[allie]

For the past couple of years, we have had bad luck with gardening. The first year, we planted at a friend's house and they gave away the tomatoes, peppers, etc. so we had to end up buying tomatoes to can. Last year, our tomatoes simply didn't ripen and would rot if we brought them inside to finish them off. We ended up buying several bushels again.

On to this year, we have lots of Early Girls (48 plants to be exact). We chose those because of the shorter growing season, hoping that the cooler temps in Indiana wouldn't be as much of a factor. July was the coolest month on record in our part of the state. Now we have tomatoes turning red but they aren't fully ripening and are starting to rot on the bottom. They don't soften and feel more like a store bought tomato instead of homegrown. I have no clue what is making them rot on the bottom, it doesn't matter if they're up on the vine and touching the ground or not. Can someone help me to save the rest of my crop? If we end up having to buy tomatoes after planting 52 plants this year, I am done with it and will not waste money and time to try again.

[Dillbert]

it's been a tough year for tomatoes - ours are running very slow as well....

"rotting" - can you describe this a bit more?

souft & mushy
hard stuff, looks like a scabby area? usually on the "bottom" of the fruit

are you familiar with "Blossom End Rot" (which isn't a rot, , , ,)

[bughut]

Oh dear, it sounds like blight. According to my book, theres nothing to do do but destroy the crop... Sorry
Blossom end rot isnt treatable either so it says. Caused by under watering

Hope i'm wrong

I had greenhouse whitefly recently, GUTTED. Thought i'd lose the crop, but i got a homemade remedy that has worked. For future reference, you take 2 bulbs garlic, 12 chillies 1/2 cup oil, and 1/2 cup washing up liquid. Then blitz, Fine strain and spray. after3 days spray again. if its working spray again after 10 days to get rid of remaining larvae

learn from my mistake and add the washing up liquid AFTER blitzing

[KYHeirloomer]

Blossom end rot (BER) isn't fully understood. But the one thing we do know about it is that it's related to the availability of calcium in soluble form.

It normally is a problem associated with the earliest fruits on any particular plant. Later fruit on the same plant doesn't contract it.

This is understandable, because we tend to transplant seedlings into cold, often wet soil, which, while it does contain calcium, doesn't release it readily. Then, as the ground warms, the plant gets the calcium it needs.

This year has been strange all over, but particularly east of the Mississippi River. We've all suffered unusually cold nights (we had several in the 50s last month, for instance) along with unusual amounts of rain. Basically, the same cold, wet soil conditions normally found in the spring.

One result is that BER is showing up mid-summer, something that rarely happens. I suspect that's what you're seeing. Although it looks like rot, it really isn't. It's more like a hard, leathery patch on the blossom end of the fruit.

Two things to be aware of: BER does not affect edibility of the rest of the tomato. Because its a physical problem, not a biological one, if you cut the "bad" part away, the rest is perfectly ok to eat.

Second, although it doesn't apply to you, for those who save seed, BER tomatoes often are the best sources. Why? Because their seed is just as viable as seed from any other fruit, but the BERed one (in a normal year) has a genetic protensity for earlier ripening.

Bughut, not to minimize it as a problem, but blight affects the leaves and, sometimes, stems of plants. It wouldn't have any effect on the fruit.

[allie]

I do think it's the BET you're describing. (Googling gave me images to help identify it.) The rest of the tomatoes were edible and I cooked them the other night. They tasted good! I'm relieved to know that it shouldn't effect the rest of the crop. Our plants are loaded with green tomatoes. We have had some cool weather this year.....one night was supposed to only be 48 and the rest have been in the 50s.

I am sure it's not blight as everything is ok. We did go through about 4 days when our garden wasn't watered as it should be. Had to make an emergency trip to visit my family and had no one to take care of the garden while we were gone. However, everything else is looking good and I have cucumbers coming out of my ears now. lol The squash is just starting to get ready to eat and the green beans are ready to pick. Peppers are doing well, too.

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR REPLIES!!!!!!

[katbalou]

In new england we have the same blight as the one that caused the Irish famine in the 1800's. One of the local food co-ops had to dig up all the plants and burn them. It's not known yet if the seed was contaminated or if the crappy, wet weather is the culprit.

[DC Sunshine]

mayb we could pick the little cucumbers coming out of Allie's ears and make cornichons....

[Pete]

In new england we have the same blight as the one that caused the Irish famine in the 1800's. One of the local food co-ops had to dig up all the plants and burn them. It's not known yet if the seed was contaminated or if the crappy, wet weather is the culprit.

It has just been offically sited in Wisconsin also, but it is attacking tomato plants. Here they are telling people not to burn possibly blighted plants but put them into plastic and send them to the landfill. Wondering if burning might not help spread the spores?

[KYHeirloomer]

Sorry to hear that Pete.

From what I understand, the problem originated with infected seedlings shipped to the Northeast by Bonnie---who then tried to control the problem with recalls and other means. Supposedly, only Northeastern shipments were affected.

Sounds like rather than getting it controlled quickly that it's spreading.

I'm surprised to here that burning is not recommended up there. Burning is one of the few ways of destroying spores, and is the usual method. Absolutely verboton is composting, because that's a sure-fire way of spreading them.

Katbalu, blight is not spread by seeds. It is soil- and wind-borne---and, of course, carried on the plants themselves. The problem is, once it's established in the soil, eradicating it is difficult. Among other things, it requires a strict schedule of crop rotation to assure that at-risk plants are not planted there for X years.

In the case of this blight, that could include tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and eggplants among others.

[DC Sunshine]

That is bad news about the spread of blight.

KYH - I take it most of the plants to be affected are from the nightshade family? Just curious, did a little read up on them because I thought the ones you mentioned were related. They're also a lot of my favorites.

[KYHeirloomer]

That's correct, DC, they're all members of the nightshade family.

Although everyone involved in agricuture is concerned, it's doubtful that this blight will have anything near the effect of the potato famine.

The problem there was that there were only three potato varieties grown throughout northern Europe at the time. They were so genetically similar as to make no never mind. When the new blight developed there was no resistance. In North America, primarily Mexico, however, resistent varities had developed naturally.

There was a similar problem in the U.S back in 1970. Almost the exact circumstances, and virtually the entire Southern commercial corn crop was destroyed and 15% of the national crop.

Have we learned anything from this? Not hardly. In 1970 there were, essentially, 3 commercial corns being grown, all genetically similar. Today there are--are you ready---all of 4.

I could provide other examples. One of the benefits to the growth of farmers markets, CSA, and other alternative agricultural practices, and the skyrocketing interest in heirlooms, is that by their very nature they promote biodiversity. The broader the genetic base of a vegetable type, the less chance there is of it all being wiped out by pestilence or disease.

[KYHeirloomer]

Just a side-note about blight in general. The way it's mostly contracted is by soil splash onto the leaves. To minimize that, be sure and prune your tomato plants so that the stems are bare for at least a foot above ground level.

Mulching heavily also helps, because it prevents the soil from splashing upwards when you water.

[HappyFood]

Just heard an interview with Dan Barber of Blue Hill and Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture here in NY where he said that 80% of Stone Barns' tomato crop was lost within about 24 hours due to late blight. Thankfully, he said they had lots of tomatoes growing in the greenhouse that were unaffected. He mentioned the problem as stemming from the Bonnie company that provides Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Lowes with their tomato starter sets. I still had trouble with my tomatoes, even though I started them from seed.
Of course, the heirlooms got it the worst and I had to dispose of all of them. Got a few Volkovs and Better Boys, but with all the unbelievable rain and cool temps (today is the first above 90˚ since April!), they taste kind of anemic and watery.
Surprisingly, the section of tomatoes that were planted later, and then neglected (not staked, suckered or weeded) are all doing very well. Just planted them and told them "Make it if you will, I'm too busy to fuss with you". No blight, no BER-just smaller due to all the competition from the weeds.
Go man Go little 'maters!

[Powderdog]

Try this site: Tomato Problem Solver | Aggie Horticulture

[DC Sunshine]

Originally Posted by HappyFood

.....Surprisingly, the section of tomatoes that were planted later, and then neglected (not staked, suckered or weeded) are all doing very well. Just planted them and told them "Make it if you will, I'm too busy to fuss with you". No blight, no BER-just smaller due to all the competition from the weeds.
Go man Go little 'maters!

That comment gave me a good laugh - its pretty much how I approach gardening at the moment.