spoiled looking fruit

securedawg · Thu Jul 13, 2006 7:17 pm

My tomatoes are starting to put out fruit and for some reason they are looking brown or spoiled at the base, Whats going on and what can I do to remedy this situation?

bunge · Thu Jul 13, 2006 8:33 pm

Welcome!! I'm kinda new here too, but have been gardening for years. I learned on this forum recently that tomatoes need calcium.
I have been crushing my egg shells ( I just learned this too!) in the morning and putting them into a glass of water, then that evening I pour it all around the tomatoe plant base. Then someone else said to put milk on them, so I did that too. I put about 2 cups of milk in a gal. jug, fill the rest with water and throw it all over the plants, leaves and all.
My tomatoes LOVED it!!! No more blossom end rot!!!
There are some smart folks on here, I'm just passing what I just learned on to you.
good luck!
j bunge

securedawg · Fri Jul 14, 2006 1:04 am

Thank you, I think I will have some eggs for breakfast!!

decam0 · Fri Jul 14, 2006 4:57 am

Sounds like you have 'blossom end rot'
I found the following description on this link and there's a picture there too...it might help with your diagnosis.

[Edited by moderator]
https://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/3000/3117.html

securedawg · Fri Jul 14, 2006 4:50 pm

I don't understand how to test the Ph and is their a name for a particular product that you might recomend for the calcium issue. Thanks!

decam0 · Fri Jul 14, 2006 5:46 pm

I expect you can get a Ph testing kit from your garden centre, and they'll probably help you with the calcium issue too.
Delia

wodtheiii · Sun Jul 16, 2006 9:37 am

Does the egg shell/milk thing really help? Seems kind of far-fetched. But if it works, I believe I'll be out there tonight with the leftovers from breakfast!

bunge · Sun Jul 16, 2006 10:10 am

Yes,yes, yes.... IT WORKS!!!
Seems too simple, but it does work.
Try it and let me know what you think.
I picked 2 tomatoes early in the season, they had this blossom end rot.
I did the egg shell and milk routine, no more till I picked one yesterday with some rot again,,,,,
so now I need to retreat with milk I think. I put the milk all over the plant, but the eggs just around the base.
I do the egg shells everyday, but I must have missed one, where I picked it yesterday.
good luck

j bunge

wodtheiii · Sun Jul 16, 2006 11:11 am

I'll give it a try. How finely do you crush the egg shells? How and how much do you apply to each plant? Do you till it into the soil or just spread it on top? Add any water?

bunge · Sun Jul 16, 2006 11:23 am

I smush/tear them with my fingers, not a whole lot, then just put them in a tall glass of water. Then that evening, I pour the whole mess under and around the plant. I don't till or anything, just pour. Then the water & milk (1-2 cups milk in a gal. container, top it full with water) pour that all over the plants, leaves and all. I do this about once a week.
very simple
but seems to work well.
My mom puts egg shells around her hydrangas too. Keeps the color bright!
let me know how this works for you,
j bunge

bunge · Sun Jul 16, 2006 11:39 am

P/S I do the eggs shell & water on one plant a day (we usually have 3 shells a day). I take turns with the tomato plants, just go down the row and do 1 each day. Then the milk and water about once a week, just splash it all over the plants, from top to bottom.
It's fun, simple and the tomato plants just love it

Sorry I'm taking up so much space and time on here, but I want to explain it so it's understandable and easy.
j bunge