Tomato leaves can give you a pretty good idea of how your plants are doing, so it’s hard to miss when they start curling. The tricky part is figuring out why it’s happening, since curled leaves can result from hot weather, watering problems, pests, disease, or even the stress of being moved to a new spot.
Before trying to fix anything, take a closer look at the plant. Check when the curling began and look for other signs, such as yellowing, spots, misshapen new leaves, or insects hiding underneath the foliage. Some problems need attention, while others are temporary reactions to changes in the growing conditions.
Here are 10 common reasons tomato leaves curl and what you can do about each one.
Heat and Weather Stress
Tomato plants can react to hot afternoons, sudden temperature changes, and other rough weather by curling their leaves. Keep the soil evenly moist during hot spells, and try giving plants some afternoon shade if they struggle in direct heat.
Related: Stop Making These Common Mistakes When Watering Your Garden
Watering and Drainage Problems
Tomatoes can develop curled leaves if they receive too little water or sit in overly wet soil. Check the soil before watering, give plants a deep drink when it starts to dry, and improve drainage if water tends to collect around the roots.
Related: 10 Garden “Pests” You Should Think Twice About Removing
Wind Damage
Strong winds can dry out tomato leaves and leave them curled, twisted, or torn. If your garden gets frequent gusts, try adding a windbreak or moving containers to a more sheltered spot where the plants can still get enough sunlight.
Related: 15 Vegetables That Bring Helpful Pollinators to Your Garden
Herbicide Exposure
Tomato plants are sensitive to certain weed killers, and even limited exposure can cause new leaves to curl, twist, or grow in unusual shapes. Spray drift is one possible source, but contaminated manure, compost, or mulch can also introduce herbicides into the garden, so check whether any of these were used recently.
Related: 12 Vegetables You Can Grow Even With Limited Garden Space
Disease
Curling leaves accompanied by yellowing, spots, stunted growth, or misshapen foliage may point to a disease. Remove badly affected plants when needed, clean your gardening tools, and watch for insects or infected plant material that could spread the problem to other tomatoes.
Pests
Aphids and whiteflies are easy to miss because they often gather on the undersides of tomato leaves. Look closely for insects, then use a strong stream of water, encourage beneficial insects, or apply an appropriate product such as insecticidal soap if an infestation needs attention.
Over-Pruning
Pruning helps improve airflow and keeps tomato plants manageable, but removing too many leaves at once can put them under stress. If the curling began after a heavy pruning session, give the plant some time to recover before cutting away more foliage.
Nutrient Problems
Too much or too little of certain soil nutrients can affect how tomato leaves grow, but curling by itself won’t tell you which nutrient is out of balance. Hold off on adding fertilizer, Epsom salt, or other soil amendments until you’ve checked for additional symptoms or had the soil tested.
Root and Transplant Stress
Tomato leaves may curl for a short time after transplanting while the roots settle into their new surroundings. Digging or cultivating too close to an established plant can also disturb its roots, so keep the soil consistently moist and avoid further digging nearby while the plant recovers.
Physiological Leaf Roll
Sometimes tomato leaves roll inward or curl without a serious disease or pest infestation being present. This condition, called physiological leaf roll, can happen in response to environmental stress, and the plant may still flower and produce tomatoes normally while some of its leaves remain curled.
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