Early Season Tomato Leaf Symptoms
Amy Ivy, Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Once tomatoes are over their initial transplant shock and begin to push out new growth, growers often breathe a sigh of relief. Most growers got their plants in later than they would have liked but finally, whether inside a tunnel or out in the field, the plants are really taking off.
Tunnel grown tomatoes get more attention from growers than field grown but it’s always a good idea to pay close attention to all your crops in an effort to catch problems early on. Here are a few leaf symptoms that may catch your eye this month. Remember you can call on any of us in the Eastern NY program to help you diagnose what’s going on.
Leaf Roll (photo A) has a dramatic look and comes on suddenly, causing quite a shock to many growers. Luckily it’s a physiological response to stress and the plants should grow out of it. It occurs most commonly the day after a heavy pruning in tunnels. If the soil is dry when you do the pruning, the stress will be even greater. Try to get into the habit of pruning a little bit every week, rather than one big pruning job less often. Sometimes it can’t be helped so make sure your plants have a good soaking and let them grow out of it.
Virus-like symptoms (photo B) are more subtle but very distinctive. Where leaf roll is usually a lengthwise curling of full-sized leaves, the various virus diseases cause cupping, oddly scalloped and cut, and odd color patterns on the leaves. This photo shows one example of what a virus can do to leaves, there are other variations but there is a similar oddity to them that makes them distinctively viral.
Magnesium deficiency (photo C) can be startling but this is not an issue. It starts on the lowest leaves and works up the plant very gradually. It first appears when the first fruit clusters begin sizing up and as long as basic nutrient needs are being met, it is not a concern. Tunnel grown tomatoes push out vigorous growth and can become deficient more quickly than field grown. A foliar sample will give you much more accurate information. Epsom salts and sul-po-mag are some sources of supplemental magnesium.
Leaf Roll (pdf; 442KB)


Upcoming Events
Blueberry Pruning Workshop

March 26, 2025
Altona, NY
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
10 am - noon
Irona Berry Haven
1897 Alder Bend Rd, Altona, NY 12910
$10 per farm
1 DEC credit requested in categories 1A, 10, and 22
Join us at Jeffrey Guerin's berry farm for a morning of pruning demonstrations, pest and disease identification, and more. Bring your own pruners so that you can learn by doing! Dress warmly for our workshop, which will be held outdoors. In the case of severe weather on the 26th, the workshop will be held at the same time on the 27th. Light refreshments will be provided.
Champlain Valley Apple Pest Management Refresher

March 27, 2025
Chazy, NY
Join us in Chazy on March 27th for some pest management updates, and to receive some additional pesticide recertification credits for your farm's certified applicators! We will be offering 2.25 DEC recertification credits in categories 22, 10, and 1A. Light refreshments will be provided, and lunch following the meeting (sponsored by Valent) is optional.
$5 per employee
Blind Industry White Wine Tasting Workshop
April 1, 2025 : Blind Industry White Wine Tasting Workshop
Germantown, NY
This event is a blind wine tasting for ENY grape industry members to get feedback from fellow growers and Cornell Enologists on unfinished white wines (hybrid, vinifera, etc.)
We respectfully request that only professional winemakers or commercial vineyard owners attend, as space is limited. Limit two wines per winery/vineyard.
Pre-registration is required. For questions, please contact Jeremy Schuster at jds544@cornell.edu