Hi Linda and Worth,
Thanks for the encouragement and advice, although, Worth, I think your recommended remedies are perhaps more akin to a pre-colonoscopy colon cleanse or an organ transplant than to a heart bypass
!
I just reexamined one of my afflicted plants and the curled top is darker than usual - but more of a VERY dark green rather than brown or black. Also the top leaf group (most of the lower leafs have dried up and dropped off) has a curl like a hand making a downward claw-like grip - if that means anything as far as diagnosis.
Fortunately, I have (generally) ungrafted back-ups for all but a couple of the varieties I've lost. (Most of my plants are grafted this year). I'm not all that concerned about some of the losses as the person who I normally give quite a few plants to told me he doesn't want any plants this year! He prefers the ones "like you get in the grocery store" and is going to pick up a couple of Early Girls and Big Beef at Lowes
. He told me that last year he just had too many tomatoes to pick and finally had some friends who own a Chinese Restaurant come over and pick all they wanted!! Sheesh!
Now I have to find some new willing vicitims for my gift of plants. If I have many leftover, they'll no doubt be making a trip to Dr. Frankenstein's grafting lab
!
Anyway, thanks again for the advice - I'll go easy on the fertilizer next time!
Anne