Rotten Tomatoes

Do they go black at the bottom? If so, this is the charmingly named 'bottom end rot' and is caused by an imbalance of nutrients in the soil. It can be caused by growing the toms too many years in the same soil or it can be caused by overuse of fertilisers.

I thought it was to do with erratic (irregular) watering at the crucial fruit setting time, Sid.

Barbara - you made me think about this! SO I looked it up in my RHS book and it says, "Cause - a lack of calcium, possibly combined with other nutritional imbalances, resulting from an irregular or poor supply of moisture to the roots, preventing inadequate calcium uptake". I also looked in one of my older books and it blames irregular watering OR, "...not following the instructions carefully when making up your liquid fertiliser feed". Seems even the books are unsure about it...?!

Have to go with Sid on this one. I had the problem last year - it is a calcium deficiency in the tomato caused by too much nitrogen in the soil. I had used two different soils in my pots; all were fine but the one with the 'new' soil; it drove me crazy!! Toward the end of the season the end rot tapered off, but I probably should just have repotted it and saved all the aggrevation.

Hi Grammazoo - I think in the interests of diplomacy, let's say it's a nutrient imbalance caused or exacerbated by erratic watering ;-)

Well put Sid!

Thank you all! I will let you know how they come out this year!
-Tulip