curl even when the top is cut off. So they try to retain water in themselves. For correct watering you need to take 1 bucket of water for 1 bush. It is necessary to water in several approaches, because if you pour in all the water at one time, it will spread out without ever getting to the roots of the vegetable.
• Twisting the tops of tomatoes provokes aphids and various bacterial infections. The fight against them must be carried out immediately after detection in order to prevent the death of the plant.
  It is important not to overdo it when watering the plant: from an excess of moisture, the tops of the bushes also begin to turn yellow and curl. If tomatoes are planted in an area where constant moisture is kept, you need to make channels to drain the water.

  One of possible reasons chopping and rolling the top leaves on tomatoes are viral diseases such as aspermia. To understand the nature of the disease, you need to remember that all fungal and bacterial diseases begin from the lower leaves, and viral ones - from the upper ones.

Tomato leaves can become curly from damage by various pests.

Some of the most common pests are aphids and whiteflies. They need to be dealt with as soon as possible in order to prevent serious diseases.

Aphid

It hides under the leaves and feeds on their sap, which sometimes leads not only to twisting of the tops, but also to a change in the shape of the stem.

To combat aphids, both chemical agents are used, and folk methods... It all depends on the site of damage and the period of development of the tomatoes.

Tatiana Orlova (Candidate of Agricultural Sciences):

For the season at favorable conditions aphids can give up to 10-12 generations! Therefore, do not think that getting rid of aphids in early summer, you have permanently solved the problem. Watch out for winged aphids on your plants. Their appearance suggests that the aphids have begun to settle again.

Chemicals

It is necessary to treat aphid culture with chemicals with extreme caution, since they are completely removed from tomatoes in 25-30 days, therefore, fruits that have almost reached maturity must be plucked and placed in a dark room until fully ripe.

To combat the pest, you can use insecticides such as:

• Akarin. For spraying, take 8 ml of the drug and 1 liter of water.
• Biotlin. It is used to kill adults. Also, the drug prevents the reproduction of aphids. For processing, use 5 ml of insecticide per 10 liters of water.
• "Spark". The drug is strong. He fights not only with aphids, but also with other pests. For the solution, use 1 tablet of the drug per 10 liters of water.

There are in addition to chemicals and biological products, which can be used 2 days before harvesting. Such preparations are Fitoverm and Aktofit. An ampoule of the drug (4-6 ml) is diluted in 1 liter of water and plants are treated with it.

All chemicals are used according to the instructions and at a temperature not lower than 16 ° C. At a lower level, the drug does not work.

Tatiana Orlova (Candidate of Agricultural Sciences):

Heat also negatively affects the effectiveness of the prepared preparation. As a rule, all chemical protection products are prepared on a water basis. High air temperature promotes rapid evaporation of the substance. The drug simply will not even have time to work. Therefore, it is recommended to use plant protection products in the morning and evening hours, when the air temperature is below +25 degrees.

Everything in the greenhouse chemical treatments should be carried out with extreme caution, in special clothing, the greenhouse is left open overnight after processing.

Traditional methods

Alternatively chemicals folk methods are used to combat aphids. Good remedy is an soap solution... To prepare it you need:

• rub a bar of laundry soap;
• dissolve it in a little water;
• pour the finished mixture into 10 liters of water;
• add 1 liter of water with boiled and strained ash.

Tomato leaves are treated with this tool, not forgetting about their lower part.

In the fight against aphids, soap foam also helps, which is used to wash out damaged leaves. You can also try to kill the pests by washing them off with a strong jet of water.

Aphids do not tolerate garlic solution. For its preparation, use 3 cloves of garlic and 0.5 tbsp. water. This tool is insisted for 3 days, after which it is filtered, added to 1 bucket of water and the culture is treated.

Folk remedies will be beneficial if used regularly: 1 time in 7-10 days.

Prophylaxis

To prevent the appearance of aphids, it is necessary to dig up the ground by 10-15 cm in the fall after harvesting. For the winter it is not leveled, but left loosened.

In the spring, the area allotted for tomatoes is treated with a solution of fufanon. To prepare it, take 60 g of the drug and dilute it in 10 liters of water.

Equally important is correct scheme planting tomato seedlings. It is necessary to take into account the distance between the bushes. It should not be less than 30 cm in a row and 70 cm in a row spacing.

Near the plot with tomatoes, anthills are destroyed so that ants do not transfer aphids to seedlings.

Tatiana Orlova (Candidate of Agricultural Sciences):

Unfortunately, it is not possible to completely and permanently remove ants from your site. They leave from one place, migrating to another. But to control their number, use the preparations Muratsid and Medvetox in the form of granules. Several granules of these preparations are placed in the passages of the anthill and in a short time the ants in it disappear.

Whitefly

Leaves begin to curl from whitefly infestation. She, like aphids, hides under the leaves of tomatoes. Adults are more harmful than larvae. With a small amount, damaged leaves are cut off, but this is not a very effective method.

To completely get rid of this pest, use such chemicals, how.

With your help, in my opinion, I coped with the acidity of the soil. Tomatoes are developing well. Blossom, powerful, dark green leaves. But in the middle row, opposite the doors of tall tomatoes, the tops seem to “curl up”, twist into a “fist”. I read the literature. The explanations are different. Basically, that I overfill with water. This is not the case, because I rake the soil, it is dry. May be insufficient watering... The middle row is practically blown out and the soil dries faster than the side beds. Plants are tall, vigorous, blooming. I think they need good watering. Not 2 times a week, as they say in various reference books. With this heat in a polycarbonate greenhouse, the earth dries very quickly. Maybe I'm wrong. Tell me what to do. Previously, there were no such problems when growing tomatoes in homemade greenhouses. Best regards, Valentina.

Hello Valentine! Many summer residents face this problem. Tomato leaves can curl for various reasons. One of them you indicated correctly - insufficient watering during the heat period. In a plant that is lacking in moisture, leaves curl. Thus, the tomato manages to reduce the evaporation of moisture by reducing the surface area of ​​the leaf plate. In this case, the lower leaves, illuminated less by the rays of the sun and better ventilated, remain normal.

Important! Choose a watering regime based on the appearance of the plants. But remember that excess moisture provokes the onset of fungal diseases.

Excess nitrogen in the soil

If there is an excess amount in the soil nitrogen fertilizers, then the plant begins to fatten. At the same time, plants have powerful stems, leaves dark green and curly tops. The plant directs all its strength to the growth of green mass. Big harvest fruit, alas, will not be, if you do not take action.

It is necessary to balance the amount of fertilizer in the soil by feeding with potassium, which is contained in wood ash... Dissolve a glass of ash in a bucket of water and spill over the tomatoes. Spraying the leaves with a solution prepared from one teaspoon of potassium sulfate and a liter of water also helps.

Aphid tricks

Small black aphids, which first settle in the leaf axils, and then move to the stem and leaf stalks, can also cause leaf curling. Aphids, when sucking out juices, introduce a specific substance into the plant tissue, which deforms the stem and twists the leaves. Insects hidden in the folds of leaves are difficult to destroy with insecticides.

Important! When spraying, try to wet all the sinuses and folds of the leaves.

A sick plant under the onslaught of aphids looks exactly as you describe

Curl virus

This is perhaps the most unpleasant reason because viral diseases of tomatoes are not cured. Plants become infected through insects and cutting tool... It is better to remove diseased tomatoes immediately so as not to infect other plants. Break out stepchildren by hand, without using pruning shears.