Tomato Problems...

[Grovsey]

My tomatoes are quite big (still green at the mo) but have developed brown patches on the actual tomatoes....

This happened last year too in a different part of the garden. They eventually just rot on the plant.

Any ideas? Does it spread to ther plants?

[Flummery]

Brown - if it's at the bottom of the tomato - is usually blossom-end rot. It's caused by erratic watering. If you can manage to stabilise things, the later fruits should be ok.

[Grovsey]

Thanks Flummery...

Erratic watering?? That's a new one on me....

That could well be true.....last week we had our first rain for 6 weeks! Lancing seems to be in a huge rain shadow?!?!?

I didn't realise that you had to water in a regular way and have been watering erratically...

How often do you suggest watering toms?

[Kristen]

If your Toms are in the ground, outside, I doubt that it is Blossom End Rot - AFAIK that is a problem with container-grown Toms (particularly grow bags).

If its not at the bottom of the Tom, but is more "all over", it could be Potato Blight.

[Flummery]

Ooooh-er, that's worse! (I always try to look on the bright side!)

You could still be growing in containers or growbags in the garden Kristen. Some of us still manage to run out of space and put pots and bags on patios!

[Grovsey]

I do have toms in grow bags too but they are fine...its the ones in the ground that are suffering..

[Kristen]

"You could still be growing in containers or growbags in the garden Kristen"

Good point

Blight:


Blossom end rot:


What to do now in your vegetable garden says:
"Potato blight can also attack tomatoes - and is often noticed first on the fruits. The brown leathery patches caused by blight are often confused with the symptoms of blossom end rot - a condition usually caused by irregular watering. Blossom end rot patches are dark brown/ black and always occur at the bottom end of the fruit, away from the plant."

[Grovsey]

I think its "late blight"......

Is this curable or is on the bonfire with them all?

[Flummery]

No cure I'm afraid. Greenhouse growing is the only way to avoid it.

[Kristen]

Destroy all fruit that is effected, spray the plants against Potato Blight (not sure whether you need to wait until the leaves show brown patches).