Marianne's Response
Why Are My Tomatoes Malformed?
Some of my potted tomato plants developed a severly twisted form with no real leaves. They are right next to other plants that are fine. What is causing this?
Posted by David Bush on June 3, 2024
Marianne's Response
There are several reasons for tomato leaf twist or curl. It could be as simple as too much wind or too much heat so check to see if the affected tomatoes are closer to a fan or get more heat than the others. Another cause is transplant shock if the plants were recently transplanted into the pots. The more serious reasons are viral diseases. If you send an image it will be easier to identify the problem. If a viral infection is the cause, you should remove and destroy the infected plants to save your healthy plants. Here are some clues:
Curly Top Tomato Virus: twisted leaves that turn yellow with purple veins
Leaf Curl Virus: Leaves cup upwards as they twist
I suggest you isolate the infected plants right away and if wind or heat or transplant is not the issue then sacrifice the infected plants for the health of the others.
Keep growing, Marianne Binetti
