Posted by Roger Tonkin on September 11, 2010, 2:58 pm
Went down the greenhouse today to pick the toms. First few I went for
were very red and slightly soft on top, lifted gently and off the stalk
they came, BUT when turned over the bottoms were blotchy
green/red/yellowish.
Some of the others were blotchy on top and fine underneath.
Any ides of the cause? I know I've had erratic watering from a neighbour
whilst I was away so there are a few with blossom end rot. Could this be
the reason?
Hoping they will ripen evenly when left on the windowsill.
Roger T
Posted by Compo in Caithness on September 11, 2010, 7:00 pm
> Went down the greenhouse today to pick the toms. First few I went for
> were very red and slightly soft on top, lifted gently and off the stalk
> they came, BUT when turned over the bottoms were blotchy
> green/red/yellowish.
> Some of the others were blotchy on top and fine underneath.
> Any ides of the cause? I know I've had erratic watering from a neighbour
> whilst I was away so there are a few with blossom end rot. Could this be
> the reason?
> Hoping they will ripen evenly when left on the windowsill.
> Roger T
Is it too much heat? Something I have no experience of, living in the
far north of Scotland, but too much direct sunlight can cause blotchy
ripening - are they in a greenhouse and is it perhaps not shaded?
Posted by Pete on September 12, 2010, 4:27 am
> Is it too much heat? Something I have no experience of, living in the
> far north of Scotland, but too much direct sunlight can cause blotchy
> ripening - are they in a greenhouse and is it perhaps not shaded?
I would not think so.
Mine are in always in an unshaded house and are exposed to extreme heat on
occasions - 100f +.
Blossom end rot on the early ripeners, is all I usually suffer from - water
problems I know !
That reduces to minimal on the subsequent croppings.
Cause elsewhere I suspect.
Regards
Pete
www.thecanalshop.com
Posted by Roger Tonkin on September 13, 2010, 7:30 am
In article <dbc13f5f-0b1d-4459-afdd-590a47300d05
@c16g2000vbp.googlegroups.com>, haroldhrmtg@aol.com says...
> Not enought potassium/potash or too much heat.
> Tomatoes need tomatoe fertilizer on a regular basis (high in potash).
>
>
Possibly, heat is not really controlled much, no shading in greenhouse,
but then I've never had the problem in previous years.
Feeding is a possibilit, as this year I invested in a drip feed watering
system (cheap from Aldi), and realised that I've only been feeding once
a week, with a 10 litre can doing four grow bags (3 bags and 3 pots
actually!)
Thing that confi=uses is that some fruit are fine and others effected on
the same plant! Also fruit size is very large this year!
Roger T
> were very red and slightly soft on top, lifted gently and off the stalk
> they came, BUT when turned over the bottoms were blotchy
> green/red/yellowish.
> Some of the others were blotchy on top and fine underneath.
> Any ides of the cause? I know I've had erratic watering from a neighbour
> whilst I was away so there are a few with blossom end rot. Could this be
> the reason?
> Hoping they will ripen evenly when left on the windowsill.
> Roger T