Blossom end rot is a rather dangerous disease that can affect tomatoes growing both in the greenhouse and in the open field. And the danger of this disease is that, if left untreated, the gardener can lose most of the crop. But what causes it, and how can it be dealt with?
What is blossom end rot
Blossom end rot of tomatoes is a widespread disease that is considered non-infectious. Such a disease most often occurs due to malnutrition of the bushes, while it affects the fruits to a greater extent. Blossom end rot can appear on fruits at various stages of development. It can affect both ovaries and green fruits, as well as those tomatoes that are in the stage of ripeness.
Tomatoes that grow in open ground and those grown in a greenhouse are susceptible to blossom end rot. If no measures are taken in a timely manner to combat the disease, then the gardener can lose up to half of the entire tomato crop.
Symptoms of blossom end rot on tomatoes
You can understand that a tomato is affected by blossom end rot by examining all the fruits. If on green fruits there is a watery spot of a dark green hue in the place where the flower used to be, then this is a sure sign that the bush is sick. Most often, such spots form on those fruits that grow on the lowest brushes.
The color of the spots darkens rapidly and eventually becomes brownish-gray. The tissue that is affected by the disease flows into, becomes hard and dry, concentric circles are clearly visible on it. Fruits damaged by the disease ripen very quickly.
On the affected areas of the fetus, the skin becomes very thin. In this regard, pathogenic bacteria often settle in this place, which cause the development of a bacterial disease. Most often, bacteria settle on fruits that come into contact with the soil surface. As a result of the fact that fruits with vertex rot are also affected by bacteria, watery spots of a greenish-gray color are formed on their tops, turning brown over time, rot also appears.
Causes of the disease
Most often, blossom end rot affects young tomatoes, in which fruiting began relatively recently. Tomatoes growing both in the greenhouse and in the open field can get sick. Most often, the disease develops due to physiological disorders, however, some experts believe that in some cases, the defeat of the bushes with vertex rot is due to bacteria.
The main reasons for the development of this disease can be as follows:
- the weather changes very sharply (from cold to hot, from heavy rains to prolonged drought);
- prolonged dry and very hot period;
- tomatoes are watered sparingly and untimely.
Tomatoes can also be affected by these diseases for the following reasons:
- growing tomatoes on sandy soil, which is not sufficiently moisture-intensive;
- if there is a lot of nitrogen in the soil (especially when overfeeding plants with manure);
- when tomatoes lack calcium, most often this is due to the fact that the soil in the area is salty or acidic;
- Most often, those varieties of tomatoes, the fruits of which have an elongated shape, fall ill with blossom end rot.
Causes of blossom end rot in tomatoes – video
How to process tomatoes
In order to save tomatoes that are sick with blossom end rot, gardeners resort to various methods, namely, the treatment of bushes with chemical or folk remedies. Which method of combating the disease to choose in a particular case directly depends on the stage of development of the disease and on the degree of damage to the tomatoes.
Chemicals
If calcium deficiency became the cause of the development of the top of the rot, then it is recommended to treat the bushes with one of the following preparations on the foliage:
- calcium chloride solution (3-4 grams of the drug per bucket of water, treated regularly every 3-4 days);
- a mixture of “Nutrivant PLUS” with “Fertivant” (from 2,5 to 3 grams is taken per liter of water);
- a solution of limestone nitrate (per liter of water 0,5–1 gram of the product, the bushes are sprayed systematically 1 time in 3–4 days);
- universal fertilizer for crops belonging to the Solanaceae family (see instructions on the package);
- a solution of boric acid and calcium nitrate (per liter of water, 1 gram of these drugs).
In order to prevent the development of complications of the disease that can be caused by pathogenic bacteria or fungi, it is recommended to treat the bushes with such means as: Fitosporin (1 tablespoon per liter of water, 1 tbsp solution per plant), Fertivant, BrexilSa, Gumifield or other similar actions.
If a concomitant infectious disease has joined the affected bushes, then they should be sprayed with a copper-containing agent, for example, Bordeaux mixture (9 grams of copper sulfate are dissolved in 100 liters of water, and then 1 liter of water is poured into this mixture, combined with 100 grams of quicklime ).
Folk methods
To get rid of blossom end rot, you can also use folk remedies for spraying tomato bushes, which are also quite effective.
For example, in order to get rid of this disease, which arose due to a lack of calcium, an ash solution is used to treat plants.
- To prepare it, combine 1 liter of freshly boiled water and 0,3 kilograms of wood ash, which must first be sifted.
- Let the mixture simmer over low heat for half an hour. Then its volume is adjusted with clean water to 10 liters.
- In order for the resulting solution to adhere well to both the foliage and the fruits, and not drain to the ground, it is recommended to dissolve about 50 grams of grated laundry soap in it before spraying.
You can also use ordinary soda to process tomatoes. To do this, dissolve one or two tablespoons of soda in a bucket of water.
Both chemical and folk remedies are recommended to be used immediately after the first symptoms of the disease are detected. In order for a calcium-containing agent to help in the treatment of blossom end rot, it should be used to spray the bushes systematically. The duration of processing of tomatoes is determined by the degree of infection. Most often, after several treatments, the development of the disease stops.
Tomato diseases – description with photo, methods of treatment
preventive measures
In order to avoid the appearance of vertex rot on the site, experts recommend that you do not forget about the following preventive measures:
- The area where tomatoes will be grown next season is subject to mandatory digging in the autumn.
- Provide tomatoes with proper and timely watering. As soon as the fruits are formed, the bushes begin to be watered systematically, but moderately.
- Maintain the optimum temperature and humidity in the greenhouse. Be sure to ventilate if necessary.
- Be sure to properly feed your tomatoes. In no case do not arbitrarily increase the frequency of top dressing and the concentration of fertilizers. Pay special attention to bird droppings and manure.
- If the soil in the area is dense, heavy and prone to acidification, this should be corrected by liming. To do this, the soil on the site is dug up in autumn or spring, introducing ground chalk, bone meal, dolomite flour or fluff into it. For 1 square meter of the site take 1 kilogram of any of the additives.
- If the area is waterlogged, it must be well drained. Instead, you can make high beds, for this you should use light soil, into which a small amount of substances that contain lime are poured.
How to protect tomatoes from late blight in a greenhouse
Useful tips gardeners
Most experienced gardeners who have been growing tomatoes for more than one year have their own secrets for dealing with top rot, for example:
- 2–3 months before sowing, the seed material is treated with potassium sulfate, a solution of potassium permanganate (1%) or succinic acid (1 milligrams per 17 liter of water). Right before sowing the seeds, they are treated with any means that stimulates growth.
- Before planting seedlings of tomatoes, the soil on the site is shed with a warm (about 50 degrees) solution of potassium permanganate.
- If the soil in the greenhouse is very loose and dry, a small amount of garden or soddy soil is added to it. And in order to reduce the evaporation of moisture, after planting the tomatoes, cover the surface of the soil with a layer of mulch.
Top rot on tomatoes – how to cure: video
If the soil on the site has a balanced composition, and the watering of the tomatoes is timely and correct, then the gardener will never know what top rot is. Remember that such a disease develops solely due to improper care. Therefore, you can protect tomatoes from it by properly caring for them.
