OK, so my usual problem of having real bad blossom end rot on my tomatoes ( and other veggies) seems be going away, but now I have another problem. I looks like a lot of my tomatoes are getting bruised on the vine. If they are not visibly discolored like in the photos below, they are so soft and mushy that I crush them when removing from the vine. What can be causing this, any thoughts? This is happening to all types of tomatoes this year (roma,beefsteak, and pink travelers).
Most likely one of these two possibilities anthracnose fungus or brown stink bug bite. I would go with anthracnose from what I see in the picture. It will also cause similar spots on several pepper varieties including bell peppers. Several products to treat it available Bonide fungicides are good as are Daconil.
some online suggestions to prevent rot Maintain consistent levels of moisture in the soil throughout the growing season Prevent calcium deficiency with Tomato Rot Stop. In cold climates, allow soil to warm before planting; cold soils limit nutrient uptake. Maintain soil pH at or near 6.5. Plus this .. also from online sources .. The bruising could be anthracnose. It is a fungus which emerges as the weather gets hot and humid – usually 80° or warmer. So, harvest ripe tomatoes as soon as possible. These are safe to eat if you cut off the bruises. Then water tomatoes in the morning.
I always have the bad blossom end rot issue but have never seen side rot like that. Since it is affecting all, sounds like fungus to me.
Blossom end rot is usually calcium or ph problem, plant not getting enough. Real problem in New England, granite rock has just about no usable calcium and all of the national products are to light in calcium. Blights and rots are bad this year, hot and you have to keep them watered, as carefully as possible to not get the leaves wet, if you cut or prune anything, even reaching in to get tomatoes, disinfect hands and tools every time. It is very easy to spread blights even your bees will do it for you. As sec_monkey states, the best defense is a healthy plant, so feed, water, etc to keep it as stress free on the plants as possible. I am putting my shade cloth on early, cut sun some, but heat even more.
Agreed. The mushing when you pick them was interesting. I googled it and one suggestion is that it could be root-rot.
The blight on the Tomatoes looks to be a fungus....Anthracnose Fruit Rot. Pest Of The Month: Anthracnose of Tomato It seems that there are a number of strategies for minimising the potential for Anthracnose Fruit Rot to affect tomato and other fruiting plants. The fungus thrives in poorly drained soils and will survive between seasons in plant debris left on the soil after harvesting affected plants. Burn affected plant matter. The fungus can be introduced by planting infected seed from affected fruit...use commercial certified disease free seed, or save heirloom seed from unaffected plants. "...Treat seed in hot water (122 degrees Fahrenheit) for 25 minutes, plunge into cold water and then dry on paper. (Note: Carefully monitor water temperatures to avoid killing the seed.)" http://www.ct.gov/caes/lib/caes/doc...nd_ecology/anthracnose_of_tomato_04-01-13.pdf Use Crop rotation. Identify and destroy affected plants...DO NOT compost, or use affected plants for making weed tea, as mulch, or as worm farm fodder...sterilise pruning shears and cutting tools between plants. Use prophylactic and on going application of fungicides....apparently Soda Bicarb is useful, however alternative proprietary formulations will also work.... Apply pesticides to plant and fruit to deter sap sucking insects from making breaks in the plant's skin which create entry points for fungal colonisation. Apparently affected fruit is edible, just cut away the bruised areas and lesions.
The brown Stink bug has became a real problem as well and in lighter infested areas can make very similar spots on tomatoes and everything else. Brown marmorated stink bug - Wikipedia not to be confused with native stink bug species that are by and large harmless to crops. I believe they are up to infecting 38 Eastern states now. Pic of Brown Stink Bug damage those spots will eventually look like the ones in the ops picture from the cell necrosis from the single bite.
Thanks all, While we've had a wet summer so far, the garden area is well drained but still mostly clay soil so it will retain moisture. I've got a fungicide, just need to make sure it will work on this. Based on searches relating to this fungus, it would appear that is what I have (kinda wish it was just blossom end rot LOL). @Thunder5Ranch , i don't see any other tomatoes that have spots like that, just areas that look brused and they turn in to the pictures from the first post. Thanks again.
Anthracnose starts out as a small soft spot, that progresses to looking bruised and mushy, then turns what you have there and if left to go eventually turns the entire inside to slime that falls out the bottom of the tomato Not seeing the tell tale pin hole the brown stink bugs make when they cause a similar type of damage.
