Tomato Novice Needs Advice

I am growing three very large pots of heirloom tomatoes on my deck. All three plants appear to be healthy and happy. In fact, we've even enjoyed some nice fruit from two of the plants already. The third one, while also an heirloom, is a different variety than the two we've gotten fruit from. However, it's the largest of the three, very healthy looking and has lots of green fruit on it. All was well until this morning when I was out checking the little darlings and noticed that some of the larger green fruit on the largest plant had a sizeable dark spot on them. When I took a couple of these tomatoes in and cut them open, there were no bugs, but rather it was just a big, dark soft area.

Can anyone shed any light on this? I would much appreciate the help.

If the brown area was on the bottom of the fruit opposite the stem, you very likely have tomato blossom-end rot which is usually caused by a calcium deficiency but can also be caused by a surplus of nitrogen. There are foliar sprays and soil treatments for calcium deficiency, though it may be too late for the the fruits that are close to maturity. Even though I am very diligent about making sure my tomatoes get adequate nutrients, I always get a few with this. Simply cut off the rot and the rest of the fruit should be fine.

I use "Rot-Stop" foliar spray from Bonide about once every 10 days during periods of rapid growth. I also reapply after heavy rains.

Many thanks, Bill! I'll run over to my garden store and get some. Most of the fruit is still rather small and there are still lots of yellow buds, so perhaps there's hope yet.

What do you use for general feeding? Any other tips you'd care to share?

Kim

Kwe730 wrote:What do you use for general feeding? Any other tips you'd care to share?
Kim

Kim,
I'm not a good source for this information. I live in the high desert at 7000 feet with low relative humidity, alkaline soil and semi-hard well water. Your conditions certainly require different care. But I guess we all suffer from blossom-end rot.

Bill/SFNM

Hey Kwe730,

I grew tomatoes in a pot on my apartment's roof a few years ago. I also got blossom rot. I did a little research, and found that it was probably a calcium deficiency like Bill said.

Well, it turned out to be I just couldn't keep the things wet enough being in a pot on my black tar roof in summer. I started dousing them with water twice a day (or more). No more blossom rot. Of course climbing out on the roof with gallons of water was no fun.

vegmojo

Blossom end rot is a calcium metabolism problem, not a pure calcium deficiency problem. Unstable soil moisture fouls up the ability of the plant to metabolize calcium. First and foremost, try to keep even moderate moisture for tomatoes in containers. I know that this is tough to do. My main tomatoes are in the ground, but I grow Gold Nugget tomatoes, eggplant, tomatillos and most peppers in containers. Several years ago I started using landscape fabric covered with wood chip mulch on the containers to discourage squirrels from digging in the containers and splattering soil all over the patio. A secondary effect was substantially reducing water loss while stabilizing soil moisture. I also have used water absorbant granules in the lower half of the mix for the last two years, which also stabilizes moisture. Most water in the Chicago area contains enough calcium carbonate to make true calcium deficiency unlikely unless you are using softened water. Note that peppers are subject to blossom end rot, too.

In the container mix for tomatoes I use compost and 5-18-18 plus a small quantity of slow-release 14-14-14. Tomatoes need more nitrogen once the fruit reaches golf-ball size or a little larger. Miracle Gro for Tomatoes is very good from that stage onward but has too much nitrogen for earlier use. Containers tend to have trouble with nutrient leaching, so you need to fertilize carefully. Excessive nitrogen will cause rampant growth with poor blossom production and poor fruit set.

There is a fair amount on tomatoes scattered in the How Does Your Garden Grow thread, but you have to wade through other garden issues to find it.

Thanks, everyone, for coming to my rescue! I'm going to hit the garden store this afternoon, pick up a few things, and see if I can get back on track.

ekreider, yes I have been watering with softened water. Since we have an elevated deck, I've just been bringing buckets out from the laundry room sink. Didn't even think about that one!

Hi,

If we were on the east coast where to soil is acidic, the recommendation would be to add lime to the soil. IN the glorious Chicago area, we have sweet or basic soil, so all the calcium is present in our soil.

What sets off blossom end rot in tomatoes in our area is:
- irregular watering, you need to maintain a uniform amount of moisture, which mulching will help achieve.
- Excessive Nitrogen
- Heavy pruning, which stresses the plant
- Damage to the roots during cultivation

Sound cultivation practices of adequate watering and mulching will resolve these problems. Container plants need daily attention because all the water they receive is what you offer.

Years ago, I had a friend in Moscow who had a west facing balcony, which received too much sun for the his plants to tolerate. He put a moisture sensor in his planters, then rigged up a pump and sprinkling system whose water source was the toilet tank. He went from having a puny and stressed balcony garden to something which resembled a jungle. He now lives in Baltimore, where he continues to play tricks with plants. I was there a year ago, where he had a planter in the kitchen with a vining plant that ringed around the kitchen, living room, dining room and so on. He offered me a cutting and withdrew it when he saw the naked terror in my eyes.

Cathy2 wrote:Years ago, I had a friend in Moscow who had a west facing balcony, which received too much sun for the his plants to tolerate.

Wow, I didn't know tomatoes could get too much sun. Look at my little rooftop planter:

http://www.cordless.com/toms002.jpg

It gets intense sunlight all day. Incredible tomatoes!

Bill/SFNM

Years ago, I had a friend in Moscow who had a west facing balcony, which received too much sun for the his plants to tolerate.

It's what he told me, though I understand what you are saying. Sometimes I repeat without thinking things through. Remember Moscow is considerably further north, you can get a Summer sunrise at 2-3 AM with sun coming around after 10. Winter is the worst, 9 AM and it is still pitch dark outside.

Anyway, great looking tomatoes. How cool do your nights get? I was at a gardening conference in Florida where I learned their warm nights do not allow a good tomato. Your up in the mountains, so you do have the requisite cool nights, right?

Cathy2 wrote:How cool do your nights get? I was at a gardening conference in Florida where I learned their warm nights do not allow a good tomato. Your up in the mountains, so you do have the requisite cool nights, right?

Cathy,

50's at night though it went into the 40's the other night. 80's during the day. With the exception of a late frost which killed off all of my apricots, apples, and cherries, it has been a fruitful summer. The cool nights and warm days have been perfect for the peaches - so juicy and so sweet. I put up 9 pints of peach jam yesterday and haven't harvested 1/3 of the crop. Help!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think next week I will have tomatoes coming out of my ears.

Bill/SFNM

Hi.

I can peach halves as well as freeze peach pie filling in quart freezer bags. I have made pickled peaches but wasn't charmed enough to make it again.

HI,

There is this wonderful home gardening experience of fresh tomatoes picked fresh from the vine. Nothing tastes better, right?

Yet, my Grandfather would pick his tomatoes when they clearly were not yet fully ripe. He would put them on the window sill to finish off. I read from time to time that gardners on this board also pick their tomatoes before fully ripened.

Does anyone leave them on the vine to finish ripening? Why do people pick them before fully ripened?

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:HI,

There is this wonderful home gardening experience of fresh tomatoes picked fresh from the vine. Nothing tastes better, right?

Yet, my Grandfather would pick his tomatoes when they clearly were not yet fully ripe. He would put them on the window sill to finish off. I read from time to time that gardners on this board also pick their tomatoes before fully ripened.

Does anyone leave them on the vine to finish ripening? Why do people pick them before fully ripened?

Regards,

Hi Cathy - my next door neighbor is a wonderful, funny, pushy elderly English woman. We love exchanging gardening information with each other, though my wife and I learn a lot more from her than she learns from us. She picks her tomatoes when they first show a sign of pink, and then lets them darken inside, to reduce the chance that squirrels get the tomatoes. Last summer we found so many half-eaten, not fully ripe tomatoes strewn around the yard and alley by unfriendly rodents. We followed our neighbors lead and picked a lot of tomatoes before they were ripe just for this reason.

This summer, for some reason, the squirrels haven't caught on to our tomato plants, so we've been able to let them stay on the vine until they are almost fully ripe. When I see a half-ripe tomato on the vine, I start to wonder what my odds it staying there for one more day.

Edited to add: one theory I have is that my new puppy is somehow deterring the squirrels. The pup doesn't yet chase squirrels (which is what he is bred to do!). But perhaps his scent is in the garden and deterring the squirrels.

I pick some a little early to prevent the mice from getting them. A tomato in the hand is worth more than two half-eaten ones on the bush.

My mom also brings hers in before really hot weather to keep them from "cooking" on the vine if they're already fully red.

Cathy2 wrote:HI,

There is this wonderful home gardening experience of fresh tomatoes picked fresh from the vine. Nothing tastes better, right?

Yet, my Grandfather would pick his tomatoes when they clearly were not yet fully ripe. He would put them on the window sill to finish off. I read from time to time that gardners on this board also pick their tomatoes before fully ripened.

Does anyone leave them on the vine to finish ripening? Why do people pick them before fully ripened?

Regards,

Typically, I'll leave my tomatoes on the vine until ripe but you can pick them just past the "breaker" stage - that is when there's a bit more pink/orange/yellow than green and they'll usually ripen nicely. Typically, you won't want to put them right on the window sill in the sunlight as it does nothing but rot the fruit faster. Here's a helpful link about the differences between climacteric and non-climacteric fruit http://www.quisqualis.com/Climacteric.html. As an FYI, many industrial farmed tomatoes are picked in the green stage and subjected to ethylene gases to get them to turn red. If picked before the "breaker" stage, they typically won't ripen the same way. Anyway, that's how I understand it but I'm sure there are much more knowledgeable people on this board than me.

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

What sets off blossom end rot in tomatoes in our area is:
- irregular watering, you need to maintain a uniform amount of moisture, which mulching will help achieve.
- Excessive Nitrogen
- Heavy pruning, which stresses the plant
- Damage to the roots during cultivation
.

A lot depends on whether we're growing in containers or in ground.

BER is a deficiency of calcium. Basically, for some reason the calcium is not at the flower at at the time of pollination. As Cathy noted, many other things may contribute to the calcium not being where it needs to be.

But, it's not so easy as adding calcium, though that may help. If you are in containers, calcium can indeed be a problem as the soil has none since you're using a soilless mix and many fertilizers have no calcium added.

I rarely had BER of any significance when I gardened in ground. Now, in containers, it's more of an issue for me.

This is a very good article on BER in case anyone wants a bit more info on it.

Another Tomato Novice here. This is the first year we have planted tomatoes in our new backyard. We took a chance with growing them from seeds from heirloom varieties we ate an enjoyed last year. Through good research, we were able to handle the seeds properly and get good little plants in the spring. Due to the cold wet spring we let them grow indoors for probably a bit too long, and may have transplanted them a little harshly. As a result they didn't quite flourish during mid-summer, and really didn't take off until August. Fruits started to appear a few weeks ago, and we now have a bunch of unripe fruit. But these things aren't ripe yet. I am worried that the fall weather will prevent them from ripening. Is there anything we can do to help the process along? Do I need to worry about a bunch of green fruit dying on the vine?

Any advice is appreciated.

MelT wrote:Another Tomato Novice here. This is the first year we have planted tomatoes in our new backyard. We took a chance with growing them from seeds from heirloom varieties we ate an enjoyed last year. Through good research, we were able to handle the seeds properly and get good little plants in the spring. Due to the cold wet spring we let them grow indoors for probably a bit too long, and may have transplanted them a little harshly. As a result they didn't quite flourish during mid-summer, and really didn't take off until August. Fruits started to appear a few weeks ago, and we now have a bunch of unripe fruit. But these things aren't ripe yet. I am worried that the fall weather will prevent them from ripening. Is there anything we can do to help the process along? Do I need to worry about a bunch of green fruit dying on the vine?

Any advice is appreciated.

Tomatoes need lots and lots of sun and heat. This late in the year, the peak sun hours are much shorter than in June/July. Honestly you are running out of time, but you never know. Late season tomatoes tend to lack flavor, but it can be quite variable. My guess is that you will get a few decent ones though. A light frost won't harm the fruit but will kill the plant. Harvest the green ones and most should ripen inside after a week or so. Again, taste won't be the best.

I have picked some tomatoes lately and they are pretty lackluster. Plants just don't have enough sunlight to produce sugar I guess.

Bummer, T-P. I've had better luck with one choice: I'm putting 'Patio' as a must-buy on the list for next year, Under the crappy conditions we've had, it's producing like a champ, and the smallish fruits are very tasty, thin-skinned without being too soft. Great for skewering and grilling. Moreover, the plants still look great - bushy, healthy, and a deep forest green - and share their container happily with two varieties of chiles. Didn't need staking, either. Can't wait to see what they'll do in a more normal year. And to think I bought these guys as a throwaway, when I couldn't find yellow pear at Chalet. Yay, 'Patio' (and the friendly and knowledgeable fellow at Chalet who recommended them, too).