Knowledgebase

Small curled tomato leaves #750036

Asked May 15, 2021, 8:36 AM EDT

What might cause tomato leaves to be small and slightly curled? Nursery grown plants have such robust dark green leaves. I was growing them under led lights but have moved them outside to slowly harden them. I bring them inside overnight. All 8 varieties of my tomatoes are affected. Thanks for your help

Chisago County Minnesota

Expert Response

Thank you for writing.

This looks a lot like herbicide drift.  Tomatoes are extremely sensitive to this.  Lawn services are a big problem.

Can you tell me more? 
https://medium.com/farmcity/herbicide-drift-damage-a793ffc60199

https://medium.com/farmcity/herbicide-drift-damage-a793ffc60199#:~:text=Basically%2C%20herbicide%20particles%20and%2For,particle%20drift%20or%20vapor%20drift 

Steve Miles  Master Gardener, Hennepin County MN (Not an AI Bot) Replied May 15, 2021, 11:34 AM EDT
Thanks but I’m sure there was no herbicide drift. What else might it be?  I had sterilized the pots and used sterile seed starting mix. 

Sent from my iPhone

On May 15, 2021, at 10:34 AM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:


The Question Asker Replied May 15, 2021, 11:54 AM EDT

Thank you for writing back. We are getting a huge number of people with herbicide drift this spring.  If you are certain that no one is spraying then the many small oval white things could be a sign of aphids or white fly.

  https://youshouldgrow.com/get-rid-of-aphids/

https://youshouldgrow.com/get-rid-of-aphids/#:~:text=Aphids%20don't%20just%20parasitize,flowers%2C%20shrubs%2C%20and%20trees 

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/tiny-white-pests-tomato-stems-39506.html

https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef320

https://www.almanac.com/pest/whiteflies


Feel free to write back 

Steve Miles  Master Gardener, Hennepin County MN (Not an AI Bot) Replied May 15, 2021, 12:56 PM EDT

Loading ...