A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Food Garden Forum Those curling up leaves of the tomato now show brown mold

Hi, new here and find this forum a 'good 'un'. Read some old posts (2003 & 2006?) about tomato plants with their leaves curling up. I have ten plants, and two of the store (big box) bought variety have had a problem with the leaves curling up on the bottom tier. I pruned the curling ones and have had no color changes nor mold to note to date. Today, before the tropical rain here in Indiana, found some more leaves starting to curl. On the underside was a light dusting of mold, almost tan in color. Having experienced some other molds, I know the color may change in time. Guessing I need to hit it with some chemicals. Any suggestions?

Thanks, John

Can you post a picture, John?

And welcome!

(Can someone move this to the tomato forum?)

Marcia, I'll try to get some pics tomorrow of it. Not sure it will show the mold. The plants look VERY healthy, but the sight of the mold this morning was a bit discomforting.

John

Marcia, my grandson is here this morning so those pictures will have to wait. The other six tomato plants are now showing curling leaves at the bottom of the plant after yesterday's monsoon. Will take pictures later, but have decided to do the fungicide very soon.

John

Grandson gone and went. Good kid. And a full day of sun after 3/4 of an inch of rain on Friday and 1 and 1/2 inches yesterday. I've got cold feet now over the fungicide thing. Maybe that curling of the leaves on the lower branches of the tomato is a natural thing. The mold I saw yesterday is gone, washed away by mother nature. And golly, the plants look so good. They have now eclipsed the top of the four foot farm field fence and look very healthy and strong with lots of fruit. Got to give them a chance to do their thing.
And Marcia, I will post a picture, just have to download the software and remember how to make a jpeg. But its been an interesting year for the garden. Kohlrabi and Swiss chard were good, both lettuces bountiful, ALL the potatoes bore 'fruit' (a treat of poison, be careful, and are the bats eating those things?), and the beats, carrots, and okra are looking good. Gee whiz,thinking of trying to keep this one going thru October.
Yep, thinking about foregoing the fungicide, sure would like someone else's opion though. Let me know what you all are thinking.


John

Fungicide on tomatoes is primarily used as a preventitive, not a cure. However, there is a product that is highly touted as an organic fungicide/insecticide/miticide which cannot hurt you or the plant (at least as far as current studies show.) It is Neem Oil, a plant derivitive, and is sold under different labels, Neem Oil, 3-in-1 garden spray, and another one or 2 names.
I have sprayed only once in the 8 years I've been growing heirloom tomatoes, but I do prune leaves that look REALLY bad...some yellowing, curling, insect bites, etc. don't concern me much. What I do detest is stink bugs/leaf footed bugs, they make tiny injections similar to mosquito bites that cause tomato fruits to gradually deform and then ferment. Hate 'em, hate 'em. I mostly control them by holding one hand under the bug and flicking it into that hand, then crushing them.

I squash them between my thumb & forefinger!

Your garden sounds awesome, John. Looking forward to seeing photos of it all. I see no reason why you can't keep most of this stuff growing up to first frost! Where in Indiana are you?