Tomato blight?
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Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: North of Boston MA
Tomato blight?
So, I have about 16 beautiful tomato plants growing like weeds. They have been well fed, watered and babied for the last two months and they are now loaded down with green fruit.
But, as soon as each tomato starts to ripen, the bottom of the fruit turns black and dies. The upper half of the tomato looks good but I toss it of course.
We had a bad blight last year and I lost most of my crop but this is a month earlier. Is it worse this year?
Is there anything I can do to save the rest of the season?
Thanks
But, as soon as each tomato starts to ripen, the bottom of the fruit turns black and dies. The upper half of the tomato looks good but I toss it of course.
We had a bad blight last year and I lost most of my crop but this is a month earlier. Is it worse this year?
Is there anything I can do to save the rest of the season?
Thanks
Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2004
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From: Sewanee, Tennessee
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Charlotte, NC
It ain't blight. They're calcium starved
Too much rain or watering. It's called tomato blossom end rot. Get some 'Rot Stop' at local garden place. Apply with clean sprayer (2 Oz per gallon) to the plants. Might need couple of applications once per week. Should clear up in a couple of weeks.
Too much rain or watering. It's called tomato blossom end rot. Get some 'Rot Stop' at local garden place. Apply with clean sprayer (2 Oz per gallon) to the plants. Might need couple of applications once per week. Should clear up in a couple of weeks.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 20,589
Likes: 2
From: Charlotte, NC
It ain't blight. They're calcium starved
Too much rain or watering. It's called tomato blossom end rot. Get some 'Rot Stop' at local garden place. Apply with clean sprayer (2 Oz per gallon) to the plants. Might need couple of applications once per week. Should clear up in a couple of weeks.
Too much rain or watering. It's called tomato blossom end rot. Get some 'Rot Stop' at local garden place. Apply with clean sprayer (2 Oz per gallon) to the plants. Might need couple of applications once per week. Should clear up in a couple of weeks.
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Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: North of Boston MA
That is encouraging. I will have to see if I can find rot stop around here.
We actually haven't had a lot of rain in the last month and I try not to water the 'maters too much because I hate split fruit but the soil could be low in calcium. I only test for the usual things - pH, N-P-K.
I will let you know how it turns out.
Thanks
We actually haven't had a lot of rain in the last month and I try not to water the 'maters too much because I hate split fruit but the soil could be low in calcium. I only test for the usual things - pH, N-P-K.
I will let you know how it turns out.
Thanks
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Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: North of Boston MA
Looks like an easy solution to the problem....
Prevent Garden Tomato Blossom End Rot with Epsom Salt
Prevent Garden Tomato Blossom End Rot with Epsom Salt
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Charlotte, NC
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Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2004
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From: Sewanee, Tennessee
I assume it is blight because this is the second year in a row for him to experience this issue. I would pursue both remedies.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Charlotte, NC
I wouldn't arbitrarily rule out some sort of blight either, Mac, but the 'symptoms' appear to me to be the classic 'end-rot' that tomato FRUIT gets. He DID say that he had big, beautiful plants. I had the blight last year, and what happened THERE was that a) the plants themselves starting getting brown and shriveled, and b) what fruit there was mostly stayed green....and I only got a red tomato off of the bushes every now and again. Worse season I ever had.
The 'end-rot' classic sympton is that the plants are fine, but the fruit, when turning red, gets soft and black on the bottom....with just a real thin membrane on the bottom 1/4 or 1/3 (sometimes more) of the fruit.
It hit me once already on my 'Parks Whopper' tomatos.....and I had to do 2 doses of the blossom-rot-stop to put the calcium back on the plants and fruit.
Just as an aside....The stuff I use is the 'Bomide' brand.....2 oz (4 tablespoons) per 1 gallon of water......
The 'end-rot' classic sympton is that the plants are fine, but the fruit, when turning red, gets soft and black on the bottom....with just a real thin membrane on the bottom 1/4 or 1/3 (sometimes more) of the fruit.
It hit me once already on my 'Parks Whopper' tomatos.....and I had to do 2 doses of the blossom-rot-stop to put the calcium back on the plants and fruit.
Just as an aside....The stuff I use is the 'Bomide' brand.....2 oz (4 tablespoons) per 1 gallon of water......
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Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: North of Boston MA
I have a new problem with my tomatoes that I am hoping you folks can help me with.....
I am frigging buried with them! They are everywhere and I can't eat them or give them away fast enough. Pretty little things too. I've had to double and triple stake some of them they are so heavy with fruit.
Here is what I did.....I hit them with the Rot Stop as directed. I also gave them a nice healthy dose of Epsom Salt for magnesium and also gave them a very generous dose of Solu-Cal. I still have a couple with some end rot but they are mostly at the bottom of the plant. I toss them in the compost. Better than 90-95% of the tomatoes are fine.
All the fruit I have eaten has been fantastic and everyone I have given some to have loved them.
Corn is coming in a couple ears a day now too. Tomato sandwiches and fresh corn on the cob......I don't even care that the OL left me any more.
I am frigging buried with them! They are everywhere and I can't eat them or give them away fast enough. Pretty little things too. I've had to double and triple stake some of them they are so heavy with fruit.
Here is what I did.....I hit them with the Rot Stop as directed. I also gave them a nice healthy dose of Epsom Salt for magnesium and also gave them a very generous dose of Solu-Cal. I still have a couple with some end rot but they are mostly at the bottom of the plant. I toss them in the compost. Better than 90-95% of the tomatoes are fine.
All the fruit I have eaten has been fantastic and everyone I have given some to have loved them.
Corn is coming in a couple ears a day now too. Tomato sandwiches and fresh corn on the cob......I don't even care that the OL left me any more.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 20,589
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From: Charlotte, NC
That's GREAT news, Ray!
MUCH better than hearing something like 'hey, fellers.....i put on the rot-stop like a certain a-hole told me....and all the plants fell over and died the next day...'....
THAT would suck.
Sounds like the epsom salt should prevent your plants from developing a urinary tract infection too.....
MUCH better than hearing something like 'hey, fellers.....i put on the rot-stop like a certain a-hole told me....and all the plants fell over and died the next day...'....
THAT would suck.
Sounds like the epsom salt should prevent your plants from developing a urinary tract infection too.....