We planted two varieties of tomatoes Opalka and some heirlooms. The opalka have this odd brownish color at the bottoms. It looks like fungus or some type of blight that has gotten to the majority of the tomatoes. Can anyone offer any advice or maybe identify the problem?
The plants are otherwise very healthy and growing well. I have never seen this before. Are any of the remaining tomatoes save-able?
Blossom End Rot ( BER) More prevalent on paste type tomatoes. It is a physiological problem. It usually cures itself as the plant grows larger and more able to support the fruits. Usually the affected fruits are not worth salvaging.
Not to steal this thread, but can this happen in summer squash too? I have been getting tons of squash, but I have seen some of the exact thing that cabrlamo's tomatoes have.
1. You can still eat those tomatoes if you just cut off the black ends.
2. Cause is a calcium imbalance either caused by shortage of calcium or a shortage of water. So, you may water more deeply and/or more often and/or...
3. Supplement your soil with fertilizer low in nitrogen, but high in superphosphate, such as 4-12-4 or 5-20-5.
4. Mulch copiously.
Thanks for the answers. We'll make sure to follow your suggestions.
If you've had this problem in past years also, it sure could be a lack of calcium. I save egg shells all year and at planting time, dig in about a dozen crushed shells in every hole. I also add lime. A blossom end rot spray product may help further blooms on your plants.
I've had this problem in the past, too, and so has my neighbor. Thanks so much for telling us what this is, and even better, how to fix it!
