Brown Spot on my Tomatoes

[30pound-tasty-fish]

So my tomatoes are turning red (early girls) and I have noticed that at least half of them have this weird brown spot on the bottom. I have never ever seen this before. I spoke with a friend of mine who is very familiar with all things gardening, and he has them too and has no idea what is causing them. Any ideas.

[wilsonriverfisher]

blossom end rot bet it looks like below. There is alot of different things that can increase your chances of getting it. Soil conditions, temperature and stress can all contribute to it but our clay soils in the nortwest and this years temps and moisture are playing a role in it.

[STGRule]

We have it this year too. Haven't had it for years and years. Must be the weather.

[Old Coot]

I was plagued with it for years and finally resorted to liming the soil very heavily, like a cup full of lime per tomato planting hole. I mix that in thoroughly and then toss in another handful for good measure. I've had no rot for the last three years.

I planted late this year an haven't had a ripe tomato yet, but there is one Mortgage Lifter that's about three days from ripe. If tonite's rain doesn't cause it to split, we'll see if the evil brown splotch shows up in the next day or two.

[anglingaddict]

Caused by low calcium in the soil available to the plants. Has nothing to do with weather. Calcium needs to be replenished in the soil where you are planting.

A.A.

[wthr4d]

Originally Posted by anglingaddict

Caused by low calcium in the soil available to the plants. Has nothing to do with weather. Calcium needs to be replenished in the soil where you are planting.

A.A.

Maybe thats why I don't have it on mine! I have been throwing oyster shells into my garden just for ground cover and what not. no spot, but they certainly are taking their time getting ripe.

Paul

[Trick]

Late Tomatoe Blight


I had this hit me two years in a row a few years back and cost me at least half of my fruits.

[Rustyoar]

Dolmite Lime!

[Chrome Bumper]

Blossom end rot is caused by a calcium defeciency. Mix in a good shovel of lime when you plant. Our soil has little natural calcium.

[anglingaddict]

Originally Posted by wthr4d

Maybe thats why I don't have it on mine! I have been throwing oyster shells into my garden just for ground cover and what not. no spot, but they certainly are taking their time getting ripe.

Paul

Everything seems to be "late" this year. I have a LOT of serious gardeners on my route and there are only a couple of them that have ripe tomatos already. Some of the cherry varieties are even "taking their time"!

[STGRule]

I am still not convinced that it isn't weather influenced. We did exactly the same thing this year that we do every year. And for the first time in forever, we have blossom end rot. But it is just on the first ones that ripened. The next wave of ripe tomatoes are okay.

[wilsonriverfisher]

calcium is only a part of it and thats a fact!



mike

This disease does not spread from plant to plant in the field, nor from fruit to fruit in transit. Since it is of a physiological nature, fungicides and insecticides are useless as control measures. The occurrence of the disease is dependent upon a number of environmental conditions, especially those that affect the supply of water and calcium in the developing fruits. Factors that influence the uptake of water and calcium by the plant have an effect on the incidence and severity of blossom end rot. The disease is especially prevalent when rapidly growing, succulent plants are exposed suddenly to a period of drought. When the roots fail to obtain sufficient water and calcium to be transported up to the rapidly developing fruits, the latter become rotted on their basal ends. Another common predisposing factor is cultivation too close to the plant; this practice destroys valuable roots, which take up water and minerals. Tomatoes planted in cold, heavy soils often have poorly developed root systems. Since they are unable to supply adequate amounts of water and nutrients to plants during times of stress, blossom end rot may result. Soils that contain excessive amounts of soluble salts may predispose tomatoes to the disease, for the availability of calcium to the plants decreases rapidly as total salts in the soil increase.

[30pound-tasty-fish]

Originally Posted by wilsonriverfisher

calcium is only a part of it and thats a fact!



mike

This disease does not spread from plant to plant in the field, nor from fruit to fruit in transit. Since it is of a physiological nature, fungicides and insecticides are useless as control measures. The occurrence of the disease is dependent upon a number of environmental conditions, especially those that affect the supply of water and calcium in the developing fruits. Factors that influence the uptake of water and calcium by the plant have an effect on the incidence and severity of blossom end rot. The disease is especially prevalent when rapidly growing, succulent plants are exposed suddenly to a period of drought. When the roots fail to obtain sufficient water and calcium to be transported up to the rapidly developing fruits, the latter become rotted on their basal ends. Another common predisposing factor is cultivation too close to the plant; this practice destroys valuable roots, which take up water and minerals. Tomatoes planted in cold, heavy soils often have poorly developed root systems. Since they are unable to supply adequate amounts of water and nutrients to plants during times of stress, blossom end rot may result. Soils that contain excessive amounts of soluble salts may predispose tomatoes to the disease, for the availability of calcium to the plants decreases rapidly as total salts in the soil increase.

Rapid Growth yeah we had that this year for sure. My tallest plant went from 2.5 feet to 5.5 feet in no time.

[SHOUGALNITE]

We had it here in the Tri-Cities. We researched it on the net and found out what it was. We limed them twice and the rot has stopped. This rot also stole one of my bell peppers.