Curly tomato leaves HELP

[Catherine]

Last year we lost all our tomatoes to blight, and the year before so this year is our last trying to grow these blessed things. Again today I find that our Roma ? tomato plants have curly leaves and they have pale yellow colouring with now rust coloured spots it this blight again or is there something I can do. I dont know how to put a photo on the website so I can't show you what I mean. I am so disappointed with them again. IF I do have blight then that is it no more toms.

[macmac]

I'll be interested in the replies to this Catherine,I don't have problemsYET..... But the last two years no toms and they are the one thing you really can't replicate at the greengrocers

[FelixLeiter]

Again today I find that our Roma ? tomato plants have curly leaves and they have pale yellow colouring with now rust coloured spots it this blight again or is there something I can do.

There haven't been the conditions for blight in the UK so far this season, except for a small incidence at the southernmost tip of Cornwall. Anyway, this doesn't sound like blight. Curly leaves are usually due to a chill, or at least to fluctuating temperatures. Pale yellow colouration may be due to some nutrient imbalance. If it's only the lower leaves showing these symptoms, it's reasonable to expect them to turn as a matter of course, as new leaves develop further up to replace them. But without an image, it's hard to be certain.
Are your tomatoes outdoors, or under glass? If you want to avoid blight, keep the leaves dry. This is easy indoors — simply restrict all watering to directly at the roots. You can always spray your plants with a prophylactic fungicide to prevent blight, if you absolutely want to avoid it. Alas, once a plant gets blight, it cannot be treated, but it can be prevented from becoming infected. I've never had much success with Roma either indoors or outdoors in Britain; it's a variety developed for more southern climes. (It is at this point that I have to duck to avoid the barrage of posts from gardeners who have triumphed with this variety.)

I dont know how to put a photo on the website so I can't show you what I mean.

When you submit a message, click on the Choose File button on the submission form and choose the image file you want to show.

[John]

I agree with Felix.
Without a little more detail about how you are growing your toms, it difficult to pinpoint exactly what the nutrient problem might be. However I would suggest watering with a solution of Epsom salts as toms are susceptible to a lack magnesium and its symptoms are similar to what you have mentioned.
Epsom salt is magnesium sulphate and your garden centre will have it - Chempak Magnesium is also the same stuff. Do not use kitchen table salt as this is a different chemical. The dilution rate will be on the packet but I use 2 tsp per gallon as a regular feed. Add a few drops of washing up liquid and you can use some of the solution as a foliar feed and pour the rest onto the root area.
Some people add a couple of tbs of Epsom salt to the soil at planting time.

John

PS Its cheap easy to use, won't do any harm and is said to reduse blossom end rot problems!

PPS Like you I've had lots of blight problems in recent years but find the bush/tumbler type plants grown in say 12" pots up near the house have been very successful as an outdoor tom.