Tomatoes, like all other cultivated plants, can be susceptible to many diseases. One of the most harmful is blossom end rot. It harms not individual fruits, but the entire plant.
The disease appears due to a lack of calcium in the plant. The fight against it must begin on time. Neglected cases can lead to the death of the plant. It appears in the form of unpleasant liquid stains that harden and turn black over time. There are 5 ways to get rid of blossom end rot.
Foliar feeding
The disease spreads along the upper part of the plant; it is practically not present in the roots. Therefore, spraying leaves will be one of the most effective methods of control. Tomatoes have thick skin, so exposure to chemical solutions will not affect them. Most of it will remain on top in the form of a small coating that can be easily washed off.
The necessary substances will enter the fruit through the stem and leaves. Drugs must be chosen with calcium. Dimexide is popular among gardeners for treating vegetable crops. It acts as an auxiliary substance for calcium supplementation. The solution is prepared from 2 teaspoons of the drug and 10 liters of water.
The method will only work in the very early stages of the manifestation of blossom end rot. He will not be able to cope with advanced cases.
Eliminating soil acidity
Acidic soil prevents the plant from absorbing calcium.If blossom end rot appears every year, then perhaps the reason is not a bad variety, but poor-quality soil. The very first action should be liming the soil at the beginning of the gardening season.
If this problem is noticed after planting, then it is necessary to deoxidize the soil. You can use dolomite or limestone flour, chalk or gypsum. This must be done carefully. After the procedure, you need to treat the soil with potassium fertilizers. Calcium sulfate is most suitable for tomatoes.
Boron fertilization
Boron also affects the absorption of calcium by tomatoes. If the plant has a small number of ovaries, then it is necessary to prepare for the fact that blossom end rot will definitely appear on it. This can be prevented by treating the bush with Brexil Ca. It contains both boron and calcium.
Watering mode
Incorrect or insufficient watering results in the formation of blossom-end rot. To combat it, in addition to fertilizers, it is necessary to establish an irrigation regime. If the tomatoes are in a greenhouse, then there must be a thermometer hanging there. With its help, it is important to control the temperature and not allow it to rise too high.
Ash use
Ash is a proven folk remedy that copes well with many diseases, including blossom end rot. It is used in ways such as watering and spraying. For the first method you will need 1 glass of ash, filled with warm water. The mixture is thoroughly mixed. Water only at the roots. For 1 plant you will need approximately 1–3 liters.
Spraying is done using an extract from ash.2.5–3 kg of ash is boiled in 2–2.5 liters of water for 30 minutes, stirring all the time. Leave the infusion for 11–13 hours. Strain through a sieve. Dilute to 10 liters and spray the plants with the solution.
Fighting blossom end rot is a difficult task, especially in critical cases. Prevention of the disease is carried out in the fall. This can be done if you feed the soil with calcium in a timely manner.
