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Blosom End Rot

Hi Buddyboyimage

Whenever I have any fruit or veg' problems rather than trawling through loads of info' on websites I consult my Dr.D.G. Hessayon book, it has served me wellimage 

Hessayon does concur that BE rot is caused by letting the soil or compost dry out once fruits have set.

His theory is that blossom end rot starts with a leathery dark coloured patch on the underside of the fruit, which I have sometimes had image

He says that potato blight in tomatoes starts with a brown shrunken area which quickly leads to rotting of the entire fruit.

Posts

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,617

    Are you in Minnesota? Buddyboy?

    It's just that most of the forum are in UK, and the growing conditions, diseases, and remedies are somewhat different.

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    Looks more like an on line search than a degree notebookimage

     



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • ItalophileItalophile Posts: 1,731

    KEF, it's not so much letting the soil or compost dry out but erratic watering patterns. Plant stress is thought to be the underlying cause of BER, with erratic watering patterns topping the list of contributing factors.

    But I've had BER on plants that have enjoyed utterly regular, consistent watering patterns. There are obviously other factors that can stress a plant - sudden, rapid temperature changes; possibly even strong winds, whatever. Still, we've come a long way with BER from the days when the answer was said to be insufficient calcium in the soil. Roll on science.

    It still remains a mystery why some varieties - mainly the plums, San Marzano, etc - can be more prone to BER than other varieties. I've often had plums in the same bed alongside other varieties - identical soil, identical watering and climatic conditions - with the plums suffering BER while the other varieties remain clean. You'd have to assume there's some genetic factor at work. Roll on science again.

     

  • Lupin 1Lupin 1 Posts: 8,916

    Thanks Italophile image The times I have had BER it has usually been ones from the first truss, the ones you are really looking forward to   image  Being the first truss they are more likely to have experienced a bigger range of climatic conditions than later ones. May/ June weather can be so changeable, roasting some days and single figures the next and overnight mild, or blinking cold. I grow mine in buckets and when I worked it had to be best guess as to how much water they would need through the day, same with what to do with GH door. Much easier now. Also easier as having followed your advice from last year they no longer get mollycoddled.

    I've not had any problem with plum, cherry or beef ones, just ordinary sized ones.

    As you say we must assume some genetics involved.

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