My plants have bumps on them that I've never seen before and the first 3 tomatoes all had dead tops with black bottoms. I'm new to container growing and am not sure what is going on. We have had a lot of water, however, my drainage is good. One plant is wilted, but the others are fine and all have lots of flowers. Suggestions and comments are appreciated.
Regards, Gunn
If they are white bumps on the stems, they are "adventitious root" buds, and are normal in tomatoes but a sign that something *might* be wrong. The black bottoms is "blossom end rot", which is caused by uneven water availability and a calcium deficiency that makes the plant more sensitive to the moisture problem. It sounds like your soil is waterlogged. The roots are drowning, and the plant senses the humidity in the air near the ground and is sending out new roots to hope with the drowning.
If you can loosen the soil a little, and apply a calcium suppliment, like "Stop Rot" or gypsum or lime or egg shells or calcium nitrate. If the plants were in the ground rather than in pots, I'd say you need to loosen the soil around them to let air in, and mulch them to even out the soil moisture.
Bob
Thanks, I'll stir things up a little, and add some egg shells.
Regards, Gunn
Eggs shells are the least effective form of calcium -- or at least the slowest acting. Try giving the plants a little epsom salts too. Calcium and magnesium work together (calcium is probably more important), and the magnesium in epsom salts is readily available. Start with about 1 teaspoon per plant.
Bob
Do you mean 1 teaspoon per some quantity of water per plant? I could be wrong but as far as I remember the epsom salt is to be diluted prior to feeding.
Fito
A wooden mulch will help with your uneven moisture issue.
Really? I use epsom salts for home brewing. Thanks!
Regards, Gunn
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