My new tomatos, golfball size, are rotting from bottom on vine. I followed Miracle Grow Instructions. Why?

Question

I used Miracle Grow soil and food and planted in large containers so I could keep in sun daily for long period of time. I feed about every 12 days and water almost daily as listed in directions on Miracle Grow Food box. I'm still hoping I'll have at least one good tomato but I'm so disappointed .

Answer 1

it's called blossom end rot, most often caused by dampness in and around the plants, it's a fungi infection, you can control it with a fug side spray and getting the fruit higher off the ground and better air ventilation in,under and around the plants

Answer 2

All of these answers are good but you need to avoid the problem next time. Unhealthy plants are very subject to such problems and over fertilization contributes heavily to this. I have three suggestions for you.
1. Make sure your soil is good to begin with. Use some compost to beef it up and possibly some cow or horse manure buried about six inches below your transplants.
2. Put some marigolds around your tomato patch, stake up your plants, mulch the ground and spray occasionally w/a light ammonia and water mix. This will keep out many harmful bugs, keep your vines off the ground, prevent weeds, add nitrogen to your soil, and conserve moisture. Speaking of moisture, water only in the late afternoon or early evening.
3. Go to home depot and ask for some terracycle organic fertilizer or learn to make compost tea. Chemical fertilizer if overused is worse than poison. Terracyle compost tea is better than miracle grow and "you can't overuse it". Its also usually cheaper.

I do my tomatoes in this fashion (though I make my own tea) and get 350-400 pounds of beautiful tomatoes from a 100 square foot patch every year. Good luck:).

Answer 3

Sounds like you have "black rot". Pick what tomato's you have on the vine right away. The green ones will ripen on the window sill or when individually wrapped placed in a paper bag where its cool. So sorry you had this type of experience with your first tomato's , don't give up! Nothing better than home grown tomato's!!! Black rot is deadly to tomato's and roses also. Its very contagious though and a pain in the ___ to get rid of! I dont know how it is spread but you need to dispose of any vines and soil from the plants , and start over. Ive heard you can take bleach to the container also as it will remain in a container and soil indefinitely. Best thing to do is dispose of dirt & container to land fill. DO NOT TRY TO MIX THIS SOIL in your
flower bed, garden, etc very contageous............... good luck

Answer 4

Blossom-end rot first appears as a light-tan spot turning to a dark-brown sunken area at the bottom (blossom end) of the tomato. It affects both green and ripe tomatoes, and is most often caused by a fluctuating moisture supply that results in a lack of calcium in the plant.

Solution: Water regularly. Don't overfertilize with nitrogen. Plants supported by cages tend to be less susceptible to blossom-end rot than staked plants.

Answer 5

It could be a calcium defficiency.