In the greenhouse, the tops of the tomatoes are twisted into a rope. Why do the apical leaves of tomatoes curl? Aspermia or seedlessness

Curling of leaves in tomatoes is common problem when growing crops in greenhouses. IN open ground This type of problem is less common. .

Causes of leaf curling

The main reasons are

1. It's too hot in the greenhouse.
2. Tomatoes lack moisture.
3. Lack of batteries.
4. Excess fertilizer.
5. Damage to roots when planting seedlings or subsequent care of tomatoes.
6. Untimely removal of stepchildren. Leaves also curl when too many shoots are removed at once.
7. Pests sometimes also cause tomato leaves to curl.
8. Features of the variety.

Depending on the reason, the leaves curl either upward in a boat or downward in the shape of a chicken's foot.

reason 1. Temperature

In a greenhouse, the temperature is always at least 5-7°C higher than outside, even if the doors and windows are open. Therefore, when the temperature in the greenhouse is above 27-28° and there is low air circulation, the leaves are curled into a tube to avoid excessive evaporation of moisture. At night, when the heat subsides, they straighten out again.

Very often the leaves curl due to high temperatures.

What to do

To prevent leaves from curling in hot weather, greenhouses are left open at night. To reduce the temperature, the greenhouse is shaded. There should be constant air circulation inside it. Even in cold weather it must be ventilated.

reason 2. Lack of moisture

With insufficient watering, especially in the heat (and in greenhouses these factors are inextricably linked), tomatoes also reduce the area of ​​evaporation due to curling of the leaves.

• It is recommended to water tomatoes in greenhouses at a temperature of 16-20°C once every 7-10 days.
• At a temperature of 20-25°C once every 5 days
• At a temperature of 25-30°C every other day
• Over 30°C - daily, but very moderately.

This applies only to greenhouse plants; this watering regime is not suitable for open ground, since tomatoes there are additionally watered with precipitation. When choosing a watering regime, you should always take into account the growing conditions on your site.

If the leaves of tomatoes are curled, then the first thing to do is ventilate the greenhouse and water the crop.

You should not immediately water the plants abundantly. It is better to water in small volumes over several days. It is especially necessary to observe this regime during the fruiting period.

reason 3. Lack of batteries

If neither watering nor airing helped, and the leaves remain curled, then the problem is more serious than expected: the plants. Leaves curl differently depending on which element is deficient.

Phosphorus deficiency

The leaves curl upward and become purple shade from the bottom side. Phosphorus is a macronutrient, and tomatoes consume it in large quantities.

To replenish phosphorus deficiency, the crop is watered with an extract of superphosphate. To prepare it, pour 1 cup of fertilizer into 1 liter of boiling water (otherwise it will not dissolve) and leave for 12-18 hours, stirring regularly. The finished extract is diluted with water to 10 liters and watered at the roots of the tomatoes. The application rate is 0.5 liters per bush.

You can add ash or superphosphate in dry form, but then you will have to wait 7-10 days longer for the effect.

Tomatoes need to be fed with phosphorus.

Copper deficiency

A deficiency of the element is much less common (especially when tomatoes are treated with copper-containing drugs for diseases), but its deficiency is not as rare as one might assume. With a lack of copper, the edges of the leaves curl upward. Yellow blurry spots appear on the leaves, which turn black in case of acute deficiency.

There are many spots and they are located randomly over the entire leaf surface. The leaf appears healthy but yellow and curled. To eliminate the problem, tomatoes are sprayed with any preparations containing copper. You can water the bushes with the same solution.

Both spraying and watering not only replenish the microelement deficiency, but also protect tomatoes well from many diseases.

Feeding with microelements is required.

Potassium deficiency

The leaves curl up into a tube, and a brown border forms along the edges. Tomatoes consume slightly less potassium than phosphorus, so it is advisable to add it with each feeding. In case of severe deficiency, the bushes are fed with any chlorine-free potassium fertilizer.

The best for tomatoes is potassium nitrate, which also contains a small amount of nitrogen. 1 tbsp. l. fertilizers are diluted in 10 liters of water. Watering rate is 0.5 liters per bush.

An excellent fertilizer would be an extract from ash: 100 g of ash is poured with boiling water and left for 24 hours, stirring regularly. Then the solution is filtered and watered at the roots of the tomatoes. The consumption rate is 0.5 l per bush. If spraying is carried out with ash infusion, then 40 g of laundry soap is added to the working solution as an adhesive.

Such bushes require potassium fertilizing.

Nitrogen deficiency

Usually occurs on poor soils and with gross violations in agricultural cultivation techniques. With a lack of nitrogen, the leaves become yellowish and become smaller. As nitrogen starvation increases, the leaves begin to curl down, turn yellow and dry out.

Urgent feeding with any nitrogen mineral fertilizer is necessary. If it is not there, then the tomatoes are fed with manure or herbal infusion. 0.5 liters of infusion are diluted in 10 liters of water and fed to the plants. The application rate is 1 liter per bush.

Pale leaves on tomatoes are due to a lack of nitrogen.

Calcium deficiency

The leaves curl upward. A little earlier, blossom end rot appears on the fruit. Feed the tomatoes with calcium nitrate: 10 g/10 l of water.

And here calcium supplementation is required.

reason 4. Excess fertilizer

Some summer residents, trying to get the maximum yield, apply so much fertilizer (especially organic matter) to their tomatoes that the plants begin to suffer from their excess, and this, in turn, very quickly leads to disease.

Excess nitrogen

The leaves at the top of the bush curl, the rest are very powerful and normal in appearance. To neutralize excess nitrogen, stop all organic fertilizers. An extract of wood ash or any potassium fertilizer that does not contain chlorine is applied under the bushes.

Excess nitrogen can also be harmful.

Excess zinc

It does not occur so often, but most summer residents cannot recognize it and only aggravate the situation. This happens when the multiplicity and frequency of microfertilizer application is violated. The leaves curl up and droop as if in drought.

The main sign of excess zinc is the appearance of a purple tint on the lower part of the stem (no higher than 20-30 cm). To correct the situation, tomatoes are fed with organic matter and no microelements are added for at least 15-20 days.

Some varieties have a genetically determined purple hue. But then the stem is evenly painted in this color.

Excess zinc is difficult to recognize.

reason 5. Damage to the root system

After planting seedlings, especially in a greenhouse, tomato leaves may curl slightly. This is fine. Root system in seedlings it is usually less developed than the above-ground part, so for several days after planting the leaves of the plants are curled. If after 5-7 days they have not acquired a normal appearance, it is necessary to water the tomatoes with stimulants Kornevin or Heteroauxin.

When planting seedlings in the ground, try not to damage the roots of the plants.

Roots are often damaged when deep loosening tomatoes. The leaves curl upward evenly throughout the bush. Neighboring plants look healthy. To correct the situation, water the tomatoes with root formation stimulants (Kornerost, Kornevin) and substances that support plant immunity: Epin-extra, Zircon.

reason 6. Incorrect stepsoning

Untimely removal of stepsons leads to leaf curling. Stepchildren are removed when their size is no more than 5-7 cm. If they have already outgrown, then it is too painful for the plant, so you will either have to leave them or remove them gradually over several days.

Removing overgrown shoots can affect tomato leaves.

If large stepsons have been removed and the tomatoes react to this by curling the leaves, then the only thing that can be done is to spray the tomatoes with Zircon or Epin-extra.

reason 7. Tomato pests

Greenhouse whitefly very often affects tomatoes in greenhouses. This is a small butterfly that lays eggs on the underside of leaves. Larvae and adults (butterflies) feed on plant juices. Insects secrete sweet honeydew, on which sooty fungus settles. The insect reproduces very quickly. It settles first on the youngest and most tender leaves at the tops of plants.

Avoid large concentrations of pests on tomato bushes.

Signs of defeat.

1. The leaves become deformed and curled, and then turn yellow and fall off.
2. On the underside you can find insect secretions in the form of sticky honeydew and small white scales - the remains of cocoons.
3. Lagging bushes in development.
4. The appearance of black spots of sooty fungus on the stems and leaves.

What to do

Once the whitefly spreads, it is very difficult to control it. The pest reproduces extremely quickly, and most insecticides have no effect on eggs and older larvae. Therefore, emergency measures must be taken when the pest is first detected.

When shaking bushes infected with whiteflies, the butterflies fly up and are easy to spot.

1. To catch butterflies, glue traps are used, which are placed on the tops of bushes.
2. When the pest spread is small, Fitoverm is used. Spraying is carried out on the underside of the leaves. and tomatoes can be removed 2 days after processing. Spraying is carried out repeatedly at intervals of 3-5 days to destroy newly emerged individuals, since the drug does not affect eggs. With strict adherence to treatment intervals, the number of pests can be significantly reduced.
3. Simultaneously with Fitoverm, tomatoes are sprayed with Fitosporin or Alirin-B to prevent and destroy sooty fungi.
4. In case of mass infestation of tomatoes by the pest, all fruits are removed in the technical ripeness phase, and the bushes are treated with Aktara. Treatments are carried out on the underside of the leaves at least 3-4 times with an interval of 4-7 days. After spraying, tomatoes should not be eaten for 20 days.

reason 8. Features of the variety

For some, leaf curl is a genetic trait. Cherry and small-fruited tomato varieties are mainly prone to this.

There are also tomatoes like this.

Usually in this case the leaf blade curls down, forming a “chicken's foot”. But in some varieties the leaves can curl upward. In this case, nothing needs to be done; neither fertilizing, nor watering, nor ventilation will help. This is simply a feature of the variety.

Conclusion

If the leaves on the tomatoes are curled en masse throughout the greenhouse, then this is either a violation of the temperature regime or a lack of moisture.

If the leaves curl only on some bushes, then most likely this is a lack of nutrients. In this case, they curl gradually, first on one plant, then on the second, third, etc.

First of all, these bushes are carefully inspected, and then one of them is fertilized with the necessary fertilizers. If the measures taken have produced results, then the remaining plants are fed. If there is no result, then they continue to select the right fertilizer until a positive response is received. Only after receiving a positive reaction to fertilizing, all other tomatoes are fed with the same fertilizer.

When growing tomatoes during the growing season, their leaves do not always remain original appearance. Leaf blades can quite often curl in protected soil or in the garden. This material examines the main reasons for this negative phenomenon, provides answers to why tomato leaves curl, what to do and how to prevent this in your area.

This phenomenon occurs for many reasons, but the main one is violations of growing technology.

The main reasons are as follows:

1. deviations from thermal regime;
2. acute lack of moisture in the soil;
3. few elements soil nutrition;
4. excess nutrient content;
5. mechanical trauma to the roots;
6. violation of pinching technology;
7. exposure to pests;
8. cultural diseases;
9. varietal differences.

Let's take a closer look at them.

Deviations from the thermal regime

Temperature fluctuations are the main reason why tomato leaves curl and dry in a greenhouse. Exorbitant temperatures in the greenhouse and hot, sultry weather when cultivating tomatoes in the garden are extremely unfavorable phenomena.

Important! Optimal temperature for greenhouse tomatoes it is considered +22 degrees during the day and +18 degrees at night.

Temperatures above +30 degrees put plants under stress. To reduce the evaporation of precious moisture, tomato leaves are rolled into a tube. With the onset of twilight they spread out again.

To eliminate this reason for healthy tomato leaves curling in a greenhouse, you need to:

1. open doors, transoms;
2. whitewash the roof with chalk;
3. curtain with a special fabric.

In extreme heat, garden tomato beds can be shaded and the tomatoes can be fed with nitroammophos at the rate of 20 g per 1 m², having previously dissolved the fertilizer in water.

You also need to water the tomatoes so that they don’t curl with the increased amount of water in the morning or evening hours. The row spacing should be mulched with straw (sawdust).

If the heat in the greenhouse causes the leaves to curl inward, you can try spraying the plantings with a urea solution prepared according to the following recipe:

• urea – 2 tbsp. l.;
• water – 10 l;
• consumption of prepared liquid – for 10 bushes.

Acute moisture deficiency

A common reason why the leaves of tomato seedlings curl up in a boat is a lack of moisture. It is recommended to water tomatoes abundantly and regularly, without long breaks.

A high need for moisture in tomatoes occurs after planting seedlings in garden beds or in a greenhouse. At this point, it is advisable to pour 4 liters of liquid onto each bush. After waiting 10 days, it is recommended to re-water, increasing the watering rate by 50%.

• if it’s hot and the tomatoes are slightly wilted, you need to water them twice a week;
• in cool weather, 1 irrigation per week is sufficient.

When the ovaries begin to form, the watering rate is increased by 1/3.

Experiencing a moisture deficit, the tomato begins to reduce the proportion of evaporated moisture and the leaves of the plant curl inward. Having noticed this, you should immediately start watering.

Photo. Tomatoes suffering from moisture deficiency

Lack of soil nutrition elements

The next reason why the leaves of tomato seedlings wither and curl is a lack of certain nutrients. Due to a shortage of certain elements, the top or lower leaves plants curl up or down, let’s look at how to deal with this deviation.

Phosphorus deficiency

With a small amount of phosphorus, the leaves curl upward, and the underside of the leaf blade turns purple. This disease can be cured by applying superphosphate under tomato bushes. Are doing next job:

1. 150 g of superphosphate pour 1 liter of boiling water;
2. leave the composition for 20 hours;
3. Dilute the extract with 10 liters of water;
4. Water the resulting solution at the rate of 500 ml under the tomato bush.

Important! You can limit yourself to adding dry ash under the bushes, then you will have to wait a week longer for the result.

Copper deficiency

Copper has important in growing tomatoes. Copper deficiency is less common than others, especially when bushes are treated with Bordeaux mixture against fungal diseases.

Symptoms of copper deficiency:

• the edges of the leaves curl up;
• random blurry spots appear on the leaf plate yellow spots;
• then the tomato leaves turn black and die, as shown.

How to save the plant in this case? Experienced gardeners recommend spraying the bushes with any copper-containing preparation.

Important! Using this method, you can compensate for copper deficiency and protect tomato bushes from a number of diseases.

Little potassium in the soil

If the leaves curl up into a tube, a border appears along their edges Brown- This is a symptom of a lack of potassium for nutrition. Treatment for such twisting is carried out by applying potassium fertilizer.

Potassium nitrate contains potassium and some nitrogen.

The solution is prepared and added as follows:

1. dilute 1 tbsp. l. saltpeter in 10 liters of water;
2. stir until completely dissolved;
3. water, spending 500 ml for each bush.

Followers folk remedies To combat tomato diseases, they can treat them with an extract from ash according to the following recipe:

1. Pour boiling water over 100 g of ash;
2. leave the composition for a day;
3. every 2 hours the solution must be stirred;
4. strain the solution;
5. water the tomatoes at the root level at the rate of 500 ml per bush.

Important! You can spray tomato bushes with an ash solution; for better adhesion, it is advisable to add 30 g of soap to the composition.

Nitrogen deficiency

Nitrogen starvation occurs on depleted soils and when technology requirements are neglected. If there is insufficient nitrogen, the plant will develop a yellow tint. upper leaves are getting smaller.

When the leaves begin to lighten and curl downward, the tomatoes are experiencing severe nitrogen starvation. Then the leaves become yellow and dry out.

It is urgent to apply nitrogen fertilizer. Nitrogen starvation can be stopped by watering the bushes with herbal infusion.

Small proportion of calcium in the soil

The calcium type of starvation causes the leaf blade to curl upward, and the fruits are affected by blossom end rot.

How to feed tomatoes in such a situation? Vegetable growers use the following recipe:

• calcium nitrate – 21 g;
• ash – 380 g;
• urea – 11 g.

Important! All ingredients are diluted in a bucket of water, mixed and the solution is used for root feeding. One bucket is enough for 4 m² of plantings.

Excessive nutrient content

Some summer residents, in pursuit of high yields, apply a lot of mineral fertilizers. As a result, the leaves dry out and turn yellow, not because the plants lack something, but because of the application of excess fertilizers. Let's see what happens to tomatoes that are overfed with nutrients.

Excess nitrogen

If the soil contains an excess amount of nitrogen, the tops of the tomatoes curl, but the remaining leaves look quite normal.

Elimination of the problem: to correct the situation, immediately stop nitrogen fertilizing. To neutralize the effects of nitrogen, add potassium sulfate or ash extract to the soil.

Excessive amount of zinc

With excess zinc content, tomato leaves curl upward, and it may seem that the bushes do not have enough moisture. However, on the lower tier of the tomato bush, a secondary symptom of zinc overfeeding occurs - a purple color on the leaves and stems.

Elimination of the problem: you need to stop fertilizing and add organic matter.

Lots of manganese in the soil

If there is too much manganese in the soil, the leaves first curl, then become corrugated and turn bright green.

Elimination of the problem: you should stop feeding tomatoes with microelements.

Mechanical root injuries

After placing young seedlings in a permanent place, their leaves curl a little; this should not frighten the vegetable grower. In a week the bushes will look quite normal. If recovery does not occur, then the bushes should be treated with stimulating drugs.

Sometimes vegetable growers injure the roots when weeding and loosening tomatoes. As a result, the leaf plates curl upward along the entire length of the bush. To support the plants, you need to water the tomatoes so that they do not curl with a stimulating drug:

• Kornevin;
• Epin Extra;
• Cornerost;
• Zircon.

Violation of pinning technology

The leaves at the top of the bush and in its central part curl due to improper execution of the pinching procedure. Stepchildren grow from each leaf axil; they should be removed by breaking them off at a length of 5 cm. When the formation of bushes is delayed and the stepsons are broken out late, leaf curling begins.

Important! If overgrown stepsons have been removed and the tomato leaves have curled, you should spray the bushes with Zircon.

Pest exposure

Pests also cause damaged leaves of tomatoes to curl in greenhouses and open ground. Below are the most harmful insects that damage leaves.

Whitefly

This little one white butterfly– a serious pest of greenhouse tomatoes. The butterfly and its larvae drink tomato juice, secreting sweet honeydew. This sticky mass is colonized by sooty fungus. As a result, the leaves curl into a tube and the tomatoes turn black, which leads to a significant loss of yield.

In case of focal spread of the pest, Fitoverm is used. If the spread of butterflies has become widespread, carry out 3 treatments at weekly intervals with Aktara.

Aphid

It is mainly garden tomatoes that suffer from the effects of aphids. The insect sucks the sap, causing the upper leaves to curl.

To destroy aphids, the following means are used:

• Spark;
• Proteus;
• Aktara.

Spider mite

This pest is classified as sucking. As a result of the influence of the mite, the leaves of tomatoes in the greenhouse begin to curl and dry out.

You can control the number of ticks using acaricidal agents:

• Flumaita;
• Borneo;
• Oberon.

Diseases of culture

Diseases are also the cause of leaves curling in tomatoes growing in greenhouses and open ground.

Important! When treating for cancer, try to completely wet all the leaves with the chemical. It is advisable to wet the soil surface as well.

Varietal differences

It happens that all possible causes of curling have been eliminated, but the leaves still dry out and turn yellow, what do they lack for normal condition? I just came across a variety whose leaves curl due to a biological feature. No amount of action will help untwist the leaf plates. This normal condition certain varieties of tomatoes.

If the tomato seedlings are not satisfied with anything in their care, then they immediately signal this with the help of their leaves. They change color, may curl up, down, or inward, and wither. Knowing the meaning of these symptoms, you can quickly and effortlessly help the tomatoes return to normal. At the same time, they will continue their growth and development.

If you do not pay attention to these problems in time and do not find out possible reasons, the seedlings may die or weaken and subsequently produce a poor harvest.

When the cotyledon leaves curl, this means that they will soon fall off and real leaves will begin to grow, this should not be a cause for concern. If permanent leaves curl, then this is an alarming sign and you need to understand the reasons.

There are several reasons why leaves may curl, these are:

1. Neglecting to prepare seeds and soil for sowing;
2. Deficiency or excess of nutrients;
3. Excessive watering;
4. Insufficient watering;
5. Increased air dryness;
6. High room temperature;
7. Poor lighting or lack of light;
8. Exposure to direct sunlight;
9. Defeat by diseases;
10. Pest damage;
11. A cramped container in which seedlings grow;
12. Mechanical damage during pinching, transplanting;
13. Varietal feature.

Curling of leaves in some cases is a varietal feature of hybrids, such as: Oxheart, Fatima, Honey Drop, Japanese Crab, as well as some varieties of cherry tomatoes and tall varieties.

If the leaves of all the seedlings are thin, equally curled downwards, then this is a varietal feature of the plants. Leaves curl because the vein grows faster than the leaf blade.

What to do to help seedlings

When the first signs of leaf curling appear, which is not typical this variety, you need to immediately deal with the problem and fix it.

Neglecting the preparation of seeds and soil for sowing leads to the fact that the leaves of the seedlings begin to curl, they begin to weaken and get sick.

Disinfection of seeds and soil, their complete preparation allows you to get strong seedlings and avoid most problems.

Sometimes tomato seedlings do not have enough fertilizer. When there is a lack of nutrients, the leaves curl, dry out and fall off. Tomatoes for good growth you need a lot of nutrients.

Healthy seedlings are strong, not elongated, with bright, green leaves. To restore and strengthen tomatoes, they need to be watered with a solution of ammonium nitrate or urea. The solution must be diluted at half the dosage indicated on the package.

In some cases, plants lack one or another microelement. Based on the characteristic signs, you can determine what exactly they are missing and correct the problem.

• If there is not enough boron in the soil, the leaves of tomato seedlings curl and become lighter.
• With a lack of calcium, the leaves are pale and curled.
• With zinc deficiency, both the leaves and the upper part of the shoots bend down. They also become fragile and rough.
• Shortening the shoots and curling the leaves into a tube indicates a lack of copper and sulfur in the plants.
• With a lack of iron, the leaves become thinner, turn yellow and droop.

Fertilizers are selected in accordance with these characteristics. You can also use complex mineral supplements. They are introduced twice a month when watering plants.

In addition to a lack of microelements, plants can suffer from their excess.

A large amount of zinc and boron in the soil can be determined by the following signs:

• Zinc - leaves bend down, the bottom of the plate turns purple from the edge;
• boron - the curved tips of the leaves dry out and become brittle. The curling of the foliage begins at the bottom of the plant and extends to the top.
• An excess of nitrogen leads to a deficiency of potassium, phosphorus and zinc in the soil. To correct this, it is necessary to reduce or temporarily eliminate nitrogenous fertilizing and introduce phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. The leaves will rise and take on a normal appearance.

The leaves also curl upward and then wither due to excess moisture. This problem can be avoided by using drainage at the bottom of the container and loose soil when sowing seeds and planting seedlings. The container for planting seedlings must have drainage holes. Excess water will come out through them, and the roots will be saturated with oxygen. Watering seedlings should be moderate but regular.

To protect seedlings from diseases, preventive spraying with special preparations helps.
10 days after the formation of cotyledons, after the tomato seedlings have grown and become stronger, they are sprayed with a solution of Energen, Epin, Zircon (5-6 drops per liter of water), this will protect the plants from diseases. In addition to plants, the solution also treats the soil in which the seedlings grow.

If the lower leaves of a tomato began to quickly wither, changed color and dried out, cracks and sores appeared on the stem and petioles, this is a sign of bacterial cancer. When the stem is cut across, a brown ring is visible with such a lesion. Such plants need to be removed. To prevent illness, healthy seedlings sprayed with a solution of copper oxychloride (40 grams per 1 liter of water).

Pest damage to seedlings occurs due to poorly treated soil, high air humidity and proximity to affected plants.

Whiteflies, red spider mites and aphids can damage tender young plants. Insects settle at the bottom of the leaves and suck the juices, causing the leaves to curl and turn yellow.
When pests appear, they are treated with protective drugs, for example, Tantrek, Aktara, Akarin, Fufaron, Aktellik, Biotlin, Karbofos.

When damaged, leaves and shoots must be cleaned of pests and their traces using a cotton pad soaked in a soap solution. Then the seedlings are sprayed with a protective solution. The concentration of the solution must be reduced by 2 times in comparison with that indicated in the instructions.

Instead of chemicals, you can use an infusion of onion peels or celandine. They treat all parts of the plant, especially those growing below the affected leaves. A week later the procedure is repeated.

If the leaves curl down or up

Often the leaves curl down due to lack of moisture. To eliminate this problem, you need to monitor the condition of the soil. It should be damp on the surface.

Seedlings need to be moistened according to their age; the older they are, the more moisture they require. Watering is done in the morning and only with warm water. In this case, water should penetrate through the entire earthen lump. The excess is immediately drained.

Another reason for leaf curling may be increased dry air. They can curl up at the same time. To normalize humidity, the air in the room needs to be irrigated once a day, using a simple spray bottle or a special humidifier.

At high temperature indoor air, reducing it and regular ventilation corrects the problem, and the seedlings continue to grow and develop.

You can also cover the radiators with a damp towel or place a container of water next to them. These methods allow you not only to lower the temperature, but also to humidify the air.

The leaves of tomato seedlings often curl when exposed to direct sunlight. If the seedlings are standing in the sun, the light needs to be diffused. For example, hang tulle on the window or attach white paper to the glass so that straight lines Sun rays did not touch the plants. Plants can also be rearranged. The best option Place the seedlings in a window on the east or west side.

In the same time insufficient lighting, also harms plants. When daylight hours are short, additional lighting is installed next to the tomatoes.

If they curl inward

The upper leaves curl due to mechanical damage to the plant during one-time or abundant pinching. The lateral stepsons are removed gradually, 1-2 pieces over several days, not allowing them to grow longer than 6-7 centimeters.

The leaves may curl if the seedlings have already grown too much and the roots are cramped in a small glass or pot. Transplanting into a larger container or soil can correct this problem.

Leaves can also curl inward if the roots are damaged during transplantation. When plants are damaged, they cannot obtain enough nutrients and react by curling their leaves. Additional fertilizing corrects the problem.

If all care measures are carried out in accordance with the requirements, the plants will quickly gain strength and take root in a new place without problems when transplanted.

1. When sowing a tomato, you first need to disinfect the seeds and soil. In both cases, a solution of potassium permanganate is used.
2. The sown seeds are covered with film or glass and put away in a warm place.
3. When the first shoots appear, the cover is removed from the containers, and the seedlings themselves are placed in a bright, warm place.

Every 2 weeks. For this purpose, mullein infusion diluted with water and complex mineral fertilizers. Feeding can be alternated.

Should be moderate but regular. The seedlings are irrigated with a spray bottle. The grown sprouts are watered with a teaspoon, syringe or pipette directly to each plant or with a watering can without a nozzle along the edge of the container. More mature plants are watered in a tray, this promotes the formation of a strong root system.

The air temperature in the room is first lowered slightly and in the first 7 days it is maintained at 15 degrees during the day and 10 degrees at night. To do this, open the window slightly at night. In the second week, the temperature rises by 4 degrees day and night. This temperature regime observed until 3-4 true leaves appear.

Then the temperature for tomatoes should be 20-25 degrees during the day and 16-20 degrees at night. At higher temperatures and increased dry air, the room is ventilated and irrigated using a humidifier or spray bottle once a day.

Daylight hours for seedlings should be 12-14 hours. If the daylight hours are short, the plants are illuminated with a phytolamp in the morning and evening.

Plants should grow in light, but direct sunlight should not touch the leaves, as they can cause sunburn. The light should be diffused.

When the plants have 2 true leaves.
The sprouts are planted in individual pots measuring 6 by 6 or 8 by 8 centimeters. Disposable cups are used as containers, peat pots, cassettes or wide boxes, the height of which should be 15-20 centimeters.

• Pours into containers soil mixture, the same as when sowing seeds.
• The earth is watered with a warm solution of potassium permanganate.
• After transplantation, the plants are watered after 4-5 days, this allows the plants to take root and not damage the roots.
• After the dive, additional illumination stops for 3-4 days, then resumes.

To protect seedlings from diseases and pests, preventative spraying with chemicals or folk remedies is carried out regularly.

Stepchildren formed on grown plants are carefully cut off. They are removed gradually.

After 20-25 days, the strengthened seedlings are transplanted into containers bigger size or greenhouse, greenhouse.

Before planting, the seedlings are hardened off. First, the window opens. When the air temperature outside is 10-12 degrees, containers with tomatoes are taken out for 2-3 hours. After a week, the seedlings are left outside for the whole day and brought indoors or into a greenhouse at night. In hardened plants, the stems turn bluish-purple. When hardening, seedlings are watered abundantly.

Plants must be replanted in a timely manner. The root system should not be stressed.
When transplanting seedlings, it is better to use the transshipment method; this protects the plants from technical damage and promotes rapid rooting and growth.

If all growing conditions are met, problems with leaves of tomato seedlings can be avoided. At the same time, the plants develop well and subsequently produce a healthy and abundant harvest.

Why leaves curl on seedlings: video

Why tomato leaves curl: video

Timely identification of the reasons why leaves curl on tomato seedlings provides half the success in saving plants. Proper care allows you to quickly restore plants, and in most cases, avoid these problems.

The tomato is an indispensable inhabitant of the garden and kitchen table. And although most varieties are not difficult to care for and are not afraid of pests and diseases, their upper leaves can curl into a tube. Why do tomato leaves curl at the top, what to do and how to save the situation?

Curling of tomato leaves negatively affects the yield. There are several factors that cause this symptom. To make it easier for summer residents to understand which of the options they are faced with, let’s look at the most common ones.

Properties of the variety

Sometimes tomato leaves curl due to selection and genetic characteristics. This applies to the varieties “Cherry”, “Oxheart”, “Fatima”. If the same thing happens to all the seedlings, there is no reason to worry - this is simply a property of the vegetable variety.

Tomato variety Fatima

Temperature changes

Young shoots are not yet adapted to the scorching sun, and some varieties can only develop normally in the shade, so leaf curling may be caused by the heat. This is how the protective properties of tomatoes appear, which reduce the area of ​​evaporation in order to save more water.

In this situation, the ridges are provided with water so that moisture does not fall on the bushes during the hot period, a shelter is built or the crop is placed in the shade.

Water problems: excess and deficiency

Tomatoes are very demanding of moisture, so if their leaves curl, it may mean they are not getting enough moisture. required quantity liquid and try to take it out of the soil. Then you should water more frequently and mulch the soil with mowed grass. Thanks to this, the tomatoes will retain water, and it will not instantly evaporate during drought.

However, you can also overdo it with watering the bushes. In this case, the foliage also curls upward. This occurs because the root system does not have enough air. To avoid such cases, the holes are filled with loose soil and furrows are dug to drain water.

Harmful insects and diseases

Most often, infections affecting crops are caused by pests or fungi. In large beds, this problem is not uncommon. Typically, tomato eaters inhabit the underside of leaves, causing them to curl inward and then dry out.

The most terrible enemy of tomatoes is the whitefly. It rarely exceeds 1.5 cm in length, is yellow in color, and has 2 wings. Flocking together, the pests land on the leaf and eat it. A black coating appears on the plant, after which it dies. As soon as whiteflies appear in the garden, it is necessary to spray the leaves with insecticides.

Bacterial cancer also precedes twisting. It can be identified by the following symptoms: the leaves curl down, darken and dry out in a short period of time, and the cuttings crack at the bottom. Sick tomatoes should be immediately removed from the beds. They are trimmed and destroyed, and the cut is sprayed with copper chloride.

Leaves may curl due to tobacco mosaic. Dark and light segments appear on them, they swell. Diseased bushes are eliminated, and healthy ones are treated with antifungal drugs.

Fusarium can also attack the crop. First, the lower leaves wither, and then the disease gradually moves upward. In addition, the leaf blades turn yellow, a light coating appears on them, having a pink tint near the root, and the upper branches wither. Verticillium is very similar to this disease, when the leaves curl up, dry out, and darken. However, if you properly care for the plants, they will easily survive the disease and produce a good harvest.

Greenhouse seedlings often become infected with brown spot. A brown coating with a velvety texture forms at the bottom of the plate. The leaves wither, and the fungal infection spreads to other crops. In this case, the tomatoes need to be watered less and treated with copper chloride more often.

If leaf defects are due to leaf eaters or diseases, experienced gardeners It is recommended to make infusions of ash, celandine juice, and onion peels. They are sprayed on weakened tomatoes.

Incorrect feeding

It happens that the leaves suffer not because of problems with water, illnesses or pests, then the matter is nutrients, which are either lacking or too abundant in the soil.

Due to lack chemical elements the leaves become dark brown, bend down, and the shoots become small and yellow. Then it is necessary to enter complex fertilizers to support tomatoes.

If the feeding is excessive, the leaves become burnt and curl into a tube and quickly die, since the vegetable cannot take everything useful material and slows down photosynthesis.

Errors when pinning

The procedure is carried out at a specially designated time, with caution. If you do not follow these rules, you may end up with dry straws instead of healthy foliage. Stepchildren 7-8 cm long are pinched, but if they are smaller or larger, you should not do this so as not to harm the crop. It is impossible to remove several vegetative parts at once.

The condition of tomatoes should be closely monitored, and if there are signs of leaf curl, its sources should be identified and eliminated.

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It seems that everything is known about tomato agricultural technology. All that remains is to follow the recommendations and carefully care for the crop. But every season, gardeners face various problems even with regular and proper care. Thus, tomato leaves often curl and it is not immediately clear why this happens. What should a summer resident do in this case and how to cure the plant?

Why tomatoes curl: reasons

Green, strong leaves are an indicator that the plants are doing well and are absolutely healthy. When the leaf plates begin to curl (along the central veins, along the edges), curl into a “snail,” this is a reason to be wary and watch the bushes.

All the causes of the phenomenon can be easily divided into three groups:

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• agrotechnical (impaired care);
• infectious (diseases);
• pests

Loss of elasticity of leaf plates due to disease is dangerous because the infection quickly spreads throughout the plantings. Without prompt treatment, crop losses will be significant.

Pests and violations of agricultural practices are a little easier to deal with. It is necessary to find out which insects attack the plantings and select a suitable means of extermination (insecticides, folk recipes). In case of agrotechnical errors, changes are made to the schedules of watering and fertilizing, formation and ventilation are carried out correctly.

Violations in agricultural technology

Usually, tomato leaves curl into a tube due to improper care. Despite the fact that the crop is not particularly capricious in care, without following agricultural techniques and taking into account the specifics of the varieties, you will not get a harvest.

Moisture deficiency

Tomatoes are not as water-drinking as cucumbers and do not need frequent watering. At the same time, lack of moisture is detrimental to the crop, and if there is not enough water, the leaves of tomatoes curl inward. This allows you to reduce the area of ​​moisture evaporation and prevent the plants from drying out.

Excess moisture

Even novice gardeners know that tomatoes love infrequent, abundant watering. But flooding plants is dangerous, as this leads to curling of the leaves, slow growth, infections, and deterioration in the taste of the fruit.

When there is an excess amount of water in the soil, the leaves on the bushes “raise” their edges to increase the evaporation of moisture. It turns out to be a kind of “boat”, and for the summer resident it is a signal that it is necessary to reconsider the watering schedule.

High temperatures

The culture is thermophilic, therefore in conditions temperate climate it is grown in greenhouses. It's easier to create in shelters comfortable conditions, do not depend on the weather, but exceeding the air temperature (over +30ºC) leads to severe stress for the bushes.

Tomato leaf blades are curled up, ovaries and flowers are shed. Due to extreme heat, leaves and stems lose turgor and hang lifelessly.

Formation of bushes

Lack of pinching leads to curling of foliage and severe thickening. The bushes become overgrown with numerous side shoots, their shape is lost, and the stems bend under the weight of the leaf mass.

On a note! Those who do not want to deal with the removal of stepchildren are recommended to plant varieties and hybrids that do not require molding.

Something else happens: the summer resident is too zealous in removing excess shoots from the bushes or growing tomatoes irregularly. The plant will react to a removed armful of leaves and shoots by twisting the plates and dropping buds.

Tomato nutritional disorders

During the season, tomatoes need 4-5 feedings. Application rates are strictly dosed, while initial stage Nitrogen is important; from the second half of the growing season, priority is given to phosphorus-potassium supplements.

Oversupply nitrogen fertilizers in the soil leads to “fatification” of plants, active growth of green mass, and curling of leaves into a ring. Bushes (especially low-growing varieties) become curly, produce thick stems and brittle, brittle leaves.

Curliness also occurs with a lack of potassium. In ripening fruits, this causes whitish spots on the skin.

If the leaf blades suddenly darken, acquire a violet-gray tint and bend downwards with their edges, it means that the tomatoes do not have enough phosphorus.

Tomato diseases

Infections are another reason for changes in color, shape of leaf blades, and curling of tomato leaves. Diseases often arise due to improper agricultural practices:

• excessive watering;
• lack of ventilation for greenhouse plants;
• failure to maintain the distance between bushes when planting seedlings, thickened plantings in a greenhouse, in a garden bed, in a greenhouse;
• lack of stepsoning.

Bacterial cancer

With this dangerous disease, the leaf segments wither and curl slightly upward. Then they turn yellow and dry out. You can recognize that this is a bacterial cancer by the brown sores that appear on the petioles, stalks, and necrotic spots on tomatoes and stems.

The first signs appear on the lower tier, gradually the disease rises up and covers the entire plant.

Stolbur

Phytoplasmosis (stolbur) is a disease that is dangerous at any stage of tomato development. They are transmitted by leafhoppers and bugs, mainly from infected weeds.

On infected bushes, leaf blades turn yellow and become deformed. The edge of the leaves rises upward and acquires a violet-lilac or pinkish color. The shape of the leaf begins to resemble a “boat”. Stolbur affects the entire plant, including formed fruits. It is impossible to save diseased bushes, so they are removed from the ridge and burned.

Fusarium

With fusarium, the veins of the plant become discolored and the leaves below fall off. The leaf blades turn pale, curl, and the bush gradually withers and dies. When the stem is cut, brown vessels damaged by the pathogen are visible.

Verticillium

With such an infection, the plant usually does not die, but the summer resident cannot reap a full harvest. The lower tier of foliage turns yellow, chlorotic curling is observed at the top, leaf blades curl strongly and dry out.

The soil fungus clogs the blood vessels, causing tissue necrosis.

Tobacco mosaic virus

It is caused by one of the most contagious pathogens, transmitted by pests, and also on the hands of an infected plant (for example, when pinching). It manifests itself as a change in color and deformation of the leaves, wrinkling. The leaf plates curl and take on a bizarre fern-like or thread-like shape.

Bacteriosis

The first signs of infection are yellowing and curling of the leaves at the bottom of the stem. Brown stripes are visible on the shoots, “aerial” roots are formed, and mucus is released when the stem is cut.

Thin leaf virus

During the hot season, the crop develops a viral infection - thin leaves. Due to the heat and strong light inside the shelters, the tomato leaves curl into the thinnest tubes. Tomatoes set slowly, do not gain weight, and remain small with wrinkled skin.

Pest infestation

Pests cause a lot of trouble for summer residents as they invade tomato plantings and do their dirty work. Particularly dangerous:

• whitefly (larvae);
• red spider mite;

Having settled on plants, insects suck the juices from the leaves. As a result, the leaf blades lose color, become lifeless, curl and die.

Whitefly larvae, aphids, and mites are found on the reverse side of the leaf. In affected plants, growth stops and shoots become deformed. The appearance of ants attracted by the sweet secretions of pests will help identify aphids. If tomatoes are attacked by spider mites, their foliage becomes discolored and the finest threads of spider webs are visible.

Features of the variety

Curling of leaves is not always dangerous. Sometimes this form is determined by the specifics of the variety. This is typical for indets, whose plates are heavily cut and can be slightly bent inward. But there are also “dwarf” tomatoes with curled leaves, for which this is not a pathology, but the norm.

• various representatives of the "cherry" group;
• Fatima;
• Honey drop;
• Japanese crab

What to do when leaves curl?

Having found out the cause of changes in plants, they begin to solve the problem.

Agricultural technology

If the foliage curls due to irregularities in care, then the mistakes made are promptly corrected:

1. Regulate the watering schedule for plantings. Tomatoes are watered 1-2 times a week, thoroughly wetting the soil. The condition of the plants, the characteristics of the varieties, and the weather are taken into account. They use settled warm water, excluding drops from hitting the green parts of the bushes.

On a note! Convenient to use drip systems irrigation or water the tomatoes in the grooves.

1. Withstands temperature indicators (especially in greenhouses). For tomatoes, the best mode is in the range from +22ºC to +24ºC. To reduce heat in shelters, open windows and doors, and mulch the soil with hay, straw, and compost. Mulch protects the soil from drying out and protects the roots of tomatoes from overheating. " Ambulance» in case of wilting from the heat, spray the bushes with a solution of potassium permanganate or urea (1-1.5 tablespoons of fertilizer are diluted in a 10-liter bucket). For tomatoes, shading is built on the beds.
2. If there is an excess of nitrogen in the fertilizing, stop giving mullein or bird droppings to the tomatoes. Cooking foliar feeding based copper sulfate, potassium monophosphate. Water or treat the plantings leaf by leaf with an infusion of wood ash.
3. If there is a shortage of microelements (boron, molybdenum, zinc, copper, iron), it is recommended to feed the crop with special additives. Popular fertilizers are the Kelkat series, which contain the necessary components.

1. The lack of phosphorus is compensated for by adding superphosphate; in case of potassium starvation, ash, humate or potassium sulfate are added.
2. If the leaves wither after transplantation (due to damage to the root system, stress), the bushes are left alone for a couple of days. Plants will gradually adapt and return to normal.
3. Stepchildren are removed regularly, without waiting for the shoots to outgrow. It is advisable to break out the stepsons (1.5-2 cm) when performing the procedure in the morning. The wounds will heal within a day, and there will be no risk of infection of the plant. You cannot remove a large number of shoots and leaves at once, as this leads to a serious delay in the growth of the crop. Plant residues are removed from beds and greenhouses, leaving no waste. A biostimulant solution will help relieve the bushes from the resulting stress.

Treatment for diseases

To prevent infection in the garden, prevention is mandatory. Treatment of many diseases is effective only at the initial stage, and viral infections incurable in principle.

Treatment methods:

• In case of bacterial cancer, infected bushes are removed. Healthy plantings growing nearby are sprayed with a solution of copper oxychloride (40 grams per liter);
• They also get rid of fusarium-affected tomatoes. They are removed, the soil is shed antifungal drugs;
• Phytoplasmin is used to treat bushes affected by stolbur. The solution is prepared according to the instructions for the drug, by watering or spraying the plantings;
• destroy infected bushes with verticillium wilt. Effective treatment No.

To prevent diseases:

1. Treat the seeds in a solution of potassium permanganate, in a solution of Fitolavin.
2. Observe alternation of plantings on the site. The top layer of soil is changed when tomatoes are planted annually in the same greenhouse.
3. They maintain distances when planting tomato seedlings and do not allow dense plantings.
4. Spray the leaves with infusions and solutions of planting herbs to protect against pests (infusions of ash, tobacco dust, soap solution, wormwood).
5. Remove weeds and loosen the soil after watering. Use mulching.
6. For tall tomatoes, trellises and dressings for supports are prepared in advance.
7. Do not allow the soil to become waterlogged or dry out.
8. For prevention (if the infection “visited” the site last season), fungicide solutions are used.

Pest Control

When insects are found on tomatoes, insecticides or decoctions of strong-smelling herbs are used. But it is better to prevent the appearance of pests on the plantings by carrying out preventive spraying in advance with infusions and decoctions (the proportions are given for a 10-liter bucket):

• dandelion (1 kg of plant);
• garlic (6 heads);
• yarrow (300 grams);
• green onion (500 grams);
• celandine (700-800 grams);
• wormwood (1.5 kg).

These remedies help against whiteflies and aphids (if there are not many insects). In case of mass invasions of insects, when the moment is missed, you will have to use “chemistry”:

• from spider mite– Oberon, Borneo, Flumite products;
• from aphids - Iskra, Aktaru, Proteus;
• from whitefly and its larvae - Mospilan, Fufanon.

Attention! All chemicals are used taking into account the harvest date. Spraying is allowed no later than 20-25 days before fruit harvesting.

Tomato leaf curling is caused by different reasons. There is no point in immediately resorting to toxic chemicals or getting rid of plants. It is necessary to find out the reason, and only then promptly take measures: regulate watering, fertilizing, spraying against fungus or exterminating pests.

Natalia Severova