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market-farming - Re: Tomatoes: bottom rot

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  • From: "Dawn M. Ripley" <ripley AT iglou.com>
  • To: "market farming" <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: Tomatoes: bottom rot
  • Date: Wed, 24 May 2000 12:02:46 -0400


At 08:38 AM 05/24/2000 -0700, you wrote:
>How do I prevent against bottom rot on my tomatoes? I've had it before --
>rather, my tomatoes have had it -- but that's when the fruit was actually in
>contact with the ground. This time, they are well above ground level
>(6"-12").
>
>Brian
>
>

Brian:

Do you mean blossom-end rot? If so, then the problem has more to do with
the tomatoes not being able to access calcium in the soil, which usually has
more to do with inconsistent watering. In other words, it's a cultural
problem that can usually be controlled by even, consistent, deep watering
(e.g., drip irrigation) and mulching.

On the other hand, if you have a nutrient imbalance in your soil that's
locking up the availability of the calcium, you'll need to pay attention to
the soil. When's the last time you had your soil tested?

And what have your fertilization practices been? Overfertilizing,
especially with high nitrogen, can sometimes lock up the calcium. (I think
I have that right. Peg, where are you?)

Dawn



******************************

Dawn M. Ripley
Holdfast Farm
5561 Budd Road
New Albany, Indiana 47150-9109
(812) 949-9008

ripley AT iglou.com
www.members.iglou.com/ripley





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