You Can Stop Tomato Blossom End Rot

You Can Stop Tomato Blossom End Rot! By J. J. Wolf

Tomato blossom end rot is a serious disorder of tomato plants.Growers often are upset to notice that a dark sunken decay has developed on the bottom end of their tomatoes, especially the first tomatoes of the season.Tomato blossom end rot can be very damaging, with losses sometimes as high as 50% of the crop.

Symptoms

On most plants,tomato blossom end rot will generally begin as a little water-soaked area at the bottom end of the tomato.This sometimes appears while the tomato is still green or during the ripening stage. As the rot develops, it will get larger,then become sunken and turn leathery and black.In extreme cases, it may cover the entire lower half of the fruit, becoming flat or concave.Secondary pathogens will also invade the spot, most of the time resulting in complete destruction of the infected fruit.

Cause

Tomato blossom end rot is not caused by a parasitic organism but is a disorder caused by a low amount of calcium in the tomato.Calcium is needed in fairly large amounts for normal cell growth.When a fast growing tomato is robbed of needed calcium, the tissues break down, leaving the typical dry, blackened spot on the bottom end.Blossom end rot is caused when demand for calcium is more than the supply.This may result from low calcium levels in the soil, stress from drought,extreme soil moisture changes which reduce the movement of calcium into the plant, or fast vegetative growth due to adding to much nitrogen.

Management

Keep your garden soil pH around 6.5. Adding lime will supply calcium and will also increase the ratio of calcium ions to other competing ions in the soil.The nitrogen source should be nitrate nitrogen. Ammoniacal nitrogen may actually worsen blossom-end rot as excess ammonium ions lower calcium uptake. Avoid over-fertilization during early fruiting, as one way of managing tomato blossom end rot.Avoid letting drought and wide fluctuations in soil moisture stress the plants by using mulches.

Plants will typically need about one inch of water per week for proper growth and development.Application od calcium through the leaves is of little value due to poor absorption and movement to fruit where needed most.

Learn how to prevent your tomatoes from becoming infected before it happens. With this knowledge it is easy to grow bountiful tomatoes and be the envy of all your friends. To learn more feel free to visit: http://www.squidoo.com/tomato-growing-tips