But growing tomatoes to maturity uninhibited by disease, nutrient deficiency or free from pests is a challenge worthy of commendation. Which is why most tomato farmers pour oodles of pesticides over these endearing fruit.

However, pests weren't my problem this year. No, this year it was time to learn about blossom-end rot a fungal disease that eats away at the bottom of each fruit scarring them as if their bottoms had been seared on a hot plate. Much like this;

My limited understanding of blossom-end rot led me to assume that this was merely a problem caused during the initial fruit development stage. That is, each tomato seemed to be restricted as it grew by rubbing on something like the plant stem, the side of the container, or even the stake supporting it. Alas, this is not the cause.

In fact, the problem of blossom-end rot in solanaceous vegetables such as tomatoes, eggplants and capsicums is due to a lack of calcium in the soil. Tomatoes need a large amount of calcium to ensure proper growth and when the demand exceeds supply blossom-end rot sets in.

The main reasons for calcium deficiency are;

• Not enough water (or inconsistent watering)
• Too much nitrogen (or the wrong nitrogen source)
• Alkaline or very acidic soil

Watering Problems

This year I decided to grow my tomatoes in a container which is far different to growing in soil. One of the problems of growing anything in containers is they have a tendency to dry out faster than soil does. Therefore, my plants went from 'feast to famine' in their watering schedule as I struggled to find a balance between their needs and my time constraints.

Next season, I will try them again in containers but will attach them to the main reticulation line.

Wrong Nitrogen Source

Tomatoes need a nitrate nitrogen source as opposed to any Ammonia based nitrogen. Unaware I religiously fed my plants every two-weeks with a foliar fish emulsion inadvertently adding to my blossom-end rot woes. Instead I should have been feeding my tomatoes with animal manures, especially poultry which is high in nitrate nitrogen and very efficient on a weight basis.

Deprived soil

Tomatoes prefer a slightly acidic soil - possibly 6.5pH. My soil was bagged potting mix bought from the cheaper end of the market with the intent to bolster its gumption with some homemade compost. The compost never made its way into this mix, hence the blossom-end rot problems.

I should have definitely added the compost - or bought superior quality potting mix - and even added some lime to it. This would have enabled the soil to readily adapt to the demanding needs of the tomato crop and calcium wouldn't have been an issue.

Conclusion

We live and learn and as this was the first time I'd ever grown tomatoes in containers or even fed them with a fish emulsion, it wasn't too hard a lesson to cope with. As they say, "There's always next year!" (Carlton supporters say that, anyway).