Like many plants, tomatoes are prone to diseases so keep an eye out for these common problems listed below. Fortunately, most issues that tomato plants run into have quick fixes and aren’t fatal to the plant.
Buck Eye Rot
Buck Eye Rot is characterised by a pattern of dark brown rot on the tomato fruit. This most commonly affects tomatoes that are either close to or lying on the soil. While the affected fruits should be disposed of, you can prevent the rotting from getting worse by ensuring proper soil drainage, planting in raised beds, and applying fungicides that contain chlorothalonil, maneb, mancozeb, or metalaxyl.
Blossom End Rot
If you see your tomatoes growing a circular patch at the end of the fruit that had the flower, chances are your tomato plant is getting blossom end rot. The patch can vary in colour from greenish brown to black and is caused by a lack of calcium in the fruits. Although calcium is usually plentiful in soil, a lack of water in the plant can prevent the calcium to circulate, causing the blossom end rot.
To fix this issue, try to pay more attention to your plants on hotter days. Your tomato plant may need to be watered 2 to 3 times a day during hot periods. Additionally, if your plants are in growbags, your plants will dry out quicker and therefore should be watered more regularly.
Tomato Blight
Outdoor tomato plants are regularly exposed to wet weather which can unfortunately cause tomato blight. This disease spreads fast, leaving telltale brown patches all over the plant. Blight will cause the fruit to rot and also kill the vines. Unfortunately, there are currently no products on the market to prevent this from occurring. We recommend making sure your tomato plants are set a safe distance apart to reduce the risk of cross infection and to inspect your plants regularly to act at the first signs of blight.
Fruit Cracks
If your tomato plants are grown outside, your fruit may be subject to fruit cracks. After a long dry spell, tomatoes may try to soak up more moisture than they can handle. A large intake of moisture will cause the fruits to swell and crack. So make sure to water your plants more often during dryer weather to prevent this from happening.
To make the experience of growing and harvesting tomatoes easier, we’ve split the key stages into the following categories, which will provide guidance for all of your growing needs.
Choosing the right tomato variety
Tomatoes come in many different shapes, sizes and colours from the very large beefsteak to the bite sized cherry types. The best way to figure out which type of tomato plant is right for you is to grow 3 or 4 varieties to see which best suit your garden and your taste. Choosing the right tomato variety
Sowing and growing your tomatoes
After you’ve decided on the types of tomatoes that you want and where you’ll be growing them, it’s time to start sowing the seeds. Sowing and Growing Your Tomatoes
Harvesting your tomatoes
Once your tomatoes are firm and full of colour, they’re ready to be picked! If any fall off before they appear ripe, place them in a paper bag with the stem up and store them in a cool, dark place. Never place tomatoes on a sunny windowsill as they may rot before they turn ripe! Harvesting your tomatoes
