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There’s one problem all tomato growers fear. A ruined harvest. Blossom end rot is the culprit that can put an end to promising pickings.After all your hard work, whether growing tomatoes from seed or from established plants in pots, the ultimate disappointment is seeing an edible crop. When blossom end rot takes hold, all hope of picking and biting into a homegrown, juicy tomato is suddenly dashed.It’s not hard to identify blossom end rot in tomatoes, but the key is preventing it from ruining your crop and reducing your tomato yield. Here I explain how to identify blossom end rot, what causes it and steps you can take to beat it this month.What does blossom-end rot look like?
(Image credit: Shutterstock)Blossom end rot doesn’t just affect tomatoes; it’s also a common problem with eggplants and peppers. But rather than being a pest or disease, it’s related to growing conditions.It’s not difficult to spot. You’ll notice a circular patch at the bottom of the fruit that resembles a bruise. It’s often described as a ‘water-soaked patch’ that starts out greenish-brown and, over time, turns dark brown and then black.The patch will enlarge and become sunken, giving the fruit a flattened appearance, but only at the affected end. It will also take on a leathery appearance, eventually spreading and damaging the whole fruit.What causes blossom end rot?If you spot blossom end rot on your tomatoes, it’s a sign they lack calcium. Without calcium uptake, the plant’s cell walls collapse, and the plant dies, which in turn causes the bruised appearance on the fruits.Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.Tomatoes absorb calcium from the soil, but the problem occurs when it’s dry, and the calcium remains locked in. The risk will also increase if you have acidic soil, as it naturally contains lower levels of calcium than alkaline soil.Adding fertilizer to the soil around your plants can also exacerbate the problem. Calcium will be competing with nitrogen, potassium or magnesium for root uptake. Plus, when concentrated fertilizer is applied to dry soil, limited water movement reduces the roots’ ability to absorb calcium.What to do with damaged fruitOnce you’ve spotted blossom end rot, you can’t save the individual fruits. Remove the fruit, and then check over the rest of the plant. You’ll also need to monitor any other tomato plants to see if it’s spread to them.If your plant is still flowering, you’re still in luck. It’s likely to recover and continue to produce fruit. But to prevent blossom-end rot from damaging your next fruits, there are a few steps you can take.How to prevent blossom end rot1. Keep your plants moist
