Strange tomato leaf and bud curl and leaf development. What is going on?!

Tobykeane

Hi all,
I have some strange leaf curl and development in my tomato plants this year. Can anyone please identify? Many thanks

Strange leaf development:


Leaf and bud curl

purplerallim

I am in no way an expert , but on here in the last few weeks we have been discussing fascination.  This is where damage to a plant causes odd growth. This year has been bad for green/black fly which is one way the damage happens.  Your plants look very affected to be this but you never know. Other than this it's been another odd season start with fluctuating temperatures which could be another factor. Hopefully someone will come up with a definite answer for you. 

JennyJ

Another possibility could be weedkiller damage, eg if lawn feed and weed stuff has been used nearby and some of it has drifted on the breeze.  Tomatoes are very susceptible.

Tobykeane

JennyJ said:

Another possibility could be weedkiller damage, eg if lawn feed and weed stuff has been used nearby and some of it has drifted on the breeze.  Tomatoes are very susceptible.

Hi Jenny, Yes I think you are right, after some more digging I have come to a similar conclusion. I recently attempted to rejuvenate lawn, this meant putting down weedkiller/grass rejuvenator in pellet form to rid the grass of weeds and also used a spray gun on some of the more stubborn weeds some of which were close to my tomatoes. I thought I was being cautious by only applying it to the base of the weeds but it is entirely possible (and seemingly now so) that some of it must have got on the wind and on to my tomatoes. Funnily enough though, not all of them have been affected, the ones that seem to be ok are F1 varieties so seemingly less susceptible which is interesting. 

Does anyone have any advice as to whether the tomatoes from the affected plants will be OK to eat or should I avoid and just count this season as a right off? Such a shame, I am kicking my self! 

Thank you both for your comments. 

Pete.8

I reckon they're probably ok.
The plants grow quickly this time of year and hot days followed by cool nights will cause leaf curl and black/purple markings on some parts of the plant.
If you get black 'bruises' on the leaf stems or stalk then it's likely blight - but yours do not have that.
I'd carry on as you are, feeding weekly with tomato food.
See how they go over the next week or so, if they're no better by then, it may be something more sinister, but wait and see what happens.