Rotten tomato plants on the vine

[Senior Citizen]

I probably asked this question last year and forgot the answer, so here goes (again).

I've got 2 tomato plants, 2 bell pepper plants and 12 hot jalopena plants in 3 gallon buckets in my back yard in good sunlight and in what i think is pretty good black dirt/potting soil/compost mix. Peppers are doing great. Tomato plants aer growing like weeds. Blooms fall off, no tomatoes. If tomato does form, it rots on the bloom end within about a week to 10 days. Plants look perfectly healthy. I feed them all Miracle Grow about every 5-7 days.

Any advice?

thanks in advance,
SC

 

[DeathGrip]

Are you in Fl.? If so season is over,its to hot for 'matos.

 

[Dashriprock]

Blossom-end rot can generally be attributed to a couple factors: calcium content/pH of soil and drought stress conditions brought on by uneven watering.

But your primary problem is blossoms maturing, eh? I've used blossom-set sprays with very good results. It's essentially a hormone. It's available at any garden store, nursery or big-box gardening department. Try it. Once blossoms form, soak 'em down with this stuff and watch them go gangbusters.

As for soil, you can get a test kit cheap at any of the aforementioned places. I've always aimed for 6.5 pH with my tomatoes and have found great success.

Avoid wide fluctuations in soil moisture by using mulches and a drip irrigation system or faithful hand-watering. Aim for an inch a week. Also, be sure natural soil drainage is mimicked in those buckets!

Good luck and happy gardening.

 

[Rule3]

Lack of Calcium (Ca) will cause blossom end rot and your maters will not set fruit.

Over fertilization will cause too much plant growth and not fruit production.

What State do you live in?

You can try adding bone meal around your plants but it is probably to late. The Calcium needs to be in the soil when the plant starts to flower. Cut back on the Miracle Grow and just use water. If you can not find bone meal try some small amounts of gardening lime.

 

[44forever]

A combination of moist ground and high temperatures can cause "scaulding" of tomatoes which look like a yellow discoloration followed by rot of the actual tomato. It's usually worse for tomatoes closer to the ground.

 

[Senior Citizen]

Originally posted by Dashriprock:
Blossom-end rot can generally be attributed to a couple factors: calcium content/pH of soil and drought stress conditions brought on by uneven watering.

But your primary problem is blossoms maturing, eh? I've used blossom-set sprays with very good results. It's essentially a hormone. It's available at any garden store, nursery or big-box gardening department. Try it. Once blossoms form, soak 'em down with this stuff and watch them go gangbusters.

As for soil, you can get a test kit cheap at any of the aforementioned places. I've always aimed for 6.5 pH with my tomatoes and have found great success.

Avoid wide fluctuations in soil moisture by using mulches and a drip irrigation system or faithful hand-watering. Aim for an inch a week. Also, be sure natural soil drainage is mimicked in those buckets!

Good luck and happy gardening.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Buckets have at least 40 1/2" holes in them so they can drain. We have had more rain in the past 9 weeks than in the last 10 years during the same time period. Other than moving the buckets under the boat barn or carport, I can't control the moisture.

Will see about getting a test kit at Lowe's next Mon.

It hasn't even begun to get hot in Florida yet. We're still in the low 90's and have all of June, July Aug and half of Sept of high 90's and low 100's to go yet. Our local tomatoes are just coming in good. (well, everyone's except mine)

 

[Senior Citizen]

Originally posted by OCD1:
Lack of Calcium (Ca) will cause blossom end rot and your maters will not set fruit.

Over fertilization will cause too much plant growth and not fruit production.

What State do you live in?

You can try adding bone meal around your plants but it is probably to late. The Calcium needs to be in the soil when the plant starts to flower. Cut back on the Miracle Grow and just use water. If you can not find bone meal try some small amounts of gardening lime.

XXXXXXXX

I live in NW FL.

I haven't had to water these plants but 2 times since I moved them into the buckets. I guess I could move tehm under eth edge of the barn so they will get sun in the morning water them with captured/collected rain water.

thanks for the info.

Lee

 

[Rule3]

I am in SW subtropical Fl and the early mater growing is just about over. It is so hot and humid all day and night the blossoms just rot.
Next time you plant, incorporate some form of Calcium (bone meal will not burn like lime) in you planting media and your problems will be solved.

 

[enfield]

Agricultural lime (aglime) is the ticket. You can buy it at Lowe's, etc. It's finely ground limestone and is, of course, gray in color. The lime that burns is hydrated (white) lime.

 

[bamafan1977]

One thing my Dad always did about bloom-end rot was put a teaspoon of epson salt by the plant. About 4-6 inches from the plant will be sufficient. This always took care of our plants.

One thing that attributes to bloom-end rot here (SE Louisiana) is too much water. Since you stated that you have had more rain in the last 9 weeks than in the last 10 years, I would bet that this is your problem. I would move the plants under the carport or barn, along with a little epson salt added to the plants. This should put you back in business.

 

[Kazo]

One thing to do is to plant more tomatoes. If a few falter--one has backups. Of course I like all mine to do well--this year I have 72 plants out there. I could use some rain soon; and, it's in the forecast...

 

[Igiveup]

I think the tomato plant needs to be in a little stress during blossom. Too much water will make the blossoms fall. I used to farm tomatoes years ago, and that is how we treated the fields during blossom.

 

[Pisgah]

Especially when planted in containers, even watering is absolutely essential. I have six plants in containers right by my back steps, adjacent to the spigot with hose attached. They are checked every day and watered as-neeeded, and I will have plenty of tomatos within the next 10 days or so here in SC. Took me several years of not-so-successful container planting taught me how important it was.

 

[S/W - Lifer]

I'll likely draw some fire for this but my tomato plants have given me more joy than my Smith & Wessons lately. Nothing wrong with the guns but the tomatoes have been a lot of fun.

I planted some in those upside-down containers you see on TV. So far they work as advertized and are doing better than those in regular containers.

Had some blossom loss on a couple of the plants following transplanting but they have bounced back. Adequate water seems to be important, as well as feeding and temperature. Drainage is also significant as overwatering appears to be possible. I've added some epson salt to my plants, having heard this recommendation from an old farmer.

Used to live in FL years ago. Never tried tomatoes there. It was so doggoned hot that I never considered it.

By the way, I've read that tomatoes need shade as well as sun. If you are getting full sun throughout the day it may be too much.

Can't say I know what I'm doing but I'm have a good time doing it. Hope you get yours sorted out.

 

[charlie sherrill]

Next year save your egg shells. Crush them and mix them with the soil when you plant. Gives much needed calcium to the plant.

 

[Senior Citizen]

Originally posted by Igiveup:
I think the tomato plant needs to be in a little stress during blossom. Too much water will make the blossoms fall. I used to farm tomatoes years ago, and that is how we treated the fields during blossom.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

It rained like the "preverbial cow" yesterday and is raining even worse than that right now. Peppers love it, tomatoes never will make a rescue swimmer!

Lee