Tomato blossom end rot: How to prevent it from ruining your crop

Added on 03 June 2022

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Have you heard of tomato blossom end rot? If you're planning on growing these tasty summer crops in your garden or greenhouse, it's worth getting in the know about this common problem.

It's not a disease, nor is it caused by pests. Instead, blossom end rot, which can also affect aubergines, cucumbers, and peppers, is fundamentally caused by incorrect, or erratic, watering. This, in a way, makes it an easy issue to remedy. And the best news is, with a few small tweaks to your tomato plant care routine, subsequent fruits won't be affected.

Our guide explains all so you can enjoy your best tomato harvest yet.

What causes tomato blossom end rot?

'Blossom end rot is caused by a lack of calcium,' explains John Negus, a gardening expert for Amateur Gardening. It's rarely caused by a deficiency in the soil and compost, however (although you can always do a soil test if you want to make sure). Instead, the problem lies in the amount of water the plants get, as for the calcium to reach the fruits, there needs to be a sufficient amount.

The fruits are far away from the roots and don't compete as well as the leaves for calcium, John says. This can lead to a local lack of it at the ends of the fruits, which leads to the telltale blemishes.

If your tomatoes have limited root space (in containers or grow bags) they are more at risk of an irregular water supply. So, if you like growing vegetables in pots, it's definitely worth bearing this in mind. 'Plants ?in a border are less likely to be affected,' he adds.