How do you grow tomatoes without getting blosom end rot.

Richard Buteau
by Richard Buteau
same problem every year?

  8 answers
  • Eileen Eileen on Mar 01, 2018

    Calcium helps fight blossom end rot. Lime is a good source of calcium, making it a doubly beneficial addition to tomato gardens. Egg shells, either in compost or crushed and worked into the soil directly, also add essential calcium.

    Before tomatoes begin to flower, let the soil get a little dry. This encourages a deeper root system, which allows better calcium absorption. After flowering begins, keep the ground evenly moist. Tomatoes need 1 to 1.5 inches of water a week. Monitor rainfall to avoid over-watering. Use mulch to prevent moisture loss. This is crucial in hot climates, where daily watering may be needed. Don't over-fertilize. Avoid adding too much nitrogen to the soil because it hinders calcium uptake.

  • Nancy Turner Nancy Turner on Mar 01, 2018

    Blossom end rot is caused by a calcium deficiency in the plant. You can give it a supplement of calcium. It is extremely common in potted tomatoes. I found a calcium supplement that you spray on the leaves to get better and quicker absorption at a local greenhouse that I like. You can spray the leaves as the tomatoes start to loose the green color and it should prevent the rot. Just follow the directions as to how much and when to apply again. I didn't have any more problems after I used it the first time, but I did reapply once at the time specified in the directions anyway. There is no saving what is already affected before you treat, but the spray works very quickly and I had no more affected. You do know that the tomatoes that are affected are still edible because blossom end rot is not a fungus or disease affecting it, just a lack of calcium. All you have to do is cut off the rotten bottom end and the rest is edible once it ripens.

  • Faith Hughes Faith Hughes on Mar 02, 2018

    Put a tablespoon of Epson Salt in the hole with fertilizer then plant the tomato plant.

  • Lisa S. Lisa S. on Mar 02, 2018

    Epsom salt and egg shells. But you may want to skip a year and plant elsewhere. Then go back to this spot next year.

  • Jkwood48 Jkwood48 on Mar 02, 2018

    I make a mix of:

    3 cups compost

    1/2 cup Epsom salts

    1 Tbsp. baking soda

    1/2 cup nonfat dry milk

    Add a handful of this and a sprinkle of phosphate to the planting hole. Add the plant, cover with soil and water. I swear by this and never have blossom end rot.

  • Jeff Keith Jeff Keith on Mar 02, 2018

    I had what I thought was the best soil planted my tomatoes in it I ended with Blossom end rot as well, trial and error I crumbled up several genetic TUMS,, Calcium Carbonate and sprinkled the fine crumbles directly upon the soon directly around the stem, it seemed to help almost immediately. I simply removed any tomatoes that had began to ripen then allowed the green ones to ripen no more problems.

  • Lynn Pope Lynn Pope on Mar 07, 2018

    Blossom end rot is caused by inconsistent watering. You must never allow the plant to become dry. Try to water at the same time every day using the same amount of water. I use 4ltr per plant every evening at 6.30 (I'm in the UK) and have never had blossom end rot. Also once the first truss has set start using a good quality tomato feed.