From time to time, under the “Garden Problem Solving 101″ moniker, I’m going to try and provide some advice and fixes for common garden problems for you. Stuff that I have encountered and battled with, and other problems that I might be currently experiencing and want to help you avoid.
Have you ever had a Squash, Pepper or Tomato plant growing and blossoming wonderfully, setting lots of fruits, and suddenly one day, discover the blossom ends of the fruit starting to go black and rot?
Problem is BLOSSOM END ROT! Pretty aptly named, eh?
It seems terrible to look at– worse yet when it strikes your beautiful Tomatoes! OH NOES!!!
But, fear not, this is an easy problem to fix, and the fix is cheap, as well.
Blossom End Rot is caused by a lack of Calcium in the soil.
Tomatoes and Cucurbits are heavy Calcium feeders, and need it in abundance. So, be sure to ALWAYS recycle those eggshells into the garden soil. Ohhh, but that is not enough, and not the quick-fix that we need, now is it?
No. It’s not… C’mon Monkeyfister– get on with it!
OK. Here ya go:
Your plants are screaming for two things– Bonemeal and a product by Espoma, called PLANT-TONE — available anywhere– I go to Lowes or the local Ag Co-Op. Put one cup of each around the “dripline” (under the branches of the plant) of each plant, gently work into the soil, and water in thoroughly. Then water a bit every day. Lime is also a good thing to work into the soil. But don’t over-do it, just a little dusting to the soil, as it can over-adjust the soil pH. Liming is best done before planting, and ALWAYS use a soil pH tester. I bought a great electonic one from Lowes for cheap. Using these inexpensive products, you’ll see improvement in 7-10 days.
via Ohio State University Ag Extension
Maintain the soil pH around 6.5. Liming will supply calcium and will increase the ratio of calcium ions to other competitive ions in the soil.
# Use nitrate nitrogen as the fertilizer nitrogen source. Ammoniacal nitrogen may increase blossom-end rot as excess ammonium ions reduce calcium uptake. Avoid over-fertilization as side dressings during early fruiting, especially with ammoniacal forms of nitrogen.
# Avoid drought stress and wide fluctuations in soil moisture by using mulches and/or irrigation. Plants generally need about one inch of moisture per week from rain or irrigation for proper growth and development.
# Foliar applications of calcium, which are often advocated, are of little value because of poor absorption and movement to fruit where it is needed.
So don’t spray that shit on your plants– put it in the ground, and water it in!
I hope this helps you!
And seek your local Ag Extension online– they are a fantastic resource.
13 Comments
Hey! Woot Woo!
I learned how to BREAK my posts!
baby steps… baby steps
I’ll be a Big Boy blogger soon!
–mf
You are so cute!
mf, I love you, did you know that?
Oh, and you have your own category now.
you’re SO cool, Kate!
Perhaps I need to move my Grow Radishes With Your Cucurbits over here… tomorrow.
–mf
I’d love to see it here! Actually, that was something that I didn’t know, and I thought I knew most of the companion plantings.
You are very correct. I had that problem with my tomatoes, and an infusion of soluble calcium fixed it almost overnight. Warmest regards, Doc.
I find that freezing eggshells and then smashing them with great vigor creates a lovely limey dust that can be sprinkled on the ground around a tomato plant and then watered in or put in a container wih water and watered in next day. Also, seaweed tea works tremendously for those warmer climes.
I remember helping my grandmother with the chickens, and we always provided them with oyster shells (crushed) and some gravel for their digestive system. Birds are quite novel. Warmest regards, Doc.
Yeah, Doc,
The circle of life and all that. We currently have a wren in our backyard that is hurt, damaged wing and leg, We have a furry tree that provides shelter, water in ceramic saucers and seed on the ground from our feeder and my sweetie is strewing seeds for the hurt guy.
Synergy, it’s all synergy that we humans have forgotten. Give back to Mother Earth and she will provide. So sad.
Furry tree?
Well, it’s a fir tree that goes all the way to the ground and provides shelter to all the little creatures. I’ve seen this little hurt bird sheltering under the branches and some baby rabbits and some rats or mice. We have red tail hawks and bald eagles here that can swoop down in an instant, you know (they all do know!).
Red-tailed hawk that showed up in the tree next to my house, January 2005:
As you can see, he had breakfast ready.
“Firry” tree. Got it! We don’t have any of those here, at least not imported.
Great picture!!! I had a juvenile red tail in the tree out back this morning at the crack of dawn. The crows and jays and juncos and chickadees were all yelling at this poor guy and woke me up. He finally flew away. Didn’t get my little hurt bird though. The little guy is getting better. I think with our seeds on the ground, water in saucers and “furry tree” he has a chance. He looks stronger today than before, I’m rooting for him!
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