Its diagnosis, treatment, and prevention
It's that time of year again, the one we've all been waiting for - tomato harvest time. After a long period of fussing and making sure your tomatoes haven't succumbed to one of the many potential problems, you can finally enjoy the fruits. So what happens when you turn over one of those delicious fruits and find a rotten, leathery spot at the base?
You are dealing with end rot on the flower.
This common problem can be frustrating for first-time tomato gardeners, but it's a relatively easy problem to solve and prevent. Let's find out how.
What is Blossom End Rot?
Blossom end rot is a physiological disorder that affects tomatoes and many other types of fruit. It is not affected by common garden diseases or pests. Rather, it is related to the conditions on the plant and the fruit that lead to damage.
Blossom end rot damage in tomatoes is easy to spot and usually appears when the fruit is about halfway through development. Brown, sunken water-soaked spots form on the underside of the fruit and slowly expand over time, eventually covering one-third to one-half of the entire fruit.
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Eventually, these tender spots begin to harden, turning black and forming a hard, leathery texture. The top of the fruit looks completely normal and attached to the plant, but the bottom is completely different.
What causes blossom end rot?
Although some may look at fruit damage and immediately think blossom rot is a disease, it is not caused by any garden pathogen. The problem actually occurs in the fruit itself and is a sign of calcium deficiency. Tomatoes need a variety of nutrients to grow successfully. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are the primary ones (called macronutrients). But there are also a variety of secondary and micronutrients that contribute to overall plant health.
One of the most important secondary nutrients is calcium. During the growing season, tomatoes need a lot of calcium to produce fruit. When this essential nutrient is lacking, fruit function is impaired, leading to rotting spots that appear at the base. To get technical, this defect is related to the functioning of the cells. A lack of calcium affects the tomato fruit's cell membrane — the part that contains all the important bits inside the cell — causing them to swell. This inflammation damages the cells and subsequently the tissues at the base of the fruit.
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Is it due to lack of calcium in the soil?
When gardeners hear about calcium deficiency, they may assume that blossom end rot is a soil problem and use fertilizer as the solution. While this is certainly possible, it is not the most common cause. Most soils contain enough calcium to support tomato plants. So, what causes the problem? Improper watering is often the culprit.
Nutrients are absorbed by plants through the water. When they don't get water for a while or don't get watered regularly throughout the season, that calcium doesn't reach the fruit where it's needed, leading to rot.
There are several other reasons why your tomatoes may not be absorbing calcium from the soil:
Improper fertilizer application: An excess of nitrogen or an imbalance of certain nutrients, such as magnesium, prevents tomato plants from absorbing enough calcium.
fewer Tomatoes like hot weather and take up fewer nutrients when it's cool.
Improper soil pH: Soil pH affects the absorption of certain nutrients, including calcium.
Excess salts: Overuse of fertilizers or irrigation with poor quality water can cause salts to accumulate in the soil, damaging roots and limiting nutrient uptake.
Competition: When tomatoes are planted too close or too close to similar crops, they use up moisture and nutrients too quickly, leading to shortages.
Root damage: Damage to the extensive root system by garden tools or pulling nearby plants can limit calcium absorption.
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How to Treat and Prevent Blossom End Rot
From eggshells to foliar sprays, there are many recommended hacks for dealing with flower end rot. But the only way to treat blossom end rot and prevent it from occurring for the rest of the season is to find the root cause and correct the conditions.
Water regularly
Improper watering is the most common cause of flower end rot, so getting it right is an essential part of both treatment and prevention. Adjust the time between watering's according to environmental conditions, aiming to keep the soil consistently moist throughout the season. Plant in well-draining soil to account for periods of heavy rainfall. Water frequently when temperatures are high. Never water when the top layer of soil is still wet. This causes water stagnation and stops the roots from absorbing moisture. Water again when the top layer is dry to provide the required minimum of an inch per week.
Test your soil
If you're sure you're watering regularly and that submerging or overwatering isn't the cause, it's time to do a soil test. Although this step may seem difficult, it can pinpoint the exact problem, making troubleshooting much easier. If a calcium deficiency or nutrient imbalance is the problem, address it by applying liquid fertilizers until the levels are back in balance with your tomato plant's needs. If pH is a problem, adjust with sulfur or lime until it is slightly acidic, with a pH of 6.5.
After your fix is applied (especially if it's pH related) it may take some time to resolve the problem, but your fruit will improve over time or next season.
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Protect plants in extreme weather
Changes in temperature have a huge impact on water and nutrient uptake in your tomato plants. Controlling these changes and keeping conditions as consistent as possible will allow your tomatoes to perform the same throughout the season, preventing problems with blossom end rot.
During a sudden drop in temperature, use covers to keep your tomatoes warm. And mulch around the base of the soil to keep the roots from becoming isolated. When temperatures rise too much, provide some afternoon relief with a shade cloth and water to keep the soil consistently moist.
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