Garden disease of the week: blossom-end rot
First the rain.
Now the diseases.
It was a cool, wet spring here in the Mid-Atlantic. And, for the most part, the plants have loved it.
But so have the bugs and the diseases. I am going to try to tackle a few of them in the days ahead.
First up, blossom-end rot. The scourge of tomato-lovers.
Take a look at the underside of your little green tomatoes. Is there a dark spot that is getting bigger each day, until it consumes half of the tomato?
That's blossom-end rot, and it is the result of too much rain and a sudden growth spurt. Or both.
My tomatoes are in containers on the deck. I am pretty sure the heavy rains not only caused the tomatoes to grow very fast, but it also essentially washed the calcium out of the soil.
It isn't contagious. It doesn't move from plant to plant. It has to do with the soil conditions under each plant. It is likely to stop appearing later in the growing season.
But it is unsightly and wasteful.
One answer is a foliar spray designed to return calcium to the plant. Spray the leaves or the fruit every week or so, but not more often. It won't hurt you if consumed.
The other answer is to take eggshells, crush them and sprinkle them around the plant. I got that advice from James at Bowens Farm Market in Annapolis. That, too, will increase the calcium in the plant.
Me? I'm doing both.
Photo courtesy of Purdue University
Comments
I'm sure it's just coincdence, but the only times I've ever had Blossom End Rot were when I've grown tomatoes in pots. (Of course, having said that, I'm sure that when I get home....)
Posted by: Eve | July 8, 2009 8:50 AM
Next season try placing crumbed up egg shells at the bottom of your hole beneath each plant's roots. This will provide vital calcium to the plants.
Make sure to follow an even watering schedule - this is hugely important to the temperamental tomato.
I've successfully grown tomatoes in containers, but you need to replace the majority of the soil each year with a fresh batch. Make sure to use a well draining mix of good dirt and compost and above all make sure the bottom of the container drains out excess water.
Thanks for the advice! The rain was the culprit, I think. Made even levels of watering impossible. And I do change out my dirt every year. And scrub the containers with a solution of bleach and water to prevent diseases from carrying over. You are right. Tomatoes are tempermental! --Susan
Posted by: the rural independent | July 8, 2009 10:29 AM
A gardener friend of mine just told me the other day that sprinkling eggshells around the base of tomato plants will help them keep producing later into the season. I wonder if it's too late to make a difference? But I am trying a little experiment: I am using eggshells on half my plants to see if there is any difference. I'll report back!
I am right there with you...eggshells on both plants in containers. I will report back, too!--Susan
Posted by: Deborah | July 8, 2009 8:11 PM
The good news: it's not really "rot", it's just scar tissue on the fruit. Slice off the damage and the rest is absolutely edible. It's only disastrous if you are selling at a market - in the salads at home, no one needs to know except the cook.
It's a problem here in Arizona, not because of lack of calcium because our soil is loaded with calcium. The water is too; we could sell it as a foliar spray to y'all.
Here, it's caused by uneven water supply to the developing fruits, and there's no way to keep the watering even at 110°F. I get it on some of the tomatoes, and to a lesser extent on the eggplant and chiles.
That's exactly what I did!!!! Can't bear to waste tomatoes of any description--Susan
Posted by: Lazy Gardens | July 9, 2009 11:04 PM
Lazy Gardens is absolutely correct, cut away the scarred area and the rest of the fruit is just fine. I think we've all "been there" with this nagging mater' problem at one time or another.
Posted by: the rural independent | July 11, 2009 10:20 AM
Thanks so much for the advice. I was so disturbed by this development. It had never happened to me. It was my in-ground 'maters, not the one in the pot. I think it was the watering! Live and learn! Thanks, again!
Posted by: Kathy | July 14, 2009 5:33 PM