[mad dogs and us two]

Hello All

The tomatoes plants and a lone pepper plant in my polytunnel are behaving a bit strangely, the leaves  on the pepper are flipping over to the opposite side of the plant so that the underside of the leaf is facing up and the leaves and stems of the toms are curling and twisting.

The cucs and melons on the other side of the tunnel are all thriving.

Can anyone tell me what on earth is going on?

I have inspected the plants with a magnifying glass, by daylight and torchlight, and completely failed to find any bugs or mould.

Here's hoping

Steve

[Fluffywelshsheep]

vetalation? or lack of it

[Townie]

Hope this helps...

Curling leaves can be the start of several different tomato diseases: Curly Top, Mosaic and Fusarium all start this way. However, if no additional symptoms appear, you simply have a case of Tomato Leaf Roll. This occurs more characteristically with certain varieties (Big Boy, for example) and although it is somewhat a mystery, it usually shows up after excessive rainfall or over watering. When the soil stays wet for too long, the older leaves on the lower half of the plant start to curl (roll) upward. In a few days, after the soil dries out, it may just go away. It's also thought that this condition can be caused by intense sunlight, which causes the accumulation of carbohydrates in the plant. It doesn't seem to have an adverse affect on yields, so unless other symptoms follow, it's nothing to worry about. Even feeding and watering-about 1 inch per week (more in hotter parts of the country) will produce the best yields. Water in the morning and from the bottom of the plant to keep leaves dry and help prevent disease.

I wonder if the plants on the other side of your polytunnel get more sunlight,than the side the toms are on ?  thus your toms are not drying out as quickly...

I know I learned something from reading into this, I water mine daily in the morning, theyre in the greenhouse, but over the last few days its not been so sunny here and the soil has still been wet looking when i get in from work, will need to keep an eye on this, as I dont want loads of leaves.

This is the link to the info http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf171119.tip.html

[mad dogs and us two]

Thanks for the link Townie, I will let toms dry out a little before I water again and Fluffywelshsheep I will also look at improving ventilation as it does get a tad hot in there, although the cucs and melons seem to love it.

Thanks for your help

Steve

[Fluffywelshsheep]

cus and melon like it hot i think but toms like circulating air.
I think am right with that
linz

[mad dogs and us two]

Oops!

[Fluffywelshsheep]

how this going ?

[mad dogs and us two]

Good afternoon, time for an update.

The cucs and melons are doing really well - have harvested three cucs already, though the first one was quite bitter, which led to another panic and some internet searching as to why, (far too many opinions to list) and still no clue as to why the first one was duff.
The tomatoes haven't got any worse, or better, although on cooler cloudy days they put up straight shoots as soon as the sun comes out for any length of time then start to curl again so I think that proves that it is the heat stressing the plants rather than any disease, which is quite a relief.
I have moved three tomato plants outside the tunnel to see if they can survive a transplant this late, they are about three feet tall and quite well  rooted so not that easy to move, they are not dead yet so I think this may be the way to go for this year.
Next year I will divide the tunnel into two so that different conditions can be maintained, I have purchased a solar powered fan which might help with ventilation but am reluctant to try it yet as I don't want to upset the cucs.

Thanks FSW and Townie for much needed help

Steve

[Fluffywelshsheep]

thats okay it's all trial and error in most of my gardenning. Even thought i have been a gardenner since small, Btw i wont be doing the cardboard thing again as it now have mushrooms in my veg patch oops !!!!!

I guess  nothing better than digging up the earth and removing the weed properly.
Althought the too I have done isn't much different with weeds at the moment just got mushrooms (which i don't no the variety so they  going in the bin in case they are baddies)

[carrumba0095]

AHA!! That's why my tomato plants are all curling up at the leaf!  Where my greenhouse is, the tomatoes are in full sun (still not put the shading on... definetely this weekend!!) and the cucumbers are fine!  The cucumbers are toward the back of the greenhouse and get a lot less light.  That would certainly explain it as the toms are watered every day.  Varieties are Big Boy, Roma and Sparta.  Lots of fruit so happy except the leaves!   

[carrumba0095]

now my tomatoes have blossom end rot! Can't win!!!