By Mgoodere
Cornwall,
United Kingdom 
Our greenhouse grown tomato plants have suddenly developed curling and distorted leaves and a multitude of thick side shoots. They are not discoloured and the lower leaves are large and very healthy in appearance. The only plants which still look normal are those few growing in different compost as we ran out of the gro-bags which we used for the majority of our Gardeners Delight and Beef tomatoes which were all affected. Having looked on the internet to find comparable pictures, the most similar seem to be plants affected by aminopyralid. Is it possible that gro-bags could be contaminated? We do not use herbicides in the garden. Maggie G.
20 May, 2016
Answers
Thanks for the advice. It is just possible that they were over watered as we were away for a week and a neighbour looked after the greenhouse. However, it is strange that the tomato plants in different compost are Ok. Also, although we use the contents of gro-bags, we use them to fill large pots with good drainage . We have been growing tomatoes for about 40 years and although we have had a variety of problems over this period, we have never seen anything like this before.
Maggie G
21 May, 2016
Have you had long periods of cool and/or wet weather? Sometimes these problems correct themselves as the season warms up & more sun.
21 May, 2016
Did you make the newer compost yourself, Mgoodere? If so, did you use any sort of animal manure--probably composted--in it? Many animal manures contain residues of the long-lasting weed killers used on the pasture, even after composting.
21 May, 2016
No, we did not add our own compost. We used the contents of a particular batch of gro-bags bought in April from our garden centre. I agree that the symptoms do look similar to pictures I have seen where manure has been used and has come from animals which have eaten grass or hay contaminated with herbicides. In reply to Bathgate, we have had a cold spring but the changes took place during the week we were away which was quite warm and sunny. Also, it doesn't explain why the few plants which were planted in last year's compost have been unaffected.
21 May, 2016
Well, I was thinking, "Different compost, different ingredients, different results."
22 May, 2016
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You describe a situation called "leaf roll" typically brought on by too much water. Do your gro bags have sufficient drainage? Poke a few holes in the bottom so excess water can drain away and your plants aren't sitting in pools of water or mud. The roots need to breathe too so make sure air can get to them. Keep the soil evenly moist.
Also make sure your tomato plants aren't all crowded together. Give each plant plenty of space to maximize air and light they receive so you get lots of delicious fruit.
The side shoots are called 'suckers.' You can pinch them off or let 2 or 3 grow on. They will produce tomatoes but you don't want more then the plant can support so 2 or 3 max, then pinch off the rest.
21 May, 2016