| There are many reasons why we grow | | | | it fruit rot; simply stated, this is where rotten |
| tomatoes, for some it is a necessity, for others it | | | | spots occur on your fruits at any time and at any |
| may just be enjoyable, yet others state better | | | | stage all the way till harvest. The cause is usually |
| health as a reason, or perhaps just having better | | | | the foliage stays wet for too long without drying |
| tasting tomatoes works for you. | | | | out. |
| Whatever your reason to start growing | | | | A solution that can help is to increase air |
| tomatoes, If you have just charged in and | | | | circulation, which could be done by pruning leaves |
| planted, you probably ran into a few tomato | | | | and branches that are not flowering or fruiting, |
| growing problems like I did. Do not get me wrong, | | | | but exercise care as leaves are important to the |
| I had a very good harvest of good tasting | | | | plant as the are used in the photosynthesis |
| tomatoes, and you probably will too, but if I knew | | | | process. Caging or staking a plant when they are |
| then what I know now I would have had a great | | | | young can also help with air circulation as well as |
| harvest. | | | | keeping the fruits and branches off of the ground. |
| Listed below are a few problems you may | | | | Timber rot (Sclerotinia stem rot) - This problem |
| encounter as well as what causes them, and of | | | | which is usually caused by too much rain or |
| course what you can do to avoid them. | | | | perhaps too much overhead watering, which can |
| Blossom end rot (BER) - Here is a problem I ran | | | | cause the growth of this white moldy fungus |
| into although I did not realize it at the time. BER | | | | along the axes of branches or string lines that are |
| usually starts at the blossom end of the fruit, as | | | | tied to hold branches that are staked, these are |
| the fruit grows the leathery patch also becomes | | | | points that accumulate nutrients, plant refuse, and |
| larger, turns tan to dark brown and eventually | | | | moisture where this fungus can take hold. |
| black. Your affected tomato can become flat or | | | | When this problem takes hold solutions can be |
| concave as well. | | | | harsh, like getting rid of infected plants before it |
| Until I did some research I did not understand | | | | can spread to others. Prevention is a better |
| what caused BER. Lack or low level of calcium in | | | | solution, keep water at ground level not over the |
| the fruit causes blossom end rot. My soil did not | | | | top of plants, good air circulation as noted above |
| have enough calcium as I later learned, but a plant | | | | for BER will help to keep thing dry. |
| growing to fast, drought conditions, over | | | | Keep in mind that there are over 170 other |
| watering, to much nitrogen may all cause the | | | | species of plants and vegetables that can be |
| same problem of not enough calcium in the fruit. | | | | affected by this fungus, so keep a watchful eye |
| Prevention has been my solution to BER. Preparing | | | | on all of your plants and vegetables. Weed control |
| your soil, having good drainage, good soil ph | | | | will also help. |
| around 6.5, Lime or bone meal added to your soil | | | | Problems beyond our control are bound to creep |
| will increase the supply of calcium. Mulching will aid | | | | in now and then, but if we provide good growing |
| in moisture control, and watering properly will help | | | | conditions as well giving our tomato plant a great |
| to prevent this problem from occurring. | | | | healthy start we can keep many tomato growing |
| Anthracnose and blight - Or as I would rather call | | | | problems under control. |