TheNaturePlanet

If your home-grown tomatoes are showing signs of leaf curling or wilting, don’t panic! First, check the symptoms and then assess the environment. Once you identify the cause, you can take the right action.

1. Environmental Issues
1. Too hot and too dry:
The leaves curl upwards into a tube shape, turn dark green, and the plant wilts. This is most common during summer heat or when sunny weather follows rainy days.

Solution:
Use shading nets from 11 AM to 3 PM to block the sun. Don’t water during the hottest part of the day. Instead, mist the plant with a spray bottle to cool it down. Water little by little, but more frequently, keeping the soil slightly moist without over-watering.

2. Too cold or freezing:
New leaves curl and turn purple, and old leaves bend downwards. This often occurs during early spring cold snaps or autumn and winter temperature drops.

Solution:
Cover the soil with plastic mulch, and build a small hoop house for insulation. Ensure the temperature doesn’t drop below 12°C at night. Spray a 0.01% brassinolide solution to help the tomatoes resist the cold.

2. Nutrient Imbalance
1. Incorrect fertilizer:
Overuse of nitrogen fertilizer results in thick, dark green, curled leaves. A lack of calcium and potassium can cause the edges of the leaves to dry and curl, possibly leading to blossom end rot.

Solution:
Stop using nitrogen fertilizer. Spray potassium dihydrogen phosphate or chelated calcium. Add wood ash to the soil to supplement potassium, or sprinkle gypsum powder to add calcium.

2. Too much salt in the soil:
You may notice white frost on the soil surface, and the leaf edges curl and dry out.

Solution:
Water heavily to flush out excess salts. Then, use humic acid-based soil conditioners to improve soil quality.

3. Pests and Disease Control
1. Viral diseases:
Yellowing, wrinkling, and curling of leaves are signs of viral infections. Aphids and whiteflies can spread these viruses.

Solution:
Remove infected plants and discard them. Spray 2% ningnanmycin solution mixed with 0.1% zinc sulfate solution. Use yellow sticky boards to trap pests and apply 10% imidacloprid for pest control.

2. Root diseases:
Root rot and wilting diseases cause the roots to become brown and rotten. Watering exacerbates wilting.

Solution:
Apply 3% metalaxyl + cyazofamid seed dressing agent and Bacillus subtilis to the roots. Avoid planting tomatoes in the same soil repeatedly and alternate with legumes to reduce disease-causing pathogens.

3. Mite damage:
Red spiders and tea yellow mites leave white spots and webbing on the undersides of leaves, causing the leaves to harden and curl.

Solution:
Spray a 0.3% extract of sophora alkaloids or 20% abamectin, focusing on the undersides of the leaves.

4. Poor Plant Management
1. Over-pruning:
Pruning too early or removing too many leaves can limit photosynthesis, causing the leaves to curl.

Solution:
Leave 6-8 leaves beneath each cluster of fruit. Spray 0.1% seaweed acid foliar fertilizer to help the tomato plant recover.

2. Overuse of chemicals or hormones:
Twisting and deformed leaves, along with bulging stems, are often caused by excessive concentrations of growth regulators like 2,4-D.

Solution:
Rinse the leaves with clean water and spray 0.01% brassinolide to promote recovery.

Daily Care Tips
Root Care:
Water with humic acid or seaweed-based water-soluble fertilizer every 10-15 days to strengthen the roots and keep the tomatoes healthy.

Fertilization:
Alternate between balanced and high-potassium water-soluble fertilizers during the growth stage. Avoid over-relying on nitrogen fertilizer.

Environment:
In greenhouses, maintain a day-night temperature difference of around 10°C and keep the humidity between 60%-70%. Ensure proper ventilation to improve air circulation.