Rotten spots on tomatoes
My tomato plants always start out really wonderful. They get full of green tomatoes, and then before they can ripen, they get rotten spots on the bottoms, and most of the time the plant itself dies. What do you think could be the problem?
You've got a problem called blossom end rot. It's caused by a calcium deficiency and it shows up the most when the plants are watered infrequently. First, make sure your tomatoes are getting a good soaking once a week. Mulch them with organic mulch like shredded leaves or shredded cypress or something similar. The mulch will conserve moisture between waterings. Finally, you might consider adding calcium to the soil. It is available at garden centers in liquid and powder forms. Bone meal is an excellent source of calcium. You can also use crushed eggshells left over from your morning omelet.
