A common question we get from people who grow tomatoes is “Why are my tomatoes rotten on the bottom?”
When tomatoes “rot” on the vine, specifically if they have a brown or black skinned over area that looks like a rotten bottom, this is typically caused by blossom-end rot is caused by insufficient calcium in the tissue of the tomato. Once a tomato develops blossom end rot, it's not fixable – however, you CAN eat the rest of the tomato, we cut off the affected bottom spot, but the rest of the tomato is usually still delicious!
Most of this tomato above is perfect, though it had a rotten bottom, so we just cut it off and enjoyed the rest of the tomato!
Also good to note, blossom end rot is is NOT a disease and is not contagious so it won't spread to other plants or fruit! The rotten tomato bottoms are caused by lack of calcium in the blossom end of the fruit at the time the fruit is set. Typically, it is not a deficiency of calcium in the soil but a result of inconsistent watering – specifically overwatering or underwatering. Try to water evenly, make sure to amend soil before planting with lots of compost, mulch with grass clippings or other mulch to keep the soil evenly moist. But make sure it's not too soggy, you can also drown tomato plants with too much water, which can also result in blossom end rot damage.
Research shows that when tomatoes (and peppers) start to dry out and wilt, there is a possibility that Blossom End Rot may follow.
Tomato blossom end rot is not uncommon even amongst the gardeners who water consistently, so it doesn't mean you're a bad gardener! Weather is tough, and it can be so hot and dry that the dry heat wilts plants quickly, and it doesn't always mean that you'll get this ailment. But even if it does, just cut off the damage and use the good part of the tomato and don't worry. These things happen, and tomato plants are fickle beasts. ;) Not every one is going to be perfect, but they'll still taste good, so don't let them go to waste. Our best tip to avoid this ailment is to water as consistently as you can, and grow several tomato varieties each year to increase your odds of success. Don't worry if one plant or some of the tomatoes have issues, it's all part of the grand garden experiment. We have not seen blossom end rot on cherry tomatoes, so any of the cherry tomato varieties are great to grow if your garden experiences a lot of problems with the issue.
Happy growing!
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