Tomato Blossom End Rot! Help.

[Jerry]

So far it has been a good year for my veggies, but now 2 varieties are not doing well.   Too much water?   Johns, what say you? :'( :'(

[miguynmkoi]

I heard it happens with uneven watering, too much and too little 

[Jerry]

Yeah me too.  They are under drip irrigation, if the look like they are wilting I do some hand watering.  Maybe I better let them alone?

[tinkster]

THey say here inconsistant rain is the major cause.  THere is a spray I buy that is suppose to help them set blossom and not have the blossom end rot.. I think it works but I find it happens mostly here early in the season and then it jsut goes away.  I need to take pictures of my tomatoes.. they are huge this year despite drought conditions.  using a drip waterhose this year.

tinkster

[Jerry]

Hi Tink, love to see!

[Jonna]

I just planted an indeterminate tomato, Early Girl, in the skippy... bare root.  Somewhere I saw an article about a solar house in a cold climate and they had a tomato vine that was several years old and ran all across the kitchen.  It was rooted only in water, perhaps hydroponic fluid though. Anyway, I decided to see if it would grow in the skippy.  It's growing and seems healthy but no blooms yet, it's only been in there a week.  I'm hoping it will produce tomatoes all year, perhaps not possible but I thought it was worth $3 to try it.

[Jerry]

Jonna I agree it's worth a try, but if that works, how can I be over watering?
Wish you luck!

[LeeAnne151]

Blossom end rot is caused by uneven watering. Flood then drought. Flood then drought. Instead of evenly barely moist.

[frloplady]

Also can be a calcium deficiency.

[Jerry]

I did use bone meal, never have before.  That ought to take care of calcium.   I do tend to drown plants!

[Johns]

Blossom End Rot, or BER:

According to the most knowledgable expert on tomatoes that I know of (Carolyn J. Male*), BER is caused by early season stress.  "This includes too much fertilizer (causing too rapid plant growth), uneven delivery of moisture, and high winds (Which cause drying).  Any or all of these stresses cause calcium to leave the fruit and go into the main part of the plant, and this lack of calcium in the fruit allows the black spot to develop." [ Because small cracks can develop at the blossom end, allowing the introduction of bacteria into the fruit.]

What to do?  First, test your soil to determine whether sufficient calcium (Lime) is present and whether the PH is proper.  Avoid over fertilization ealy in the season.  Mulching may help keep moisture constant, but heavy rains may always interfere.   In addition, some varieties are resistant to the malady, so always grow several varieties.



Carolyn is a professor of microbiology at the College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York.  She has raised more than a thousand varieties of tomatoes in her garden.

[Jerry]

Thank you Johns!  I did take more care in the watering and we seem to be okay.  Not as good as last year.  Still we are pleased with lots of quality fruit.
oh yes, I did use your tip and used Bone Meal!