Several tomato plants yellow and curled

Post Reply
abfab2021
Reactions:
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2025 11:33 pm

Several tomato plants yellow and curled

#1

Post: # 142327Unread post abfab2021
Tue Jan 07, 2025 12:17 am

IMG20250107125514.jpg
IMG20250107125512.jpg
IMG20250107125509.jpg
3-4 of the plants are yellow and curled, mostly in the same area. Other plants are more green and looking better. I did have an aphid problem a few days ago but i sprayed and rubbed the leaves with 2:100 neem oil and water and dish soap.

Maybe I need to test the soil. There was some cement mixing in the area before but chilis are 1 row closer to the mixing area.

The ground is basically a construction dump, old concrete and clay debris many years ago. weeds were growing great before I started planting. I just dug some holes and added potting soil spaced about 2 feet apart. Tomatillos and some chilis are doing well, some chilis are struglling to grow.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

User avatar
Shule
Reactions:
Posts: 3106
Joined: Thu Dec 12, 2019 3:29 pm
Location: SW Idaho, USA

Re: Several tomato plants yellow and curled

#2

Post: # 142330Unread post Shule
Tue Jan 07, 2025 2:01 am

It looks like the roots are etiher damaged or aren't established enough for the amount of sun it's getting.

I would suspect something like one of these scenarios being the issue:
* Hardening-off issues
* Wind
* Soil drying out too quickly; mulch might help, or maybe drip irrigation; organic matter can helped, too (I'm not saying you should add it after the plants are transplanted)
* Nutrient imbalance or deficiency; I'm guessing fertilizer would help
* A soil pest
Location: SW Idaho, USA
Climate: BSk
USDA hardiness zone: 6
Elevation: 2,260 feet

User avatar
MissS
Reactions:
Posts: 6520
Joined: Fri Dec 13, 2019 4:55 am
Location: SE Wisconsin Zone 5b

Re: Several tomato plants yellow and curled

#3

Post: # 142343Unread post MissS
Tue Jan 07, 2025 8:35 am

My guess is that since there is concrete and clay debris, that the soil is very alkaline and that the plants are having issues trying to take up nutrients. I do see a little early blight but that isn't something terrible. I would feed them with a liquid fertilizer and get some organic mulch on them. Something like straw, grass clippings or wood chips will work. This will help to add nutrients and to hold some moisture in the soil as well.

Where are you located?
~ Patti ~
AKA ~ Hooper

Seven Bends
Reactions:
Posts: 821
Joined: Sun Aug 02, 2020 3:25 pm
Location: Northern Virginia

Re: Several tomato plants yellow and curled

#4

Post: # 142354Unread post Seven Bends
Tue Jan 07, 2025 11:10 am

Given the cement/concrete history, I agree with @MissS that your problem is likely to be high soil pH and resulting nutrient uptake issues. A soil test from a lab would be a good idea, or you can buy a cheap pH meter and test it yourself, or you can just guess this is the problem and see if you can fix it.

First, you really need to remove all those chunks of concrete -- not just from the surface, but from the root zone, so 6-8" down and at least three feet in all directions around the plants. Obviously you have to be careful near the plants so you don't destroy the existing roots. Get as much out now as you can without hurting the plants, and if you try again here next year, remove it all before planting.

Next, water the plants with a weak solution of vinegar in water (maybe two tablespoons of regular apple cider vinegar in each gallon of water) -- this is a very temporary fix and may not help at all.

Apply elemental sulfur or aluminum sulfate to lower the pH, but you'll have to work it down into the soil. This, too, is just a temporary solution, but it lasts longer than the vinegar treatment. Add fertilizer -- liquid fertilizer like Miracle Gro would be a good place to start. Add a thick layer of plant-material mulch.

In addition to the pH issues, I'd be somewhat concerned about possible toxic chemicals from the past activity on that land. Maybe this just isn't a good spot to garden in-ground?

One other thought -- how did the plants look before you applied the neem and dish soap treatment? Were they green and healthy-looking, other than maybe some wilting from the aphids?

abfab2021
Reactions:
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2025 11:33 pm

Re: Several tomato plants yellow and curled

#5

Post: # 142414Unread post abfab2021
Tue Jan 07, 2025 10:57 pm

I tested the ph and its around 8. Not very accurate as i used colored strips. But seemed close to 8. We use water from a concrete pond that was built 1 year ago but the 2nd waterfall was just finished 2 weeks ago and it was coated with a thin coat of epoxy so its probably still leeching a bit of akaline into water. Fish in the pond are fine but water ph is between 7-8, a little less dark green on ph strip than the soil was. I just ordered some hydrochloric to lower pond ph. Maybe to 6.8 to 7. Should help with watering

I have ordered sulfur and it should arrive soon. There is a very small amount of good soil mixed with concrete debris and clay, but the debris goes deep. We mixed coco fiber, humus, and soil for the holes we dug. The main ones I see affected plants are closer to where the concrete was mixed. But the chili plants which are closest to the mixing area are doing better.

I added a few, 3 little granules of fertilizer to each plant a few days ago and a table spoon of guano.

They were getting a little yellow and curled before neem oil. After inspecting i found aphids on many plants so thats why i sprayed neem.

I am of the opinion the main problem is ph.

abfab2021
Reactions:
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2025 11:33 pm

Re: Several tomato plants yellow and curled

#6

Post: # 142418Unread post abfab2021
Wed Jan 08, 2025 12:36 am

In the markets where I live there is usually aroun 3 kinds of chilis and maybe 20 vegetables that every stall has. I was so bored of eating the same thing so I decided to use all exotic species. It seems the ones that are common in the market are thriving a lot better and fruiting already. Maybe because the seeds were fresher or just well suited for the climate. Its hot and tropical here. Dry season.

User avatar
Whwoz
Reactions:
Posts: 3064
Joined: Wed Dec 11, 2019 12:08 am
Location: Trafalgar, Victoria, Australia

Re: Several tomato plants yellow and curled

#7

Post: # 142420Unread post Whwoz
Wed Jan 08, 2025 2:21 am

@abfab2021 sounds like you are starting down the right path with the organic matter being your best friend long term. I wound up in a similar situation due to imported soil with a high pH and organic matter has made a big difference to my plants. Establish a compost bin or two if you can, you simply cannot have too much of it.

It would also be helpful to put your location in your profile as it would allow others from a similar climate to suggest other varieties for you to grow and maybe there is someone close by who could offer suggestions for material sources.

One other thing you may want to consider is starting a grow log (glog) on here. These not only allow others to see what you are doing and offer suggestions and support, but they also serve as garden diaries allowing one to look back over time to see what you have done and either repeat if good or modify if not so good.

User avatar
MissS
Reactions:
Posts: 6520
Joined: Fri Dec 13, 2019 4:55 am
Location: SE Wisconsin Zone 5b

Re: Several tomato plants yellow and curled

#8

Post: # 142497Unread post MissS
Thu Jan 09, 2025 8:40 am

May I suggest that you use the 1 T of vinegar to a gallon of water once every couple of weeks and see if it helps. It is cheap. While the sulfur is great for lowering ph, it is very slow acting and needs plenty of time to break down before you will notice any results. It will not be helping this seasons plants much at all. You will notice the results in the following season.
~ Patti ~
AKA ~ Hooper

User avatar
JayneR13
Reactions:
Posts: 584
Joined: Tue Dec 08, 2020 9:26 am
Location: Wisconsin zone 5B

Re: Several tomato plants yellow and curled

#9

Post: # 142817Unread post JayneR13
Tue Jan 14, 2025 10:10 am

I would suggest a lab soil test. That will give a much more accurate and detailed picture than the Rapitest materials. My favorite is Soil Savvy, which is very easy to use and tests many nutrients as well as pH. Your local Extension might offer soil testing as well but do look at what tests they actually do for the price.

https://www.mysoilsavvy.com/
“People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.”

George Bernard Shaw

abfab2021
Reactions:
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2025 11:33 pm

Re: Several tomato plants yellow and curled

#10

Post: # 143526Unread post abfab2021
Sat Jan 25, 2025 8:58 am

I am starting to think this is yellow leaf curl virus

I do see little white insects fly off the plants when i haven't sprayed them for a few days. I thought they were aphids but they could be white flies.

I have added sulfur granules, but I also started diluting sulfuric acid into water I draw from the fish pond. I bring it to around a 5-6 ph before watering. Seems to be affecting more plants now. What would happen if I used ozonated water on the plants, or should I just burn them? Hate to let them all go.
IMG20250125180849.jpg
IMG_20250125_181655.jpg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

User avatar
MissS
Reactions:
Posts: 6520
Joined: Fri Dec 13, 2019 4:55 am
Location: SE Wisconsin Zone 5b

Re: Several tomato plants yellow and curled

#11

Post: # 143563Unread post MissS
Sat Jan 25, 2025 3:40 pm

I wouldn't give up on these yet. You certainly have nothing to lose and can learn a lot by trying out things to see what works.

I still recommend that you use some liquid fertilizer like Miracle Grow to give the plants some quick nitrogen. I also suggest that you add 1 tablespoon of Epsom Salts to a gallon of water along with the fertizer and spray your plants with it. Do this only in the morning or the evening. You don't want to spray in the high sun or it will burn your plants. If you do this, I think that you will see your plants green up a bit overnight.

I think that I do see a white fly on your plant. If there is one then there is more.
~ Patti ~
AKA ~ Hooper

abfab2021
Reactions:
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2025 11:33 pm

Re: Several tomato plants yellow and curled

#12

Post: # 143580Unread post abfab2021
Sat Jan 25, 2025 9:35 pm

There's quite a lot of white insects that fly off the plants when I come around them. Not sure if it's white flies. I mixed a low concentration of hydroponic a b liquid into my water after lowering pH of water. About 1/3 of what's recommended for hydroponic water

User avatar
MissS
Reactions:
Posts: 6520
Joined: Fri Dec 13, 2019 4:55 am
Location: SE Wisconsin Zone 5b

Re: Several tomato plants yellow and curled

#13

Post: # 143605Unread post MissS
Sun Jan 26, 2025 9:31 am

That sounds like white flies. You will find most of the on the undersides of the leaves. For them I use 1 teaspoon of Dawn dish soap into a gallon of water and spray both sides of the leaves in low light. It will smother the insects. I also have good results with Neem Oil sprayed on both sides of the leaves, again in low light situations.
~ Patti ~
AKA ~ Hooper

Post Reply

Return to “Diseases, Pests & Cures”