my crop of tomatoes is not so great. Some of the fruit has black, flat bottoms.
What is this, what causes this and can I prevent it. Any help, thanks

From: (Sly boots 9)

my crop of tomatoes is not so great. Some of the fruit has black, flat
bottoms.
What is this, what causes this and can I prevent it. Any help, thanks


Blossom end rot is a common problem. Uneven watering and other environmental
conditions prevelent in the early part of the season cause a lack of calcium
metabolism even though that element may be present in sufficient quantities in
the soil. The good news is that it usually clears up by itself as the season
progresses, There are a number of home remedies which serve best to make one
fell like one is doing something instead of just waiting for the problem to go
away

Sly boots 9 wrote:
my crop of tomatoes is not so great. Some of the fruit has black, flat bottoms.
What is this, what causes this and can I prevent it. Any help, thanks
Do a google search for "blossom end rot".

Bill

(Frankhartx) wrote in message ...
From: (Sly boots 9)

my crop of tomatoes is not so great. Some of the fruit has black, flat
bottoms.
What is this, what causes this and can I prevent it. Any help, thanks


Blossom end rot is a common problem. Uneven watering and other environmental
conditions prevelent in the early part of the season cause a lack of calcium
metabolism even though that element may be present in sufficient quantities in
the soil. The good news is that it usually clears up by itself as the season
progresses, There are a number of home remedies which serve best to make one
fell like one is doing something instead of just waiting for the problem to go
away

While this may be true where you live, here in Tennessee it is not the
case. BER is mainly a late season problem here. I don't normally see
it until early to mid September. I usually harvest my first ripe
tomato around the first week of June. Our summers are normally very
hot and humid to start with followed by very hot and dry. I do concur
that uneven watering is usually the culprit. This summer has been the
exception, however, with relatively cool, wet days being the norm.
BER occurs when calcium metabolism in the plant is upset. This can be
caused by too much water, too little water or calcium poor soil.
Calcium poor soil is not the reason here but could be in some areas. I
recommend powdered gypsum to improve calcium poor soils as it will not
change the pH.

Lee Hall
Zone 6B -Tennessee but having a Washington summer

Bottom rot or Blossom End Rot. Too late to fix it this year-I had that
problem last year. The soil needs some chemicals-I stand remember which
ones, but ask your local garden store and till them into the soil early
next year. One note: if you also grow cukes(squash, etc.) in that
garden, they do not like the chemicals for tomatoes. Keep that soil
separate.

Sly boots 9 wrote:

my crop of tomatoes is not so great. Some of the fruit has black, flat bottoms.
What is this, what causes this and can I prevent it. Any help, thanks

Kswck wrote:
One note: if you also grow cukes(squash, etc.) in that
garden, they do not like the chemicals for tomatoes. Keep that soil
separate.

This is new information to me. Would you care to elaborate on it?

Bill

--
Zone 5b (Detroit, MI)
I do not post my address to news groups.

lemme check on the chemical.

Noydb wrote:

Kswck wrote:
One note: if you also grow cukes(squash, etc.) in that

garden, they do not like the chemicals for tomatoes. Keep that soil
separate.


This is new information to me. Would you care to elaborate on it?

Bill

Apparently my tomatoes have Blossom end rot as well, the top of the fruit looks beautiful but th bottoms are horrid. I've notived tht the bottom most leaves on the plant turn yellow and get small brown spots all over them. Does this have anything to do with Blossom end rot or is it another problem that i can remedy by adding somethig to the soil? Thank you

Noydb wrote:

Kswck wrote:
One note: if you also grow cukes(squash, etc.) in that

garden, they do not like the chemicals for tomatoes. Keep that soil
separate.


This is new information to me. Would you care to elaborate on it?

Bill



It's just lime. Cukes do not like a lot of lime in the soil.

Weirdo Magnet wrote:

Apparently my tomatoes have Blossom end rot as well, the top of the
fruit looks beautiful but th bottoms are horrid. I've notived tht the
bottom most leaves on the plant turn yellow and get small brown spots
all over them. Does this have anything to do with Blossom end rot or is
it another problem that i can remedy by adding somethig to the soil?
Thank you
--
Weirdo Magnet
------------------------------------------------------------------------
posted via www.GardenBanter.co.uk



Lime.

From: Kswck

Kswck wrote:
One note: if you also grow cukes(squash, etc.) in that

garden, they do not like the chemicals for tomatoes. Keep that soil
separate.


This is new information to me. Would you care to elaborate on it?

Bill



It's just lime. Cukes do not like a lot of lime in the soil.

Most vegetables grow best with a soil pH of 6.5--this is slighly acid, Lime is
akaline and is used to sweeten overly acid soil.Lime amendments usually contain
the elements calcium and magnesium. Both are secondary plant nutrients and are
necessary for the plants good health. A ph test of the soil should be made now.
If any is needed lime is best added in the off season.

Frankhartx wrote:

From: Kswck

Kswck wrote:
One note: if you also grow cukes(squash, etc.) in that

garden, they do not like the chemicals for tomatoes. Keep that soil
separate.


This is new information to me. Would you care to elaborate on it?

Bill



It's just lime. Cukes do not like a lot of lime in the soil.

Ahhh ... that is why the below advice is so good. There are other ways to
add calcium to a soil that do not raise the pH, though.

Like my suggestion of adding oyster shell food supplement tablets at
planting time.


Most vegetables grow best with a soil pH of 6.5--this is slighly acid,
Lime is akaline and is used to sweeten overly acid soil.Lime amendments
usually contain
the elements calcium and magnesium. Both are secondary plant nutrients and
are necessary for the plants good health. A ph test of the soil should be
made now. If any is needed lime is best added in the off season.





--
Zone 5b (Detroit, MI)
I do not post my address to news groups.

Noydb wrote in message ...
Frankhartx wrote:

From: Kswck

Kswck wrote:
One note: if you also grow cukes(squash, etc.) in that

garden, they do not like the chemicals for tomatoes. Keep that soil
separate.


This is new information to me. Would you care to elaborate on it?

Bill



It's just lime. Cukes do not like a lot of lime in the soil.

Ahhh ... that is why the below advice is so good. There are other ways to
add calcium to a soil that do not raise the pH, though.

Like my suggestion of adding oyster shell food supplement tablets at
planting time.

Or eggshells .