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Symptom

Curling leaves

Leaves curl to save water in heat and drought, pucker around feeding insects, and twist when growth is disturbed by viruses or weedkiller. Look underneath and at the newest growth.

Turn the leaves over first. Insects under curled leaves settle it; if there are none, think about heat, water and anything sprayed nearby.

Likely causes

Ordered from the usual answer to the less likely one. Each links to the full problem.

Recorded on Basil

  1. A colony of green aphids on the underside of a leaf Pest Common

    Aphids

    New leaves puckered around colonies of small insects.
  2. Silvery streaks from thrips on onion leaves Pest Possible

    Thrips

    Curling with silvery marks and black specks.
  3. Pale stippling from leafhoppers on a basil leaf Pest Less likely

    Leafhoppers

    Curling with pale stippling and hopping insects.

Less likely on Basil

  1. A tomato plant wilting in a hot, dry bed Light & temperature Common

    Heat stress

    Tomato leaves rolling upward in hot weather; plant otherwise fine.
  2. A drooping plant in dry, cracked soil Watering Possible

    Underwatering

    Leaves curl and droop in dry soil.
  3. Tomato leaves twisted and cupped from weedkiller Damage Possible

    Weedkiller damage

    New growth twisted, cupped or fern-like.
  4. A courgette leaf with yellow-green mosaic mottling Viral disease Less likely

    Cucumber mosaic virus

    Curled, mottled leaves on scattered plants.
  5. A tomato leaf with light and dark green mosaic mottling Viral disease Less likely

    Tomato mosaic virus

    Distorted, mottled tomato and pepper leaves.
  6. A bean leaf with mosaic mottling and puckering Viral disease Less likely

    Bean common mosaic virus

    Beans with cupped, mottled leaves.