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tomato query
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Message 1.Â
Posted by wood4candles (U14173151) on Thursday, 22nd July 2010
I am growing Moneymaker tomatoes in my GH this year having had limited success last year with other varieties. My plants have masses of fruit, but as they start to turn red, I notice that the bottom of the fruits have also gone black. This is happening on several plants, so its not just one in particular.
Any tips? -
Message 2
Posted by michael (U8304653) on Thursday, 22nd July 2010
Hope the links below may assist...depends how bad your crop is affected as sometimes can be recovered if a quick response is affected...regards mick
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Message 3
Posted by BaraGwenith (U14257539) on Thursday, 22nd July 2010
Blossom-end rot; resulting from uneven watering.
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Message 4
Posted by 4smilingcat6 (U14338727) on Thursday, 22nd July 2010
Yes that`s BER-and as above it`s uneaven watering to blame(but as it`s moneymaker no great loss
) -
Message 5
Posted by punpun (U14553477) on Thursday, 22nd July 2010
Have you tried the russian black toms, they dont seen to suffer from any of the normal problems and taste really good.
I first had a look at these at a tomato show here in france two years ago and i make sure i sow some of these seeds each year. -
Message 6
Posted by Sue58 (U14442036) on Thursday, 22nd July 2010
I had that on about 5 of my tumbling tomatoes and when I managed to keep my compost wet enough I have not had any more get it. Good luck with yours.
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Message 7
Posted by Stan Dandyliver (U14538754) on Thursday, 22nd July 2010
it's blossom end rot but not caused by uneven watering,it's splashing water on the developing fruit.make up a solution of 5grms calcium oxide(get it at your local garden centre,it hygroscopic so dissolves easily but must be dry stored)to 5 litres of water & spray the plants/fruit.water with a 12.5 grms/5 litres of water solution & that'll sort it.works on cucumbers,melons,courgettes etc too.makes yer leaves nice & green as well.for god's sake woody,why moneymaker?
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Message 8
Posted by wood4candles (U14173151) on Friday, 23rd July 2010
Thanks for al the helpful replies.I'm a bit surprised that uneven watering is a cause as I have given them a good soak every night without fail.
However I will try the spray and see if it works, so thanks for that.
I'm quite new to this so I hadn't realised just how pathetic my selection of variety has been. Someone else on the allotments mentioned how well they had done with them so I thought I would try them. I think I tried Alicante last year with poor results -
Message 9
Posted by grandcottagegardener (U14258183) on Friday, 23rd July 2010
wood4candles - I wouldn't beat yourself up too much on your choice of tomato. I tend to grow a variety of tomatoes for different meal choices. I'm growing moneymaker again this year and these are mainly used for cheese and tomato on toast/fried tomatoes. Sweet Millions have also been sown this year for salads and I'm pleased with their early ripening qualities and this is probably due to their small size. I grow Italian plum tomatoes to make pasta sauces/soups (they freeze really well) and also yellow and stripey toms growing just for visual interest on the plate. So .......when planning what to plant next year think about what you are going to use the tomatoes for.
I apply this logic to everything I grow. For instance I like Colcanon, but prefer the taste of kale to cabbage.
As for blossom end rot - I just take the affected tomatoes off and allow the others to grow on. Maybe I am right and maybe I am wrong, but it seems to work for me. -
Message 10
Posted by Stan Dandyliver (U14538754) on Friday, 23rd July 2010
hey woody,not pathetic at all they are just a bit tasteless.try gardeners delight next time.old fav,tasty,good cropper & disease resistant.probably better to water in the morning as the heat of the day means the plants draw up the water/nutrients quicker.if you water at night there is a danger that a combination of lower temperatures & higher relative humidity due to the watering/lower temperatures can lead to stuff like mould/end rot.the cause of the end rot is ultimately a calcium deficiency which weakens the plant due to their inability to draw up/utilise nutrients.just like in humans.
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Message 11
Posted by 4smilingcat6 (U14338727) on Friday, 23rd July 2010
I would support the view to grow Black Russian and/or Gardener`s Delight rather than the awful Moneymaker.
Back to BER,I understand the chemistry/plant physiology behind it but not the idea it`s connected to splash on the developing fruit. If that were a risk factor then wouldn`t outdoor toms(rained on) be at the same risk as container/indoor plants?
I`m genuinely interested and not trying to be a smart ar%e -
Message 12
Posted by Stan Dandyliver (U14538754) on Friday, 23rd July 2010
hi 4smc6,smart ar*e?look buddy i'm an estate agent,i do smart ar*e for a living so no probs!
apparently what happens is that the water splashes on the dead but still attached flower of the developing fruit & due to the lack of air movement in the greenhouse & the fact that the plant is more vulnerable due to the calcium deficiency end rot sets in.outside you have greater air movement which helps to avoid the problem.
never even heard of black russian(apart from the drink that is...hic!)any good...hic! -
Message 13
Posted by figrat (U3054696) on Friday, 23rd July 2010
maybe the black russian gets BEM, but you just can't see it...
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Message 14
Posted by Stan Dandyliver (U14538754) on Friday, 23rd July 2010
'avin that figrat!! ha
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Message 15
Posted by richardbees (U3432591) on Friday, 23rd July 2010
Moneymaker is one of my favourites as it's such a reliable cropper - and tastes delicious with salad cream.
however you shouldn't be growing it in a GH (unless you're in the Outer Hebrides) as the hot dry air helps promote BER -
Message 16
Posted by wood4candles (U14173151) on Friday, 23rd July 2010
Thanks again for all the replies, esp richardbees,at least I'm not the only one in the country growing them, even if I'm doing it badly and in the wrong situation!
I will try the others mentioned next year though I'm not sure about Black Russian. I thought these were cigarettes we used to smoke years ago when trying to look sophisticated! -
Message 17
Posted by richardbees (U3432591) on Friday, 23rd July 2010
Yes! = Sobranie and there was another brand that came in different colours with a gold filter, Persian tobacco but I can't remember the name.
Forget all these heritage tomatoes, a lot of time and money has been spent over the decades in cross breeding to produce today's Gardeners Delight and Moneymaker -
Message 18
Posted by thevodkarose (U13048111) on Friday, 23rd July 2010
Now, I've tried Black Russian this year and have found that many of the flowers don't become fruits. I think "dry pollen" is the issue, but I'd be foolish to spray them with water. I've had blight before and don't want it this year.
But, I grew it this year because I adore the look of it I;ve seen from pictures, as well as testimonies of the taste, so I hope the fruits I do get are worth the effort.
Yes, I do also have a couple of money makers. No ripe fruit yet, but lots of it. Rest assured educated tomato growers, these will NOT be used as freshly picked eating. They are for cooking, and ONLY cooking.
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