Last year the tomatoes across upstate NY withered and died. This year I'm having my first experience with blossom end rot. Boo. It seems to have left the beefsteaks alone, but the romas suffered for a while there. It appears to primarily have affected the early fruit. Stuff that is coming off the vine at this point seems okay. The peppers are also affected and have not recovered.
Blossom rot is caused by a calcium deficiency, in our case when fruit is rapidly growing and subjected to sudden drought conditions. Early this season there was a really hot period of days and maybe I did not water enough. Some tomatoes have the spot on the end. Some have a rotten spot inside. At this point I am cutting away the bad stuff and tossing them in the freezer.
Of course on the internet there are lots of solutions to this problem that you can purchase from their website... Or use Epsom salts... The best solution I have read comes from: the Victory Seed Company. Basically, leave it alone. By the time you see the problem, the damage is done. We still have more tomatoes than we could ever cook or eat. In a week or so I will make our first batch of sauce for the summer. Stay tuned.
I figured out the blossom end rot in my tiny garden was caused by not watering enough. I started watering every rainless day. I have had a good two years without seeing any more rot!
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