Ok tomato doctors.....

[longwinters]

Here is my quandary.  I started 9 tomato plants from seed.  All of them were equal and fine.  They were planted, in the garden  the same day in the same manner.  Have been given the same water and fertilizer sunlight etc...  All are the same height.


But one plant is struggling.  The leaves on the bottom are fine.  The epitome of what a healthy tomato plant should look like.  But the upper leaves are curly and twisted.   It has blossoms and even a couple small tomatoes.  But it is sick with something.


Any ideas?


Long

[Ranger99]

can't exactly say.
you might prune some of the growth
back. i prune mine back when it looks
like there are too many maters for the
vine to bring to a healthy maturity.
may also be stress of the plant trying to
produce fruit and grow foliage at the same
time. may just be nature. i've had to
prematurely pull several maters that were
obviously not going to develop into a
proper ripe mater.
you may also have to hedge your bets
and overplant like i did this year. i planted
way more seeds than i knew i could use
so i would be sure to have  a decent harvest.
i've gave away 10 or 12  extra plants and
a dozen or so maters, but i have plenty
to use here.
good luck with it

[wtxbadger]

It could be a disease called curly top which if I remember right is a virus carried by leaf hoppers. You might try doing an internet search on curly top and compare pictures of plants with the disease to yours.

wtxbadger

[longwinters]

Did the search.  Possible causes:  high winds, herbicides, aphids or too much nitrogen.  We have had some high winds but it has not effected my other plants.  I live in the middle of town and have not noticed the neighbors using herbicides plus there is the other plants being fine thing.  Aphids?  I looked at the leaves and saw no bugs or eggs.  Too much nitrogen?  Maybe but having only one plant effected this way...hmmm. 


I guess I will not fertilize it, but will spray it with Seven and with Ortho disease treatment stuff.  Oh, and I will hold my breath so as not to breath on it so its little psyche isn't hurt.  Maybe its just a "drama queen".


I should take a Master Gardener course.  I wonder if there are any on line?


Long.

[Oldshooter]

I have been thinking about this since I first read it. Cant add anything to what someone else has said except that some living things just don't do as well as others. I have 4 bell pepper plants that wont do anything and two that are going strong. It could be a bug like a cut worm but you are doing what you need to do.

[blind ear]

Cut the bad looking part off and treat the rest. You could carry it or a picture to your county agent. What do you have to lose at this point? ear

[longwinters]

What ever the problem is it isn't spreading so I guess it will be a wait and see deal. 


Long