Edit: I think I picked most of the infected tomatoes and it's not restricted to only sauce-varieties - several of the brandywines are also affected.
Blossom End Rot
Well this was one way to start your week on a really bad note. How did I not notice this before is beyond me, considering that after I spotted first and looked closely I realized that most of my tomatoes had this disease.
At least the sauce-varieties like San Marzano and Super Italian Paste all have it. So now I'm not even sure if we'll have enough tomatoes for sauces :'(
Edit: I think I picked most of the infected tomatoes and it's not restricted to only sauce-varieties - several of the brandywines are also affected.
I added calcium and gave all tomatoes a good drink to make sure they don't dry up on me again. Thankfully this week is slightly cooler and only in high 80's. Unfortunately I have to leave for Baltimore Saturday for work, so no clue how my garden will do without constant supervision. And while my hubby will try to water he won't know what to watch for. Let's just hope that being away for 8 days won't do too much damage.
Edit: I think I picked most of the infected tomatoes and it's not restricted to only sauce-varieties - several of the brandywines are also affected.
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I have one tomato plant that had lots of tomatoes with BER. I also found a couple others here and there. It's definitely from the weather. I just picked them off and tossed them. It seems that San Marzano and some of the other sauce tomatoes are very susceptible to it. Hopefully your plants will set more fruit and they will be OK.
ReplyDeleteI will pick them tomorrow when I'm not quite so upset. I hate to trow away so many tomatoes. Wondering if I can cut out black parts and use green for something. have to think about it.
DeleteYou'll have to check that out. If you decide to use the green tomatoes, I have a great green tomato salsa that you can can. Let me know if you want the recipe. I think I posted it last year.
DeleteThank you, I'd love to try it. From what I saw today it will be several pounds of green tomatoes.
DeleteUse liquid calcium it will stop it. Green Light makes one. Home Depot has it here. Its about 5.40 a bottle. You just spray it on the plants. Blossom end rot is caused from a calcium deficiency in your growing medium/soil. I have used it, it works great. Paste tomatoes need more calcium as they are meaty tomatoes. I have had problems with the paste tomatoes getting that almost every year. This year I used a ton of organic compost in my beds and they did much better but by the end of the ripening season I am seeing it some now. I will use the calcium on my plants as I can get a second crop where we live once it cools down enough for them to set fruit :O)
ReplyDeletethank you for the advice, I will go to HD tomorrow and pick it up. I need to nip it now before it gets completely out of control.
DeleteThat was me last year! Totally sucks! Everyone is right, lack of calcium will do that... This year I (for the past year really) saved all my egg shells, then ground them up into a powder and put them into the soil when I planted... I am anxious to see if it works...
ReplyDeleteI never had that problem before, but then I usually don't plant sauce-type varieties either as my favorites are giants. I'll get some liquid calcium today and hope it will stop the problem. Let's hope there's something salvageable so I won't have to rip them all out.
DeleteOh no! I picked one off of one of my Roma plants yesterday. All the others look fine so far. I was really surprised because I put all kinds of stuff in the planting hole. I think the lack of rain does have something to do with it too. I may head to home depot too just in case :) Hope yours recover quickly!
ReplyDeleteI also added eggshels when I was planting but apparently it's not enough. I'd better check community garden tonight because there are several San Marzano's planted as well.
Deleteyep, cultural conditions; irregular watering and lack of calcium; as mentioned the liquid calcium should fix it right up. Next year you might want to start spraying as soon as you see blossoms, to head it off from the beginning.
ReplyDeleteActually I've been watering them every night and the same ways as usual. Maybe having near 100 degree made the difference.
DeleteYeah, BER is no fun. I had it bad 2 years ago. The Romas were most affected but it also hit my eggplants and peppers. That was was a hot, dry summer just like this one. The tomatoes are essentially lost once it happens because disease will enter through the lesion and rot the insides before it ripens. So using them green in a relish or something is the way to go.
ReplyDeleteI will pick them all today and see if I can salvage any for green salsa.
DeleteHi Jenny, So sorry about your blossom end rot. I have gotten it before but have not noticed it yet this year but not have started to get ripe yet. I just hate it when it happens but sometimes if I pick and throw away the first group that have blossom end rot that the next ones are okay. I have also bought some stuff to spray of them if it happens. Wishing you luck. My peppers are a flop! The joys of gardening! Nancy
ReplyDeleteI have the same problem with peppers too. Hopefully it will go away.
DeleteSorry to hear about your blossom end rot. Hopefully the calcium will do the job for you!
ReplyDeleteI hope so too
DeleteI've had blossom end rot on some of the first tomato harvests, but it has always gone away later in the season. Hopefully your later tomatoes will be fine. Adding calcium definitely won't hurt either.
ReplyDeleteActually my early tomatoes don't have them - it's all new ones that recently formed that have it.
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