This was a new kind of tomato for us, "Golden Queen".
I couldn't wait!
With slightly shaking fingers I gently grasped the fruit, tugged it gently from it's green plant, and found;
Blossom end rot.
I can't tell you how many dirty words were uttered in the chipmunks' presence. But I'm sure I expanded his vocabulary.
I brought it inside and cut it open, and found this.
Blossom end rot is caused by a calcium deficiency in the soil. And the cause of many nasty, foul words uttered by a gardener. The soil PH can also contribute to the deficiency, so between this month and next spring, I'll be amending the soil. Surprisingly, we've only found one other tomato with this maddening issue.
But every cloud has a silver lining, and this is mine;
Our "Small Sugar" pumpkin is almost 11" around!!
So I celebrated by toasting it with a glass of orange juice.
A lesson for the day, and hope.
What's new with you?
2 comments:
Carolyn
We will pick our tomatoes and ripen them indoors if we see disease issues. This seems to avoid total loss of the crop. Also, see if you can't get a kelp based fertilizer and use it to spray as a foliage spray as well as feed the plants in the meantime. It wills save the plant, not amend the soil dramatically.
Blossom end rot is caused my calcium deficiency, but its not always the soil at fault. Often it happens because of inconsistent or over watering (via nature or yourself). If the soil is excessively wet or excessively dry the plant can not take move enough calcium up from the soil. The soil may have enough calcium in it, but the plant can't access it.
I am enjoying what I have read on your blog so far. I'm in Ontario. You can check out my gardening progress at placeforpollinators@blogspot.ca
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