Search

Search My Garden Blog with Google Custom Search

27.6.12

Blossom-end Rot is What's Wrong with Your Tomato Plant

About this time of year I started getting the same question from new gardeners. In particular, new gardeners who are growing their own tomatoes for the first time start to panic when they notice a brown spot start to develop on the bottom of their tomato fruits. "What's wrong with my tomato plant" they all ask after noticing a small,brown spot beginning to form on a tomato fruit. It's blossom-end rot.

Blossom end rot tomatoes. Brown Spot on tomatoes


The symptoms of blossom-end rot on tomatoes start off as a small, tan-colored spot on the blossom-end of a tomato fruit. If you’re an obsessive tomato grower that is constantly examining your fruits, you’ll noticed it first when the fruit is small, green, and still developing. 

Depending on the size and shape of your tomato you may not notice it until the fruit is ripening and the problem worsens and develops into a dry, leathery lesion that is hard to miss.


Blossom-end rot isn't a disease spread by garden pests, or something that is transmitted through infected plants. It also isn’t a result of a poorly pollinated flower. Generally blossom-end rot occurs when a developing tomato fruit doesn't get the necessary amount of calcium to the end of the fruit while it starts to develop.

Preventing Blossom-end Rot


This disordered is primarily caused by uneven watering when the fruits are developing that doesn't let the tomato plant take advantage of nutrients in the soil-especially when you’re growing tomatoes in containers. Extended droughts, over watering, or drought followed by over watering can lead to blossom-end rot. Basically, your tomatoes are getting blossom-end rot because you’re not watering properly when the plant needs it most. Don’t let your tomatoes sit in soggy soil and don’t let the soil dry out to the point that the plant is wilting. 


Tomatoes Affected by Blossom-end Rot


A couple of years ago while talking to Colleen from In the Garden Online I learned that the elongated, paste-type tomatoes are highly susceptible to blossom-end rot. She pointed me to the paper A Cellular Hypothesis for the Induction of Blossom-End Rot in Tomato Fruit which puts the blame on blossom-end rot in elongated tomatoes on the shape and vascular structure of the fruit. Basically if you’re growing paste tomatoes you’re going to have to live with blossom-end rot occurring. 

If your tomatoes are showing signs of blossom-end rot you can just simply remove the affected fruit(s) and ensure you properly water your tomatoes from here on out to keep the rest of the crop from being affected.

Blossom-end rot also affects vegetables like peppers and eggplants, and the solution when it happens with those vegetables is the same.

12 comments:

  1. Good to know! I've heard of this before, but didn't know it was due to improper watering.

    Amy

    ReplyDelete
  2. In NJ we had so much rain early in the season and now lately it been almost drought like and I keep checking for those ugly dark spots on the bottom of my tomatoes but haven't seen any yet. Wish me luck. Great article, thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous12:36 PM

    If you are a smoker wash yours hands good before handling tomatoes still on the plant or you will start to see black spots starting on your tomatoes similar to blossom end rot

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous1:11 PM

    Hey thanks, I've heard of blossom end rot..nor did I know it was caused by improper wattering. Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous5:23 PM

    Hi my name is Kaye, we live in southern middle Tennessee and We have been seeing this very thing on ours. I'm happy to be a member of the gardening club,this is the kind of stuff is very helpful......

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous5:58 PM

    1 tablespoon Epson Salt to 1 gallon of water will provide calcium and magnessium to stop blossom end rot

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous7:37 PM

    I found a spray that held the blossoms set fruit and helps to control blossom end rot. I've used it two summers now with very few problems.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous6:48 AM

      where did you find tis spray to set the blossoms?? I have looked all over and can't find it?? thanks,Dixielee

      Delete
    2. Anonymous8:27 AM

      Hi Dixielee E-mail your address and I will send you a bottle My e-mail is ziggy41@milwpc.com

      Delete
  8. If my information is correct, I understand that another cause of BER is due to acid soil. Acid soil means that the plants aren't able to get the nutrients efficiently. When I had blossom end rot this year, I added some wood ash from my fire pit... problem solved.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous2:35 AM

    I became simply just seeking this info for a time. Immediately after Six hours with
    constant Googleing, eventually I obtained them with your
    internet site. I'm wondering what’s this Google’s dilemma that doesn’t list this type of helpful internet websites closer to the best. Usually the top rated web sites tend to be stuffed with waste. In particular not too long ago, following the brand new panda algorithm formula up-date.
    Feel free to visit my website - Genital Warts Removal

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks for the information. We've had very little rain here in Southern Ontario and I noticed that my Roma tomato plants were wilting. I will water them every day from here on in, so hopefully that will stop blossom end rot in the remaining fruits. Incidentally, my cherry tomatoes seem to be doing fine.

    ReplyDelete

Hi!

Feel free to leave a comment. You can always use the search box for my blog or the search "Google For Gardeners" if you're looking for gardening information. If you're looking for seed saving information check out "Seed Snatcher"search engine.

Do not have a blog yourself? Comment using the "anonymous" feature. If you have a Twitter or FB account feel free to use the "Name URL" feature so other people can find you.


Thanks for visiting.