Blossom end rot

Blossom end rot - rot spots on tomatoes
Flower & Garden Magazine, June-July, 1984 by Wayne S. Moore
1
2
Next ...

Blossom End Rot Plant Disease
Here is some really good news for gardeners. Blossom End Rot is a common, yet easily corrected problem on tomatoes and other fruit.

Blossom end rot
Blossom end rot, or BER for short, is a complex physiological problem that is the result of a calcium (Ca) deficiency.

Blossom End Rot
by National Gardening Association Editors
Blossom End Rot (BER) is a physiological disorder of tomatoes, peppers, and cucurbits caused by a calcium imbalance within the plant.

Blossom End Rot Blossom End Rot is as good a description as any. Symptoms: Dark brown/black spots develop at the blossom end of the fruit and enlarge as the fruit rots. Management: Generally attributed to a lack of calcium during fruit set.

Blossom End Rot
It's caused by a deficiency in calcium, a water-soluble element. Tomato plants that suffer from water stress or extreme fluctuations in moisture are prime candidates for blossom-end rot.

Blossom end rot
Symptom: A dark spot appears on the blossom end of the fruit and a brown, rough scar develops. The fruit begins to rot.

BLOSSOM END ROT - A cultural deficiency created by a lack of calcium. Very closely related to extreme temperatures, uneven watering, and root damage. Most commonly seen in peppers and tomatoes.

Banish blossom end rot. This disease occurs in glasshouse tomatoes. Look for such symptoms as a leathery scar or rot on the blossom end of tomato fruits.

Blossom end rot, a disorder that causes the base of the fruit to go black and rot, is a common problem caused by a deficiency of calcium and/or irregular watering. An application of dolomite and attention to watering will rectify next season's crop.

Blossom end rot can be a common problem for beginner tomato growers. From the top, your tomato looks perfect, but the base has a nearly perfect black circle where the tomato has rotted and sunken in.

Blossom End Rot
The sudden exposure of fruits to direct sunlight in hot, dry weather can cause sunscald. This results in white or yellow patches on the side of the tomato exposed to the sun.

Blossom end rot is a very common condition said to be caused by a calcium deficiency, however in general the problem is not caused by a lack of calcium in the soil but inconsistent watering, drought, ...

Fixing Blossom End Rot On Peppers
Growing Clematis - Tips For Care Of Clematis
Feature Article
Growing Crocus Indoors ...

Blossom End Rot
Brown Recluse or Fiddleback Spider
Brown Rot on Fruit
Caterpillar(Eastern Tent)
Caterpillar (Walnut Datana)
Cedar-Apple Rust Fungus
Cloudy Spot on Tomato from Stinkbug
Colorado Potato Beetle, Larvae, & Eggs
Corn Earworm ...

We should be about to start harvesting our first tomatoes, which means blossom end rot is on the horizon. Blossom end rot occurs when the bottom of the fruit turns black.

Blossom End Rot Information
Cabbage Looper
Cabbage Maggot
Carrot Rust Flies
Information about Catfacing and Growth Cracks
Cats and Dogs as Garden Pests
Keeping Chipmunks and Squirrels at Bay
Club Root Information
Codling Moth Information ...

Our last area of concern is pests and diseases, specifically the tomato hornworm and blossom end rot. The tomato hornworm is nasty little creature that will surround and chew through your plant at just below ground level.

Cherry tomatoes (includes grape tomatoes, and similar): the easiest to grow, the least prone to blights and blossom end rot.

Results in blossom end rot in tomatoes and peppers.
Magnesium. Yellow in areas between veins and may show mottling of older leaves.
Sulphur. Entire plant is light green; chlorotic younger leaves.
Iron.

Young leaves turn yellow then brown; growing tip bends; weak stem; short dark roots. Causes blossom end rot of tomato.
Properly limed soils usually supply adequate calcium.
Copper (Cu) ...

Water deeply when soil is dry. During fruit production, avoid large fluctuations in soil moisture to prevent blossom end rot.
Plant Development and Care ...

This was a big achievement at the time as the tomatoes are highly disease resistant and tasty. They produce medium sized red tomatoes and are a heritage variety that are excellent for southern climates. They are resistant to Blossom End Rot, ...

The most resistant tomato would be something like AAsAnBCfClmCsFF2GwLLbNNhrRknStSunTV (indicating at least some protection against Alternaria or early blight, alternaria stem canker, anthracnose, blossom end rot, catfacing, cladosporium leaf mold, ...

See also: Plant, Water, Flower, Tomato, Growing