Oh no, my tomatoes!

lisawallace88 7/21/2023, 5:45 pm

I have prob 40 pounds of Romas on the vine, these were fine 2 days ago, but now look like this! What's happening?!? I am SO looking forward to canning my own tomato sauce, can these still be used? (Cut off the bad part, of course)

OhioGardener 7/21/2023, 6:24 pm

lisawallace88 wrote:I have prob 40 pounds of Romas on the vine, these were fine 2 days ago, but now look like this! What's happening?!? I am SO looking forward to canning my own tomato sauce, can these still be used? (Cut off the bad part, of course)

Those tomatoes are probably not worth trying to save. I would put them into the compost. That appears to be slug damage to the tomatoes. Have you checked your plants at night to see if there is slug activity on them? If you see slugs, you need to pick them off and you need to use Sluggo Plus to control them.

**Scorpio Rising** 7/21/2023, 11:25 pm

I agree with OG. Can you get them away from the ground? Are you SFGing? Dang it!

**sanderson** 7/22/2023, 3:01 am

Safe canning methods recommend only healthy veggies. Sad

If it was just a little BER that could be cut off. These have been opened up to contamination.

Cmonster90 7/23/2023, 1:13 am

Consider trying some beer traps for the slugs, also spray around your tomatoes with food grade peppermint essential oil diluted with water (add 1/4 tsp Castille or hand soap). If you spray the plants, test the solution on a few leaves for about 2 days to make sure there are no ill effects.

lisawallace88 7/23/2023, 9:37 am

The plants are not touching the ground, they are trellises on a net between deck posts.

OhioGardener 7/23/2023, 10:04 am

lisawallace88 wrote:The plants are not touching the ground, they are trellises on a net between deck posts.

Unfortunately, that won't stop slugs. I have found slugs on tomatoes 4' up plants tasting my delicious tomatoes. I make it a habit to sprinkle Sluggo Plus on the soil around the tomatoes to attract the slugs before they start climbing.

lisawallace88 7/23/2023, 2:50 pm

More pics...my hand for size reference

**Scorpio Rising** 7/23/2023, 5:15 pm

Honestly, that picture looks like blossom end rot. Usually a calcium deficiency, but can be other things…I treat with bone meal. It is a slow release source of calcium. It usually runs its course, but I have had it severely impede my tomato crop. CROP! Lol…

What do you guys think?

**sanderson** 7/23/2023, 5:57 pm

BER is a result of lack of calcium uptake, not lack of soil calcium. Most soils and Mixes have plenty of calcium, so no bone meal needed. Certain tomato varieties are more prone to BER but they usually work it out as the weather gets warm. Keeping the Mix moist throughout is important for nutrient uptake.

**Scorpio Rising** 7/25/2023, 10:27 pm

Right, uptake and availability. Good point!

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