any idea what's wrong with this?

[borgman]

This plant has looked like this it's whole life. Curled leathery leaves. I've tried cutting back on water and that doesn't help at all. Do you think it's some kind of disease?

[KarenO]

looks like physiologic leaf roll. A sign of stress in the plant - stress from heat, drought or over watering, under fertilizing, etc
big plant small pot syndrome. Keep it moist not wet, give it some fertilizer.

Karen O

[pauldavid]

Looks like it needs more water.

[digsdirt]

Agree with Karen - Physiological Tomato Leaf Roll. There are many possible contributing factors, most soil moisture related, especially in a clay pot that dries out fast. When in containers it is usually a too small container for too big a plant ratio issue.

For more info on it please see:
http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublicatio...616/PNW616.pdf

Dave

[borgman]

Originally Posted by digsdirt

Agree with Karen - Physiological Tomato Leaf Roll. There are many possible contributing factors, most soil moisture related, especially in a clay pot that dries out fast. When in containers it is usually a too small container for too big a plant ratio issue.

For more info on it please see:
http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublicatio...616/PNW616.pdf

Dave

Thanks for the link. That looks like what mines doing. The weird thing is this plant has been doing this ever since I transplanted it to the pot, and it had a lot of space to grow in at the time. The previous plant I had in the same pot was doing the same thing. I pulled it and found the root ball very small and stunted. I put a nice healthy plant in and eventually did the same thing. Also the soil at the root level wasn't overly moist or dry, seemed about perfect. The soil is a compost/espoma soil mix/pine bark fines mix so I don't think it's that. And I add tomato tone once in awhile so I don't think I'm over-fertilizing it. I also live in the Pacific NW and night temps around 50 and highs around 75.

[digsdirt]

Then the most likely stressor IMO is the medium in your container. Personally I find using compost problematic. It causes drainage problems in containers and I never use it except as a top dressing for containers. And I never use any "soil" based mixes in containers either. Soil-less mixes only is a very common recommendation. Soil based mixes compact badly over time, retard root development, develop water tables (distinct levels of varying moisture) within the container, and cause drainage problem issues.

All that boils down to very inconsistent moisture levels and even dry pockets within the pot and those levels and pockets remain no matter how much you water. In your case it is compounded by the clay pot (which I hope has drain holes in the bottom) that gets quite hot, allows for water evaporation all over the surface of the pot, and dries out quickly.

Solution - you can try babying it along for the rest of summer and hope for the best. Water it more often and give it water slowly and until it drains out the bottom. Get a wooden dowel rod and stick it deep into the pot and use it as an indicator for water needed. When you pull it out it will be damp deep down and that is the way you want to keep it.

Or you can buy a bigger non-clay pot and fill it with a good soil-less mix and transfer the plant, root ball and all into it. Leave as much of the old soil behind as possible without actively disturbing the root ball. That is what I would do. If you go that route keep it in the shade for a couple of days and well watered, it will droop for a couple days and then should perk back up and can be moved back to the sun.

Hope this helps.

Dave

[garden381]

think it needs to be topped. plant too big for small pot. soil should be 1/3 plant size.

[RayR]

Personally, I'd leave it alone. You can't control every environmental factor that may be a contributing factor to leaf roll. I see it's flowering on top, are there green tomatoes hiding in all that foliage?

[borgman]

Originally Posted by garden381

think it needs to be topped. plant too big for small pot. soil should be 1/3 plant size.

The pot isn't that small. It's a 15 gallon pot.

[borgman]

Originally Posted by RayR

Personally, I'd leave it alone. You can't control every environmental factor that may be a contributing factor to leaf roll. I see it's flowering on top, are there green tomatoes hiding in all that foliage?

those are the first flowers, up on top. No other fruit.

[borgman]

Originally Posted by digsdirt

Then the most likely stressor IMO is the medium in your container. Personally I find using compost problematic. It causes drainage problems in containers and I never use it except as a top dressing for containers. And I never use any "soil" based mixes in containers either. Soil-less mixes only is a very common recommendation. Soil based mixes compact badly over time, retard root development, develop water tables (distinct levels of varying moisture) within the container, and cause drainage problem issues.

All that boils down to very inconsistent moisture levels and even dry pockets within the pot and those levels and pockets remain no matter how much you water. In your case it is compounded by the clay pot (which I hope has drain holes in the bottom) that gets quite hot, allows for water evaporation all over the surface of the pot, and dries out quickly.

Solution - you can try babying it along for the rest of summer and hope for the best. Water it more often and give it water slowly and until it drains out the bottom. Get a wooden dowel rod and stick it deep into the pot and use it as an indicator for water needed. When you pull it out it will be damp deep down and that is the way you want to keep it.

Or you can buy a bigger non-clay pot and fill it with a good soil-less mix and transfer the plant, root ball and all into it. Leave as much of the old soil behind as possible without actively disturbing the root ball. That is what I would do. If you go that route keep it in the shade for a couple of days and well watered, it will droop for a couple days and then should perk back up and can be moved back to the sun.

Hope this helps.

Dave

Thanks. I'll try that dowel idea to see how damp it is on the bottom. I did put 3 wicks throughout the soil and through the bottom of the pot to pull the water down to try and eliminate a water table. I meant potting mix, not soil mix. It's always seemed to drain well, with water soaking in instantly wherever I water. But you must be right it has to be my soil mix. I have another similar slightly smaller plastic pot and the plant looks pretty much the same. That one I can lift to see how much water is in it and it seems to take a long time to drink the water, usually about a week. If not a disease I guess it has to be a soil/over watering problem.