Fight with home remedies and prevent

the essentials in brief

• Blossom end rot is not a disease, but a consequence of calcium deficiency and is therefore not contagious
• The infected fruits initially get small black spots that quickly grow larger
• The calcium content can be tested with a simple soil test: Soils poor in calcium have a low pH value
• The application of calcium-containing fertilizers is recommended for prevention and treatment

What is flower end rot?

The characteristic symptoms of blossom end rot spontaneously suggest a serious fungal disease to which tomatoes in particular are very sensitive. In fact, it is not a disease, but a physiological disorder. This leads to the fact that the plant no longer absorbs sufficient lime from the soil and thus a calcium deficiency occurs. The exact causes have not yet been researched, however, there are many assumptions and empirical values ​​that gardeners can fall back on.

Blossom end rot occurs primarily on tomatoes, although - unlike the typical tomato diseases - only individual plants are usually affected. In the absence of pathogens, the disorder is not contagious - but the tomato plants are in the same soil and can therefore develop the same symptoms provided that they too are calcium deficient to develop. You should treat this as soon as possible so as not to endanger the harvest. In this article, you will find out how you can identify and remedy a calcium deficiency in good time - so that, in the best case, the flower end rot does not even occur.

These types of tomatoes are particularly affected

Basically, no tomato variety is immune from blossom end rot, but some are more at risk than others due to a lack of lime - and therefore calcium deficiency occurs more frequently here. The disturbance is typical for fast-growing tomatoes that develop very large fruits. Especially beefsteak tomatoes and oxheart tomatoes, but also many plum tomatoes and stick tomatoes have to struggle with blossom end rot. Due to their rapid growth and the large fruits, these varieties require a particularly large amount of nutrients in a balanced composition, which is why deficiency symptoms occur more quickly.

Symptoms

Blossom end rot is shown by characteristic symptoms on the fruits, which only occur at the fruit base - which is at the tip and opposite the fruit stalk:

• initially brown or black points
• these gradually get larger and grow into various large, round spots
• look watery at first
• fall in later, dry up and become hard
• if left untreated, whole tomato fruits turn black starting from the tips

The tomatoes turn brown from the top

Usually only the fruits are affected by the flower end rot, while the plant itself makes a healthy impression. In some cases, however, the tomato plant also shows poor growth with unhealthy-looking, yellowish discolored leaves.

The symptoms mentioned mainly occur in the summer months between June and August, which is why you should plant them and their fruits particularly intensively during this time eye have to keep. Take suitable measures against blossom end rot in good time, otherwise the tomatoes will fall from the bush and are no longer edible.

Digression

Sunburn spots on tomatoes

causes

The direct cause of the frequently occurring flower end rot is a calcium deficiency (resp. Calcium deficiency), which means that the cell walls do not contain enough of this important nutrient. Since calcium keeps the cell walls of plants strong and stable - analogous to the effect on human and animal bones - they lose their stability and finally collapse. The affected tissue turns brown and dies.

Wrong fertilization

Incorrect fertilization can lead to blossom end rot

A calcium deficiency has many causes: a deficiency can already occur in the soil, but also a deficiency Imbalance in chemical composition or an unbalanced fertilization can be the reasons be. This is the case, for example, when the tomato plants are supplied with a fertilizer, one has a high concentration of magnesium or potassium - both nutrients hinder the absorption of Calcium. Make sure you use balanced fertilization - manure and compost are best for tomatoes anyway.

Wrong soil pH

However, you can determine a calcium deficiency in the soil with a simple soil test, because such soils have a low pH value. For tomato cultivation, the soil should have a pH value in the neutral to slightly alkaline range, around 7 is ideal. If the soil is too acid, push it back into the neutral area by means of liming. You will find a list of suitable means for this in this table.

Suitable lime fertilizers

These Lime fertilizer(€ 9.70 at Amazon *) are very suitable for treating flower end rot:

Digression

Are brown rot and flower end rot the same thing?

Prevention and control

The following video shows, in a nutshell, how best to counteract flower end rot:

The best prevention (and also treatment option) against flower end rot is the use of calcium-containing fertilizers. Is the pH of the soil or If the potting soil is too low, you can plant the plants with Primary rock meal, Algae lime or simple garden lime (without further additives). Simply sprinkle the powder around the tomatoes on the ground, work them lightly into the ground and then pour vigorously.

Alternatively, you can also administer the necessary lime in liquid form, for example with lime-based irrigation water or calcium-containing liquid fertilizer for tomatoes. However, make sure that the composition is balanced, since limescale can lead to a lack of other nutrients, especially iron.

Wrong pouring

Another common cause of flower end rot is incorrect watering, in which the tomato plants are only supplied irregularly with water and also the Frequently suffering from drought stress - this is particularly fatal for the fast-growing varieties, as they are more sensitive and depend on a regular water supply are.

weather

Outdoor tomatoes, on the other hand, suffer from the constantly changing weather in changeable summers: Mal cold, sometimes warm, sometimes damp, sometimes dry is the ideal potpourri that causes the flower end rot leaves.

High humidity

But even in the greenhouse or on the sheltered balcony, the plants are not immune to this, because here it is the often high humidity that promotes the end rot. Calcium is transported with the flow of water from the roots to the above-ground parts of the plant (and thus also in the leaves and fruits) transported, which is faster due to the evaporation of moisture happened. Ergo, evaporation promotes this process so that the calcium gets to where it belongs faster. A low humidity helps.

Even in the greenhouse, tomatoes are not immune to blossom end rot

Are fruits affected by flower end rot edible?

In principle, tomato fruits affected by blossom end rot are still edible; after all, it is not a bacterial or fungicidal disease. The brown spots appear only locally and can be easily cut out - provided they are not too big. The tomatoes can be used normally and don't taste any different than usual. The only thing you are not allowed to store is these fruits, you should process or eat them immediately - The tomatoes cannot be stored because they mold quickly and are then really no longer eaten should.

frequently asked Questions

Can flower end rot also occur on other fruits or vegetables?

Not only tomatoes are affected by flower end rot, but in rare cases also peppers, chilli and zucchini. The same symptoms appear on the fruits of these plants, and the measures for control and prevention are the same.

The tomatoes are bursting, is that also a symptom of flower end rot?

No, because with this phenomenon the ripe fruits often burst after a downpour or as a result of damp weather. They quickly start to go moldy unless you pick them and process them immediately.