Curled tomato leaves?

What's the deal with these tomato leaves? I grew them from seeds and transplanted about 3 weeks ago.









And my Big Boy transplant that I bought from a non-organic grower (imported from Mass.) which came with blossoms that now are 2 tomatoes; he looks healthy:



Now that I think about it, I wrapped sheet styrofoam from one end of this box to the other because with leveling off, there was a lot of gap space between the box and the ground - could this be interfering with drainage? Yikes. Maybe I better poke some holes.

I have the same problem, all started from seed, and I have searched the forum and several other places and cannot find an answer, maybe I missed it. Mine also have black spots (like mold) all over new growth, so I'm anxious to see if someone else helps out.

Here is a previous forum thread about Tomato Leaf Curl.
There is some good info there.

Yikes! Well, I choose to ignore the herbicide idea because I can't go there. If my compost were to be contaminated, I'd be seeing red. One drawback to using several different kinds of (commercial) compost is that it probably ups your chances of running into something questionable. You really have to grow your own.

I'm hoping it's the over-watering thing. I'm going to poke holes in my groundcover.

I see the original poster on that thread didn't check back in (on that thread at least) and say whether or not her tomatoes survived. Hmmm.

It could possibly also be that these were heirloom tomatoes from Tomatofest in California - could it be the climate here isn't suitable, or heirloom tomatoes are just more susceptible to problems. My non-organic bought transplant mass produced in Massachusetts seems to be doing just fine. Ha. Mel does say to only grow tomatoes that are labelled VFN, one of which is for Fusarium wilt referenced in that thread. I don't know that these were or weren't labelled.

It may be that, for now, commercially produced transplants are the way to go. I like growing from seed better, but if they're going to die from issues, it's not worth it.

Don't despair; sprinkle a few handfuls of wood ash, epsom salt and some calcium source of your choice and give it little time, things will probably turn around. Next year, with your homemade compost that mix will be better!
Are you keeping garden notes?

I have plenty of wood ash sitting there in my uncleaned-out woodstove.

I just put ash around the tomato plants? That's okay? I forget what the ash does.

I did sprinkle blood/bone meal in there when I transplanted.

A bit of wood ash (handful) sprinkled around the base will help the pH, as the sphagnum is a bit acid. This will allow for better nutrient uptake by the plant. aside for the mild leaf curl they look fabulous!

Thank you!

Waiting for your latest photos too.

I took some pics the other day, finally. I will upload later, once I get my computer back from the son who is using it to watch a movie

Priorities!

Gotta love summer vacation... Yesterday was 1/2 day of school, and by yesterday afternoon I was already hearing "I'm bored!"

Looks like I'm going to be spending a whole lot of time in my garden this summer...

Thanks Camprn for that link, I have looked but must have missed it. I think after much research though I have a virus spread by thrips called Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus.
http://www.lsuagcenter.com/en/lawn_garden/home_gardening/vegetables/disease_pest_management/Tomato+Spotted+Wilt+Virus.htm

http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2906/2906-1326/2906-1326.html

If it were blight, the leaves would be dying off from the bottom up, not top down, and the new growth is what is affected. I cut off all affected leaves, even topped off a few plants, and all new growth is affected. I tried one last time with a fungicide, but I am afraid I may have to pull up half of my tomatoes.



See how new growth just curls up in a curly-q


Curled & cupped leaves, black spots.

I forgot, I also checked the soil, and calcium was needed so I sprinkled powdered milk on all tomatoes, and watered. I also have too much PH in the soil, so I'll be spreading ash in a day or two.

Valerie - Did you check the soil yourself? What did you use to check it? Maybe I should check mine.

My husband has a home test kit, I was just curious, so I tested.

Val and NHGardener,

Consider contacting your local extension office. If you send them an entire plant (roots and all) they can send it off to be tested at the state lab. Then you can have a definitive answer as to what is attacking your plants and how to treat it.

If my plants start dying, I will do that.

Right now they are in the curled leaf stage but it doesn't look fatal yet. We'll see.

I have been considering that very thing. I just have to convince hubby it's not a fungus, so I sprayed his spray yesterday. See his grandma had a garden so he know's more than I do, even though I do 95% of the hands on work in our garden, the kids do 4%, he picks stuff up at the store for me. I'm sorry I'm just a tad aggrivated. I will have to mail it to them though, we are a 1 car family and the extension office is 20 miles away, out of his way.

One more thing it could be is the guy across the street sprayed his fenceline a month and a half ago, and the other day. The wind was going the other way (what little bit there was) and it is the tops of the plants, but since it's affecting the new growth only, I'm thinking virus. The tomatoes on the plants already are fine, I'm going to let a few plants hang around to see if spots develop on them, like all the pictures say the do.

Thanks for the reminder of contacting the extension office, I may just call them tomorrow moring and see how to get it to them. We do have a branch of Texas A&M here in town, so maybe someone there can give me some ideas, but I dont' think they have an Ag branch here. I'm just a bit frustrated, I started these from seeds, and I cannot get any help in the garden, and if I do it's half a$$ed.

Okay, I'm off to teach a bunch of kids how to decorated cakes-pray for me.

{Valerie} - some days are like that.

If it's any consolation, I just got my tax return (including check) back in my mailbox on Saturday saying: "Returned for postage due" even tho I had given it to the p.o. and paid them for the metered postage on tax day, which was 2 months ago. Grr. I've been there twice this morning so far and the manager has been out both times.

As Erma Bombeck says, if life is a bowl of cherries, what am I doing in the pits.

Have fun with your project!