Tomatoes

[44 mag]

Ok guys what am I doing wrong. I grow tomatoes in a water trough. Last year as my tomatoes started ripping the bottom would rot out. I was told that there wasn't enough calcium due to it being a raised bed. So last fall I put a pound to oyster shells (what I had on hand from the chickens) in each tub and stirred it up good and I did another pound this spring before I planted my maters. Well it didn't work. Anyone know the cause of this and how can I fix it.

This is just the ones I pulled off today

 

[Remington700]

If it is calcium deficiency. I've heard you can sprinkle powdered milk and mix in the soil.

 

[tn24]

An old farmer told me to throw hydrated lime in the hole before you set the plant. I always had blossom end rot but after I started using the lime I don't have it anymore.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Would this be the same reason squash does this? My squash is doing the same thing

 

[WTM]

couple of other factors cause blossom end rot other than calcium defeciency. that is inconsistent moisture and high nitrogen fertilizer. you can put 100 pounds of calcium in there and it wouldnt make a bit of difference. non mulched containers will dry out quick and without consistent moisture the plant cant uptake enough calcium to the tomatoe. too much nitrogen and the plant grows too fast and no calcium reaches the tomatoe. it will also cause blossom drop.

mulch the plants and keep watering consistent, early morning and use a fertilizer with high phosphorous and low nitrogen and pottassium after they are good size and start blooming somehing like 5-10-5 or 5-10-10 or you can go as high as 20 for the phosphorous.

 

[WTM]

Would this be the same reason squash does this? My squash is doing the same thing

you need more air circulation between plants. the extra moisture cant evaporate and causes mold. plant spacing is important with summer sauash.

 

[WTM]

this time of year tomatoes can become heat stressed if in full sun and high humidity. that stress adds to the blossom end rot and fungal diseases. might try some row covers.

any yellowing starting on your leaves?

 

[TNTreeman]

Consistent watering and preferably in the morning. Try a teaspoons of EPson salt around each plant too.

 

[44 mag]

this time of year tomatoes can become heat stressed if in full sun and high humidity. that stress adds to the blossom end rot and fungal diseases. might try some row covers.

any yellowing starting on your leaves?

yes I do have some yellowing of leaves on the bottom of the plants.

 

[Monk74]

Ok guys what am I doing wrong. I grow tomatoes in a water trough. Last year as my tomatoes started ripping the bottom would rot out. I was told that there wasn't enough calcium due to it being a raised bed. So last fall I put a pound to oyster shells (what I had on hand from the chickens) in each tub and stirred it up good and I did another pound this spring before I planted my maters. Well it didn't work. Anyone know the cause of this and how can I fix it.

This is just the ones I pulled off today

Blossom end rot. Cheap spray at Co-Op. spray once or twice and it's gone.

 

[WTM]

I don't know

yes I do have some yellowing of leaves on the bottom of the plants.

ok then you have a soil borne disease starting as well. good air circulation is important with tomatoes, peppers and squash. when a hard rain comes the mulch will keep soil from splashing on the leaves that cause various blights and wilts.

you can try to save the plant by pruning the infected leaves and throwing them in the trash. if plants are close enough together diseases and pests will migrate to other plants. a neem oil solution sometimes helps with fungal infections.

here is a good reference on tomatoes disease, causes and treatments from clemson that i keep book marked. hope it helps and good luck.

Tomato Diseases & Disorders

Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) can be grown on almost any moderately well-drained soil type. A good supply of organic matter can increase yield and...

hgic.clemson.edu

 

[Van A Short]

Ok guys what am I doing wrong. I grow tomatoes in a water trough. Last year as my tomatoes started ripping the bottom would rot out. I was told that there wasn't enough calcium due to it being a raised bed. So last fall I put a pound to oyster shells (what I had on hand from the chickens) in each tub and stirred it up good and I did another pound this spring before I planted my maters. Well it didn't work. Anyone know the cause of this and how can I fix it.

This is just the ones I pulled off today

It is a physiological disease 'Bloosom End Rot" caused by calcium deficiency. Some varieties are more susceptable than others and varieties have been selected for resistance. Sometimes the seed catalogues tell you and sometimes not. Too much water late in the growth of the tomato causing rapid expansion makes the problem worse. Particle size of oyster shells probably not small enough. I always used 'agracultural ground lime' and aplied it the season before. Hydrated lime if you forget. Even with high calaium availabity too much water at the wrong time and it is going to occur with a susceptable variety.