Strange Looking

[CdnChelsea]

This spring, I grew some Heirloom Brandywine tomato plants from last years' seeds.

The initial growth was fine when they were in their containers but after planting them in the new garden, the leaves turned out all wonky yet the plants are very tall. Even the new leaves are coming out all curly. The leaves are still soft, not dried out.

I'm wondering what caused this problem?

Could it be the soil?
They are growing in a new garden with new triple mix soil.
It seems only the tomato plants are affected.
The pepper plants, asters, cleome, and some perennials in the same garden seem to be growing good without any abnormalities.
What in the soil could be causing the problem with the tomato plants?

There are other tomato plants growing in other gardens and container and they are doing well.

[Dumbo]

I think someone else in this forum said the same thing.

I also had this happen after transplant. lasted about 2 weeks.

Best I can find is this:
http://www.gardenality.com/Questions/30 ... Plant.html

Personally, I wouldn't worry about it right now unless the leaves start dying.

The leafs don't exhibit anything like what we see here on this Hort extension site:
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/publ ... lver/leaf/

If it's getting a lot of rain, maybe move it to a more sheltered spot?

[DonnaZn2SK]

I had something similar happen to a tomato I grew in a pot last year. It could be a few things: herbicide drift damage, tomato virus, or the effects of herbicides in soil additives, like manure/hay. I don't think this is just stress-related, due to overwatering or anything else. I never did get much production out of it, you might want to buy a replacement while you still have enough growing season.

[Eeyore]

I agree with Donna, replace it while you can.

[CdnChelsea]

Thank you all for trying to help. Dumbo, good link. I agree with Donna and Lyn, I am going to take those affected tomato plants out and replace them with new ones.

Last year I buried a very ripe tomato in the ground since the slugs had been eating it.
Well, lucky me the seeds from that tomato sprouted so there is lots of fairly large young plants to replace the wonky ones.

It's going to be interesting to see if the new transplants go wonky like the ones before.

[B_BQ]

How interesting!
My Brandywine plants are definitely different from other tomato plants I grow. The stems are really thick, the flowers huge, and the leaves also are a little curly. Not much but really quite different from other tomato plants. They were like that last year and are the same this year. I'm not too bothered. I reckon it's the nature of the plant. Certainly the fruit is different from other plants.
Maybe Inge will see this post and comment - she's the expert!
~BBQ

[Dumbo]

My Brandywine plants are definitely different from other tomato plants I grow. The stems are really thick

Yup. Her plant *is* "leggy".

As I stated above, mine were in the same shape. All of them. After 2 weeks they thickened up big time and the leaves didn't curl anymore.

I personally think it's a mistake to pull that up. Absolutely nothing is wrong with it, aside from needing 2 weeks to thicken up.

If we look at the history in this forum, as soon as someone says the leaves curl on their plant people are saying to toss magnesium on it or it's a disease. I fully disagree with these rash assumptions.

So, Chelsea, should humour us, leave it be, and post a pic a 2-3 weeks from now. Bet you see a big difference and flowers.

Edited.

[CdnChelsea]

Hmm.....when you mentioned leggy plants, Dumbo I think you might have hit the nail on the head. They are growing tall but no blossoms. The new raised rock garden my husband built me this spring is in a lot of shade. I didn't realize it until after the trees filled out with their leaves.

Son of a gun! Hah! High five, Marc!!

Thank you!

[Dumbo]

So are you going to humour me and leave it for a 2-3 weeks? Maybe do as others say and plant another one else-where? Do a test for us?

BTW, BBQ spotted it first and made me realize what my plants where like when this happened... But, I'll gladly take the hi-5 and pretend it was all me while I step on her toes and steal her pickle recipes.

As soon as you get the chance, tell your hubby to move the rock garden for your tomato plant (take pic's of his expression when you say that).

[OGrubber]

Recently planted?
A little rootbound or a largish seedling to begin with?
A shady spot?
I'm with Marc in the wait and see camp - give it two weeks or so.
The larger the seedling the longer it takes to adjust to real life and depending on how much shade may or may not be factoring in. It's also possible your new triple-mix doesn't have the nutrients needed, but, I'd still wait and see before I started trying to "fix" things.
Also, as Brenda mentioned, there are a lot of different leaf types and growth habits particular to any given variety of heritage tomatoes. Brandy wine should be a potato leaf - which it looks like yours is - and it's also a notoriously finicky grower/producer.

Marc - funny how the Texas [it was texas?] extention doesn't list tomato hornworms as a pest.