Hi All,

I was looking at the tomatoes in my conservatory today, and
noticed several of the tomatoes (still green) had tan/beige coloured
bottoms - looked suspiciously like it had gone off - yet the top 2/3 - 3/4
of the fruits looks fine. I have 2 tomatoe plants in the conservatory -
both in large pots with a garden compost / organic peat free commercial
compost mix. All the rest of my tomatoes are outside. It's the first year
I've tried tomatoes indoors (and before anyone asks, I don't have a
greenhouse!) in an attempt to get more ripe ones before the summer goes!

Anybody got any idea what's up with these tomatoes, what I should do with
the affected fruit, and oganic cures for the problem?

Many thanks in advance,

sarah

In article , Sarah
Dale writes
Hi All,

I was looking at the tomatoes in my conservatory today, and
noticed several of the tomatoes (still green) had tan/beige coloured
bottoms - looked suspiciously like it had gone off - yet the top 2/3 - 3/4
of the fruits looks fine. I have 2 tomatoe plants in the conservatory -
both in large pots with a garden compost / organic peat free commercial
compost mix. All the rest of my tomatoes are outside. It's the first year
I've tried tomatoes indoors (and before anyone asks, I don't have a
greenhouse!) in an attempt to get more ripe ones before the summer goes!

Anybody got any idea what's up with these tomatoes, what I should do with
the affected fruit, and oganic cures for the problem?

That sounds like bottom end rot. It is a disorder rather than a disease.
It is caused by insufficient watering at the early stage of the plant's
development, or some other form of treatment the plant did not like.
Give the plants a fine water spray each day, and keep their soil just
moist without being waterlogged. New fruits following on should be ok.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.

On Wed, 9 Jul 2003 05:56:05 +0100, Alan Gould
wrote:

That sounds like bottom end rot.
isn't that 'blossom-end rot'?

--
Derek Turner

Outlook Express is worth precisely what you paid for it.

On Wed, 9 Jul 2003 05:56:05 +0100, Alan Gould
wrote:

That sounds like bottom end rot.
isn't that 'blossom-end rot'?

--
Derek Turner

Outlook Express is worth precisely what you paid for it.

"Derek Turner" wrote in message
...
Derek Turner

Outlook Express is worth precisely what you paid for it.

and so is free advice!

pk

In article , Derek Turner
writes
On Wed, 9 Jul 2003 05:56:05 +0100, Alan Gould
wrote:

That sounds like bottom end rot.
isn't that 'blossom-end rot'?

Not according to RHS Enc. of Gardening p.562.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.

On Wed, 09 Jul 2003 05:56:05 +0100, Alan Gould wrote:
That sounds like bottom end rot. It is a disorder rather than a disease.
It is caused by insufficient watering at the early stage of the plant's
development, or some other form of treatment the plant did not like.
Give the plants a fine water spray each day, and keep their soil just
moist without being waterlogged. New fruits following on should be ok.

Alan,

You're a garden saver! I have been a bit naughty about the watering of the
plants in the conservatory, letting them get dry every now and again, so
thats obvioisly what has caused the problem. I'll pick and dispose of the
affected fruits, and institute regular small quantity watering (too much
and I find the pot saucers flood!).

Many, many thanks,

Sarah

On Tue, 08 Jul 2003 23:05:12 +0100, "Sarah Dale"
wrote:

Hi All,

I was looking at the tomatoes in my conservatory today, and
noticed several of the tomatoes (still green) had tan/beige coloured
bottoms - looked suspiciously like it had gone off

As well as watering, people also recommend additional calcium (and
sometimes magnesium) for this (B.E.R.).

I don't believe the standard Tomato fertilizers include either of
these (they're mainly N P K) but you have a variety of options:
- bonemeal
- crushed eggshells
- several US gardeners add calcium mineral
supplement tablets to the soil and say it helps
- There is a compound called Dolomite that contains both
calcium and magnesium

Hope that helps.

Colin
-----
(Please reply via the newsgroup)

On Wed, 9 Jul 2003 18:49:36 +0100, Alan Gould
wrote:

isn't that 'blossom-end rot'?

Not according to RHS Enc. of Gardening p.562.

interesting! I've always heard it called blossom-end, you learn
something every day in this ng!
--
Derek Turner

Outlook Express is worth precisely what you paid for it.

On Tue, 08 Jul 2003 23:05:12 +0100, "Sarah Dale"
wrote:

Hi All,

I was looking at the tomatoes in my conservatory today, and
noticed several of the tomatoes (still green) had tan/beige coloured
bottoms - looked suspiciously like it had gone off

As well as watering, people also recommend additional calcium (and
sometimes magnesium) for this (B.E.R.).

I don't believe the standard Tomato fertilizers include either of
these (they're mainly N P K) but you have a variety of options:
- bonemeal
- crushed eggshells
- several US gardeners add calcium mineral
supplement tablets to the soil and say it helps
- There is a compound called Dolomite that contains both
calcium and magnesium

Hope that helps.

Colin
-----
(Please reply via the newsgroup)

On Wed, 9 Jul 2003 18:49:36 +0100, Alan Gould
wrote:

isn't that 'blossom-end rot'?

Not according to RHS Enc. of Gardening p.562.

interesting! I've always heard it called blossom-end, you learn
something every day in this ng!
--
Derek Turner

Outlook Express is worth precisely what you paid for it.

On Tue, 08 Jul 2003 23:05:12 +0100, "Sarah Dale"
wrote:

Hi All,

I was looking at the tomatoes in my conservatory today, and
noticed several of the tomatoes (still green) had tan/beige coloured
bottoms - looked suspiciously like it had gone off

As well as watering, people also recommend additional calcium (and
sometimes magnesium) for this (B.E.R.).

I don't believe the standard Tomato fertilizers include either of
these (they're mainly N P K) but you have a variety of options:
- bonemeal
- crushed eggshells
- several US gardeners add calcium mineral
supplement tablets to the soil and say it helps
- There is a compound called Dolomite that contains both
calcium and magnesium

Hope that helps.

Colin
-----
(Please reply via the newsgroup)

On Wed, 9 Jul 2003 18:49:36 +0100, Alan Gould
wrote:

isn't that 'blossom-end rot'?

Not according to RHS Enc. of Gardening p.562.

interesting! I've always heard it called blossom-end, you learn
something every day in this ng!
--
Derek Turner

Outlook Express is worth precisely what you paid for it.

In article , Derek Turner
writes
On Wed, 9 Jul 2003 18:49:36 +0100, Alan Gould
wrote:

isn't that 'blossom-end rot'?

Not according to RHS Enc. of Gardening p.562.

interesting! I've always heard it called blossom-end, you learn
something every day in this ng!

I've always used the non hyphenated form, but since your query I've been
trying to work out the difference. As it is the blossom end of the fruit
which discolours rather than the end of the blossom itself, it would
seem more correct to leave the hyphen out. Any way, Sarah's problem is
solved, so we can say "Oh dash it!" to the grammaticals. ;-)
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.

In article , Sarah
Dale writes
On Wed, 09 Jul 2003 05:56:05 +0100, Alan Gould wrote:
That sounds like bottom end rot. It is a disorder rather than a disease.
It is caused by insufficient watering at the early stage of the plant's
development, or some other form of treatment the plant did not like.
Give the plants a fine water spray each day, and keep their soil just
moist without being waterlogged. New fruits following on should be ok.

Alan,

You're a garden saver! I have been a bit naughty about the watering of the
plants in the conservatory, letting them get dry every now and again, so
thats obvioisly what has caused the problem. I'll pick and dispose of the
affected fruits, and institute regular small quantity watering (too much
and I find the pot saucers flood!).

Many, many thanks,

You're welcome Sarah. BTW, the same condition can be caused by calcium
deficiency, but that is less likely to be the case with potted annuals.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.