Blossom end rot on tomatoes usually becomes noticeable during the ripening period of the fruit. Suddenly large brown spots appear on the still green tomatoes. Many hobby gardeners assume that it is a disease. Actually, blossom rot is not caused by bacteria or fungi, but by a lack of nutrients. We explain how you can prevent them and treat them with home remedies.
Possible causes of blossom end rot in tomatoes
The signs of blossom end rot first become noticeable at the fruit base. Brown spots that become larger and look like rot are typical features of the deficiency. Beef tomatoes with large fruits are particularly often affected.
Tomatoes need calcium to grow healthily and bear fruit. However, with blossom end rot there is an acute calcium deficiency. The plants are structured in such a way that the leaves and stems come firstnutrients suppliedbecome. Only then are they transported to the fruit. That's why the fruits turn brown first and fall off. If there is still a deficiency, the leaves will also turn yellow and fall off. In the worst case scenario, the entire plant can die, although this is very rare.
Possible causes for the nutrient deficiency include:
1. The humidity. If it is too high, the plant sucks significantly less water from the ground and also absorbs fewer nutrients through the water.
2. Longer dry periods. The soil in the kitchen garden should never dry out because it can hardly supply calcium.
3. Fertilizers containing magnesium and potassium can also prevent plants from absorbing the mineral. Nitrogen fertilizers should also not be used on tomatoes.
4. It is also unfavorable if the pH value of the soil is in the acidic range.
Blossom end rot on tomatoes: Can you eat the fruit?
If the problem is not solved in time, the brown spots will turn black and become hard. The fruits are still edible if the brown parts are cut off, but we advise against it to be on the safe side. Although blossom end rot itself is not caused by pathogens, harmful bacteria and fungi often colonize the brown spots. You should also not use tomatoes to obtain seeds. However, the affected fruits canbe composted, if you cut off the brown parts first.
Treat the affected plants with home remedies
If you want to treat blossom end rot on tomatoes, you should first determine the exact cause.
When nitrogen, potassium or magnesium levels in the soil are too high and prevent calcium absorption, then blossom end rot occurs below. In this case, cutting off the leaves around the lower shoots will help. In this way, the nutrients are delivered directly to the fruits.
It helps if you water the plants regularly. Never let the floor dry out. If there is waterlogging, you can stop watering first.
Home remedies for blossom end rot on tomatoes: These fertilizers help
Another variant is to fertilize the soil. Natural fertilizers that are suitable for this purpose include:
- rock powder.It is rich in calcium and is used for...Soil improvement used. The diabase-based rock powder can lower the pH value of the soil.
- Onion peelsare rich in calcium, but also contain potassium and magnesium. To avoid over-fertilization, you should first have the soil condition tested in a laboratory.
- Similar to the onion skins are alsoBanana peelspartially suitable for fertilization.
- An eggshell, finely ground and dissolved in 1 liter of water, leave to infuse for two days and then fertilize the plants with the water. The calcium content of this natural fertilizer is very high, but other nutrients are lacking. You should therefore regularly work compost into the soil.
- Alsowood ashis rich in calcium, but its pH value is in the strongly acidic range. In addition, you should never use wood ash if the garden soil is sandy.
- Green manure:This is humus, which improves the soil structure and enables easy absorption of micronutrients such as calcium. Since the humus content of the garden soil can decrease over time when planted intensively, the experts recommend feeding the soil regularly. In green manure, faba beans, phacelia and clover are planted between the flowers and the crops.
By the way, you can dissolve a calcium tablet in 2 liters of water, pour it into a spray bottle and then spray the leaves of the plants with the solution. This means that the leaves can absorb the micronutrient directly and the plant transports the calcium from the soil directly to the fruits.
Blossom end rot is not a disease, but rather a nutrient deficiency. To eliminate this, you should use theproper fertilizersfertilize. Luckily, there are some home remedies that can help.
