Nigel on tomatoes
Why are my tomato leaves curling?
Leaf curl looks dramatic, but Nigel starts with stress, watering rhythm, and recent weather before blaming disease.
If your tomato plant suddenly looks like it has clenched its jaw, Nigel does not begin with catastrophe. He starts with what changed this week.
What Nigel checks first
Tomato leaves curl most often after a sharp swing in heat, watering, or feeding. A plant that was comfortable on Monday and blistered by Thursday will show it in the leaves before it shows it in the fruit.
Nigel also wants to know whether the curl is upward or downward, whether new growth is affected, and whether the plant still looks vigorous overall.
- Recent heat spikes or drying wind
- Heavy pruning or sudden fertilizer enthusiasm
- Inconsistent watering after a dry stretch
- Aphids or other sap-sucking pests on new growth
When to worry less and observe more
If the plant is still flowering, setting fruit, and the leaves remain green, Nigel usually treats it as stress management rather than a crisis. Correct the rhythm first, then watch the next flush of leaves.
If you see mottling, distortion across the whole plant, or widespread decline, that is the moment to show Nigel the full plant by camera and talk it through live.