Blossom-end rot Environmental disorder

Look for

The main symptoms of this prevalent disorder are large, black/brown, leathery sunken pits on the base of fruits. This is especially common on tomatoes and peppers.

Plants affected

• Peppers, tomatoes, squashes, aubergines and watermelons. Plants with soft, succulent fruits suffer the worst from this condition.

About Blossom-end rot

• Blossom-end rot is not a disease but is the result of a number of environmental and physiological factors.
• It's most common for the disorder to arise as the fruits are half way through their development.
• The disorder develops if the plant's water intake is not sufficient for example in drought, and consequently the plant cannot extract enough calcium from the soil.
• Plants grown in acid soil are at a higher risk of developing these symptoms.
• Over-watering can also cause the disorder.
• Blossom-end rot can cause considerable fruit/crop damage, sometimes with large areas of the fruit affected.
• The rot is not transmittable from plant to plant or fruit to fruit.

Treatment

Chemical

Products containing the following chemical ingredients are all effective on Blossom-end rot

• Calcium carbonate

Note: It is important to read manufacturer's instructions for use and the associated safety data information before applying chemical treatments.

Organic

• Use Organic fertilisers with added plant nutrients, especially those containing calcium.
• Try to maintain a constant soil pH around 6.5.

Prevention

• Thorough checks of crops during the fruiting season will reveal the presence of this disorder and enable the growing conditions to be corrected.