Blossom End Rot: Signs and Solutions

Be on the lookout for tough, leathery spots on vegetables.

By Jenny Peterson

Have you ever walked out to your vegetable garden and noticed some odd things happening with your tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers? Strange discolorations and ends that look dry, shrunken, and leathery? If you're observing these signs and they seem to be getting worse, the problem probably started about three weeks earlier. The good news is that this is an easy diagnosis—you've got blossom end rot.

Now don't start reaching for your fungicides and insecticides; those won't help one bit. Blossom end rot is caused not by a bug, fungi, or bacteria, but rather by a lack of calcium. During the growing season, you can assume that your vegetables need a consistent supply of calcium, and any interruption of this supply will cause problems. Sudden drought or an inconsistent supply of water disrupts the flow of calcium, which leads to blossom end rot. Here's how to avoid this problem in the future:

Use a nitrate nitrogen fertilizer rather than an ammonia-based nitrogen fertilizer, which can inhibit calcium uptake. Avoid using too much fertilizer at one time, which can lead to blossom end rot. Ensure your plants get an inch of water per week, either through rainfall or irrigation. Mulch around your plants to keep the soil moisture consistent.Remove affected fruits and vegetables when you first notice the problem. This will keep the infected fruits from serving as entry points to the rest of the garden for fungi and bacteria. Be careful when cultivating close to the surface roots of the plants; these roots are valuable for water absorption. Test your soil for appropriate levels of calcium—if you have low levels, correct it over time with high-calcium limestone or dolomite before you plant.