Getting tired of repeating things. Do a search. There are many threads already posted about this problem.

sorry i bothered you you must be a miserable person i hope things get better for ya.And this is my first post,and and I did do a search and found many things so i thought I would ask.And think its a weed killer problem from the post after mine.Would have took less effort and time if you would have answered instead of complained.

Right under your post! Imagine that;)

Welcome roofer. I commend you for spending the time to take pictures of the issue you're seeing with your maters. I had the same thing several years ago on tomatoes my aunt gave me. I took the tomatoes to the extension agent and the botanic gardens. No luck. My aunt finally figured out it was herbicide runoff coming from her county's spraying of the barrow pits.

There are a lot of kind, helpful people on this forum with a wealth of experience. Many have saved me from tomato-fatal mistakes without those people ever knowing it. Searches, as you discovered, sometimes work and other times don't. Different problems can have similar symptoms. If I'm not comfortable with my diagnosis after I've looked as best I can, I think I'm better off with asking one of the experts. I hope you don't hesitate to do so again should the need ever arise.

Hi roofer and welcome. ;) Just ignore Taz. He seems determined to insult everyone lately. My apologies to you.

Looking at your pics I'd be inclined to agree with mrs. b's info. Any chance of herbicide drift in your area? It can drift for quite a distance.

If so then the good news is that in most cases the plants will grow out of it. If not, then is there any sign of pests on the plants? Underside of the leaves?

One other possibility - but relatively slim one from the pics - is what is called 'tomato leaf roll' caused by stress. Usually, although there are other causes too, it is because of inconsistent soil moisture levels - soaked followed by way too dry, then drenched again. Been having lots of rain? How much and how often do you water? Ground in the pics looks awfully dry. Do you usually mulch around your plants?

Dave

Thanks everyone and yes I sprayed my yard for weeds thought I was careful enough but must have got some on them they seem healthy still. We had a couple days rain a while ago but hot and dry the last week or so I water once a week and soak it I tilled about 10 inches deep so its well drained.Im sure its the weed killer the only ones affected are on the edges of the grass. No mulch yet but plan to.Hope they make it started them indoors in first of March they have big tomato's already cant wait to eat some. I will post the outcome if they come out of it.
Thanks again and hope you all have a great memorial day.

Tom

"Thanks everyone and yes I sprayed my yard for weeds thought I was careful enough but must have got some on them they seem healthy still."

The damage on the plants in the pictures looks to me like the effects of 2,4-D herbicide commonly found in products like Weed-B-Gone and Weed-Stop lawn herbicides. It's a broadleaf herbicide to which tomatoes are very sensitive.

Also, in certain types of weather, particularly hot and humid conditions, 2,4-D can become "aerosol-ized" (I don't know the actual technical name for this phenomenon) and drift a considerable distance even in a slight or imperceptible breeze.

2,4-D disrupts normal cell division and orderly tissue growth, and the plant kind of grows itself to death. If your tomato plants survive, it means the dosage was miniscule and the newer growth will eventually stabilize and grow out of the damaged lower parts of the plant.

When applying 2,4-D as spray, follow the label directions carefully, avoid spraying in the middle of hot sunny days, always cease or avoid spraying when wind speed exceeds 2 - 5 mph (I believe is the recommendation), etc. When spraying lawn herbicides, I add a few drops of dish detergent as a surfactant (sticker) and spray very early in the morning when there is dew on the grass blades. Hold the wand close to the ground, set the nozzle so the mist is not super fine and the droplets, while still tiny, have just a bit of weight, and selectively spray target vegetation.

An effective method to avoid herbicide drift is to apply a "weed and feed" product where the 2,4D is mixed in granulated form with the fertilizer. This should be applied as a post emergent on actively growing target weeds, again in the morning is a good time when the dew helps the product stick to the weeds.

I don't know what particular weeds were your target. 2,4-D does not kill crabgrass, for example, only broadleaf weeds. And when you get close to tomato plants, you might want to switch to a manual means of weed removal or try this technique for clumped weeds like dandelions, wild violets, etc.: Take a 3-foot length of 3/4 or 1-inch dia. PVC, duct tape a piece of sponge to one end and securely bind the taped area with twine, partially fill the tube with Roundup and cork the other end, walk around the yard and just dab the target weeds.

For more noxious pests like Taz, extermination seems too brutal but isolation is an option.

Take a 3-foot length of 3/4 or 1-inch dia. PVC, duct tape a piece of sponge to one end and securely bind the taped area with twine, partially fill the tube with Roundup and cork the other end, walk around the yard and just dab the target weeds.

Neat idea hoosier! I'd been using a small bucket and paint brush but your set-up would eliminate all the bending and stooping that kills the back. Thanks.

Dave

I think we have to bear in mind the disposition of Taz's namesake.

**Grin**

Betsy

It was said " in certain types of weather, particularly hot and humid conditions, 2,4-D can become "aerosol-ized" (I don't know the actual technical name "

The word is volatilized.

Thanks, Jean. I guess that means the droplets almost become a "vapor" and can drift about on the slightest breath of wind? This is what I was trying to convey and it can be death on tomatoes if what lands on the leaves is still concentrated enough. Thanks for that word.

Take a 3-foot length of 3/4 or 1-inch dia. PVC, duct tape a piece of sponge to one end and securely bind the taped area with twine, partially fill the tube with Roundup and cork the other end, walk around the yard and just dab the target weeds.

Good idea!! It was weed-be-gone that I used They have looked like that for about a week.Some new leaves look like there growing normal hopefully they pull through.I have several tomato's close to soft ball size on these plants wonder if there safe to eat? TheyÂre still green and growing

How soon after you sprayed Weed-B-Gone did the leaf abnormailty express itself?

I cannot comment on food safety issues, not expert or qualified at that. Just trying to determine the likelihood that it was indeed 2,4-D.

not sure exactly but with-in a week

atomized? vaporized?

Recent years have shown an increase of tomato leaves being affected by weed killers. Already my Neves Azorean Reds are acting up though no-one nearby had done any spraying. It travels great distances as you all know. There's more weed killer than fertilizer at our local hardware store, and that's insane. Wouldn't hurt if they warned users a little more strenuously that they're wrecking the local gardens. Rant over.