Blossom rot of tomatoes in greenhouses and open ground, treatment, how to fight, what to treat

In today's episode:

Top rot of tomatoes (simply “top rot”) is an extremely unpleasant phenomenon. It is very disappointing when the harvest that has begun to ripen suddenly finds itself under threat.

You raised it, fed it, watered it, and suddenly on the tips of the tomato fruits you discovered rapidly growing dark spots.

The disease begins where the flower was attached, at the very top of the fruit. Hence the name.

We urgently need to take action, otherwise we won’t be left without tomatoes for long. Let's look at how to save tomatoes and what to do to stop the disease.

When you finish reading this article, you will 100% have an effective plan for saving tomatoes and you will succeed!

Description of the disease

Tomato blossom end rot, also called black rot, blossom end rot, or crown rot, can lead to the loss of a third of the crop. The disease occurs in all regions where tomatoes are cultivated and appears both in greenhouses and in open ground.

The disease causes rot to form at the top of the fruit. The remaining parts of the plant develop normally, except in cases where blossom end rot is associated with root damage.

Affected fruits are not edible and are not suitable for preservation. But if the treatment is successful, the new tomatoes grown on the bush can be used for culinary purposes.

Symptoms usually appear on all plants at the same time, but this is not due to infection. Blossom rot is caused by stressful conditions and care errors, not pathogenic microflora.

However, there is a high probability of developing an infection due to the disease; bacteria and fungi easily penetrate plant tissue in the affected areas.

Types, their descriptions and photos

Among the diseases of tomatoes, there are several types of rot. These include gray, white and black rot. Each type of rot is caused by a different pathogen and manifests itself differently.

Gray

The disease affects fruits growing both in open ground and in greenhouse conditions. The cause of gray rot is considered to be high humidity and excessive amounts of nitrogen fertilizers.

White

The primary sources of the disease are compost and soil, so infected plants must be destroyed and cannot be composted. The causes of white rot are undisinfected soil. Its development is promoted by high humidity and low air temperature (below 18ºС) during planting.

Black

The causative agent of the disease penetrates into overripe fruits through the cracks formed. The cause of the disease is excessive air humidity.

Symptoms, what it looks like, photos

In most cases, blossom end rot occurs on tomatoes that have grown to 30-50% of their full size, but can affect green fruit of any age. The disease often appears during the hottest period of summer.

First, at the top of the berry, that is, the “butt” area where the scar from the fallen flower remains, a light brown spot mixed with a yellow or green tint forms. The shape of the changed area is usually rounded and flattened.

Later, the affected area becomes depressed, darkens, often acquires a gray-brown color and gradually increases in size, going deeper. Sometimes the spot takes up a third of the fruit.

The tissue under the skin in the damaged area softens and rots. Rot can penetrate into the deep layers of the pulp. The fruit becomes dry and dense, grows slower, and takes on an irregular shape.

Sick tomatoes turn red before healthy berries and fall off the bushes prematurely. Their flesh loses its taste and juiciness and becomes hard.

In conditions of high humidity, the rotten area is inhabited by a colony of bacteria or saprophytic fungi. Because of this, the stain turns black or dark brown, can become moldy, crack, and often develops weeping rot.

In the latter case, the affected tissues become soft, emit an unpleasant odor, the stain grows and soon the entire fruit rots.

Tomatoes in the lower part of the bush are most often infected, primarily those that touch the ground.

Top rot can also occur in a latent form, without changes in the outer part of the fruit. But in the pulp of healthy-looking berries, black areas of rot are found; such tomatoes turn out to be dry and tasteless.

Signs of appearance

It is not easy to detect the disease at the initial stage of development. Only upon careful examination can one notice that watery, dark green spots have appeared on the tips of the fruit (where the flower was). Over time, the skin dries out and they acquire a dark brown color, tissue necrosis worsens.

Blossom rot occurs mainly on unripe tomatoes. Further growth of the fruits stops, they turn red earlier than healthy ones and soon fall off.

Fungi and bacteria settle on rotten tissue and penetrate deep into the fruit. The pulp rots and the seeds become infected.

Important ! It is because of secondary infection by pathogenic microorganisms that inexperienced gardeners consider blossom end rot to be an infectious disease. But the reasons lie elsewhere.

Causes, causative agent

The disease is caused by several factors, but each of them, one way or another, leads to a lack of calcium for the construction of fruit cells.

To grow and fill, they need a large amount of microelement, so the disease manifests itself when the berries rapidly gain weight.

Calcium is involved in the construction of all plant cells, without exception, therefore part of the nutrition coming from the roots is always taken by the main stem - to continue upward growth, part is taken by the leaves and, according to the residual principle, the element enters the fruits.

The fruit begins to absorb nutrients from the side of the petiole that supplies it, which is why the spot of blossom end rot always forms on the back side, on the “butt.”

Deficiency can develop in tomatoes not only due to poor soil.

Plants do not absorb microelements:

in case of mechanical damage or infectious diseases of the roots;
from saline or very acidic soil;
in cases of deficiency or excess of moisture in the soil;
at high temperatures or excessive humidity;
due to excess nitrogen fertilizing, especially in ammonium form;
due to too rapid growth of fruits.

The most common cause of calcium starvation is a lack of moisture in the soil and high air temperatures (from +25...+26°C). Tomatoes in the greenhouse especially suffer from the heat.

What is blossom end rot on tomatoes?

Many gardeners consider pathogenic microorganisms to be the cause of blossom end rot on tomatoes. But a bacterial or fungal infection has nothing to do with it. They can indeed penetrate into damaged areas and aggravate the situation, but they themselves do not cause the disease.

In applied botany, apical damage to tomatoes is called calcium starvation. The plant does not receive enough vital nutrients, and it is mainly the tip of the fruit that suffers.

Calcium is carried out of the soil and redirected by the roots, first to the apical part of the bush, then distributed over the leaves. The fruit “stands in line” last.

In short, Ca performs the following functions in the life of plant organisms:

enhances and regulates carbohydrate and protein metabolism, enzyme activity;
participates in photosynthesis;
together with pectins, glues cells together;
when added to the soil, it reduces its acidity, and subsequently affects the synthesis of vitamins.

Without calcium, the normal occurrence of any biochemical processes in a plant is impossible.

What to do if the disease is detected

If the problem was identified at an early stage and the number of fruits with spots on the top is small, it is recommended to remove them from the bush.

It is impossible to cure such tomatoes, they cannot be eaten, and the seed material from them will be of low quality.

But if all the ovaries in the inflorescence are damaged, the affected berries should be left. Otherwise, the remaining tomatoes, due to a decrease in the fruit load of the bush, will begin to develop more intensively, and this increases the risk of blossom end rot appearing on them as well.

If the fruits have not had time to colonize fungi or bacteria, treatment comes down to fertilizing. It is optimal to use calcium nitrate for this. Otherwise, pesticide treatment will also be required.

The first time, fertilizer should be given foliar. Leaves absorb nutrition faster than roots, so in emergency situations, when it is urgent to compensate for the deficiency of any element, the bush is sprayed with a solution of the corresponding substance.

At the same time, there is no point in processing the fruits; their thick peel is impenetrable to nutrients.

If the deficiency has arisen due to the quality of the soil or damage to the root system, watering with fertilizers will not change the situation; in this case, only foliar feeding is done.

It is advisable to give potassium to the tomatoes a couple of days after fertilizing. If plants are overfed with calcium, they stop consuming potassium; as a result, the fruits grow slowly, gain weight poorly and accumulate sugars poorly, which causes their taste to deteriorate.

An excess of microelements in the soil also complicates the absorption of nitrogen and boron, iron passes into a form inaccessible to plants, and the soil becomes alkaline - tomatoes do not absorb any nutrition from such soil. It is important not to exceed dosages when feeding.

After harvesting, you should start improving the soil in the garden. If its composition, acidity, and friability differ from optimal indicators, blossom end rot will appear in every season.

How do diseases develop and why are they dangerous?

Gray rot. The disease is transmitted from plant to plant. Affected tomatoes quickly wither and die. Externally, the disease manifests itself as follows:
Formation of a characteristic fluffy coating.
Leaf spotting.
Damage to the plant stem.
White rot. Most often, this type of rot forms on damaged areas of the fruit and usually appears during storage of the crop. External signs of the disease:
Fruits covered with white coating.
Black rot. Black weeping spots appear on the fruits, most often near the stalk or in places of damage. The affected tissue softens, the spots become more numerous and the plant dies.

Treatment, how to fight in a greenhouse

In closed ground conditions, plants most often stop absorbing calcium due to heat, humidity or lack of watering, but the reason may also be in the soil, especially if it is not possible to change it annually. Therefore, the approach to treatment must be comprehensive.

To get rid of blossom end rot, it is necessary to control the conditions in the greenhouse and follow proper tomato farming techniques.

The following activities must be carried out:

Improving soil quality. The culture needs crumbly fertile soils with a slightly acidic or neutral reaction. If necessary, adjust the acidity, loosen it by adding sand or sowing green manure, and apply fertilizer.
Crop rotation. Plants of the same family have similar nutritional needs; growing not only tomatoes, but also other nightshades in the same place, deprives the soil of exactly those substances that the crop needs most.
Temperature and water balance. During the growing season, tomatoes need frequent watering in small portions. To reduce air humidity, the greenhouse is regularly ventilated and shaded on hot days.
Strengthening the immune system. Plants may stop absorbing nutrition due to any stress; the use of growth stimulants and immunomodulators increases their resistance to all adverse conditions and stimulates development.
Disease prevention. Top rot provokes an outbreak of infectious diseases, so it is necessary to disinfect the greenhouse, seed material and preventive treatments with biological products.
Daily inspections. It is easier to stop any disease at the initial stage. In the case of blossom end rot, early treatment allows for almost no loss in yield.

How to save tomatoes from blossom end rot - really working advice from an agronomist.

Are there resistant varieties?

One of the most effective methods of resisting blossom end rot is the selection of disease-resistant varieties.

Early-ripening and large-fruited varieties and hybrids of tomatoes are most susceptible to the disease. For example, “Azhur”, “Sprint Timer” and “Alabai”. During development, tomatoes of these varieties very quickly consume too much energy. Therefore, if they are not carefully looked after and fertilized, they may get sick.

The varieties and hybrids least susceptible to blossom end rot are “Bolshevik”, “Belyi Naliv”, “Pandarose”, “Volgogradsky”, “Lunny”, “Benito”, “Astrakhansky”, “Raisa”, etc. Most of these tomatoes are unpretentious in care and can withstand climatic changes and irregular watering regimes.

Variety White filling

How to treat tomatoes against blossom end rot, preparations

In addition to fertilizing, treatment with immunomodulators is very useful in the fight against rot.

They can also be used outdoors if the plants have been damaged by hail, cold rain or wind, sudden cold snap or drought.

In addition, such treatment increases resistance to infectious diseases.

Megafol

The drug stimulates metabolic processes, chlorophyll synthesis, and promotes rapid absorption of nutrition. The amino acids contained in the product transport nutrients and water into the cells.

After treatment with Megafol, tomatoes become more resistant to high and low temperatures, and the roots absorb water more intensively.

To treat open ground bushes, dissolve 25-35 ml of concentrate in 10 liters of water, for greenhouses - 15 ml for the same volume of water.

It is advisable to do 3-4 sprays with two-week breaks when signs of stress appear.

The first use for prevention is indicated 10-15 days after planting seedlings in the ground.

SWEET

The product accelerates the ripening of fruits and improves their quality - tomatoes accumulate more sugars and vitamin C, are stored longer and tolerate transportation better.

Can be used in conjunction with the drug Megafol.

2 treatments with a stimulant are allowed during the season, the last one should be at least 8-12 days before harvest.

Typically, the product is used immediately before coloring the fruit begins. For spraying, dissolve 20-30 ml of concentrate in 10 liters of water.

Gumifield (potassium humate)

A drug that reduces stress due to humic acids. Works even at low temperatures, a good remedy for restoring plants damaged due to drought.

Increases productivity, fruit quality, and disease resistance. Reduces the amount of nitrates in berries. Compatible with other anti-stress drugs.

Dissolve 1.5-2 g of powder in 10 liters of water. This working liquid can be sprayed on tomatoes three times a season.

Gumifield is also used for one-time watering of seedlings; in this case, add 0.5-1 g of the product to 10 liters of water.

If bacterial rot or fungus has developed on the affected fruits, even removing them does not guarantee that the disease will not spread to other tomatoes. Moreover, many microorganisms are able to overwinter in a greenhouse and even in open ground.

It is necessary to treat the bush with fungicides. But since blossom end rot is detected at the fruit growth stage, when it is undesirable to use chemicals, the best remedy for this would be biological products.

Fitosporin-M

Bacterial fungicide, contains live spores of Bacillus subtilis, inhibits pathogenic microflora due to the waste products of this bacterium.

There are several types of the drug, all of them contain Bacillus subtilis strain 26 D, differing only in additives.

Directions for use:

spraying bushes - dissolve 5 g of product in 10 liters of water;
watering at the root – 10 g per 3 l;
soaking seeds - 1.5 g per 1 liter.

Fitosporin-M for tomatoes contains microelements useful for this crop (zinc, magnesium, boron), as well as the immunomodulator and growth stimulator “Gumi”.

Fitolavin

A contact-systemic drug based on phytobacteriomycin. This is a natural antibiotic that is synthesized by soil bacteria streptomycetes.

The fungicide is compatible with Fitosporin, Baktofit, and Fitoplasmin.

In greenhouses, the drug is recommended for watering tomatoes. To prepare a solution, dilute 20-25 ml of concentrate in 10 liters of water.

Repeat the procedure every 15 days until the end of the growing season, but after watering, at least 2 days must pass before the fruits are removed from the bush.

For prevention purposes, do at least 2 treatments per season. Pour 100-200 ml of working solution under each adult plant, and 30-50 ml under a seedling bush.

Open ground tomatoes are sprayed with a solution of 15-20 ml of product per 10 liters of water. This volume should be used to process 1 hundred square meters. It is advisable to repeat spraying after 14 days.

Baktofit

Like Fitosporin, it contains Bacillus subtilis, but of a different strain - IPM 215. The action of the product is similar - the bacterium produces an antibiotic that suppresses harmful microorganisms.

The drug should not be mixed with fungicides, including Fitosporin, growth stimulants and fertilizers. It begins to act a day after application.

Baktofit is produced in the form of a powder or suspension concentrate. Dissolve 20 g or 20 ml in 10 liters of water and water the plants. Repeat watering every 7-10 days.

Trichodermin

It acts due to spores and waste products of the soil fungus Trichoderma. The drugs “Gliokladin”, “Trichoflor”, “Trichofit”, “Fito-M” have a similar effect.

Spray tomatoes with Trichodermin every 7 days. To do this, dilute 20-50 ml in 10 liters of water. The product can be used for soaking seeds - dissolve 30-50 ml in 1 liter of water and soak the seed for 20-40 minutes.

Another option for preventive use is soaking the roots of seedlings for 10-30 minutes in the same solution before planting.

The preparation is also suitable for application to the soil - during spring digging, pour 30-40 ml of the product onto each square meter of the bed, dissolving it in a volume of water convenient for irrigation.

Reviews

How to deal with blossom end rot on tomatoes can best be told by reviews from those vegetable growers who have already encountered the problem.

Oksana
City - Krasnodar region
In the fight against blossom end rot, I realized one thing: not all tomato varieties suffer from it. As soon as I see a variety with lesions, I remove it from the garden forever. However, the weather sometimes throws up trouble. I noticed that if there is a lot of dry tops during the year. Watering is getting more and more difficult. They recommended calcium nitrate, a very effective remedy. Next year I will start processing earlier.

Maksim
Saratov city
I once read about eggshells in the journal “Science and Life”, where they proved by experiment that they do not decompose within 10 years. What kind of feeding can we talk about? But I use saltpeter when it’s very hot, and it works fine.

Valery Petrovich
Vladimir city
Tomatoes are my weakness. As luck would have it, the most delicious grimy, black-fruited varieties are the most unstable to blossom end rot. I don’t want to get rid of them, they are very tasty. I tried treating it with antifungal drugs, but they didn’t help. I bought calcium nitrate and as soon as I planted it in the garden, I started adding it a little once every 15-20 days. I prepare a solution of 10 g per bucket of water. It doesn't turn out to be expensive. There is an effect. The tomatoes are a sight to behold, and I got rid of the top.

Feeding tomatoes against blossom end rot

To prevent blossom end rot, you can use complex fertilizers intended for tomatoes.

Such products contain all the substances necessary for tomatoes in sufficient quantities. If the disease has already appeared, the plant requires calcium supplementation.

Calcium nitrate

For spraying, dissolve 10-15 g of calcium nitrate in 10 liters of water. For watering, dissolve 1 g of the substance in 2 liters of water or, if the air temperature is high, in 5 liters.

The dose is intended for one plant. Do not forget to water the planting with clean water before root feeding.

Calcium chloride

Dissolve a 10 ml ampoule in a bucket of water. Sometimes calcium chloride is produced in 5 ml ampoules; dissolve them in 5 liters of water. Spray the planting every 10-15 days. Usually 2-3 times is enough to stop the progression of blossom end rot.

To enhance the effect of fertilizing, add 300 g of wood ash to a bucket of solution.

To prevent bacterial or fungal infection, pour 1 liter of milk or whey into 10 liters of product.

In this case, you can also rub 40 g of laundry soap into the solution, so it will stay on the leaves longer.

Brexil calcium

Ideally, tomatoes should be fed with both calcium and boron. These microelements form a synergistic pair. Brexil calcium contains both substances: 15% calcium and 0.5% boron. The absorption of components by tomato leaves occurs within 2 hours.

The drug can be used at any phase of plant development, since it does not contain nitrogen.

It is best to apply fertilizer by foliar application. To do this, dissolve 15-20 g of the substance in 10 liters of water. Carry out the treatment every 10-15 days.

Use this!!! Apex Rot is running away like a coward!!!

Kalbit C

The calcium in this fertilizer is in chelated form, which means that plants will absorb it well.

The product improves the structure of fruits due to the interaction of pectin substances with calcium compounds, resulting in increased shelf life and resistance of berries to transportation.

Dissolve 20-30 ml of the product in 10 liters of water and apply foliar to 1 hectare of planting. It is advisable to spray the bushes every 8-10 days after the formation of ovaries.

How to prepare seeds so that tomatoes do not get sick?

Treating seeds in potassium permanganate
Proper preparation of seeds will prevent disease even for those varieties that are more prone to blossom end rot than others.

In order to prevent disease, tomato seeds must be pickled in a solution of potassium permanganate or iron sulfate before planting.

Etching with potassium permanganate. A 3% solution is prepared. The seeds are soaked in it for 30-40 minutes. Then the planting material is washed in warm water and dried.
Pickling with iron sulfate. A solution is prepared (1 g of vitriol per 1 liter of water). The seeds are soaked in it for 24 hours. After this, the planting material is also washed and dried.

IMPORTANT! If your soil is too low in calcium or you severely damage the plant's roots, seed dressing still won't help.

Folk remedies

During the fruit growth phase, when blossom end rot appears, many gardeners are wary of using mineral fertilizers. For feeding, you can use natural sources of calcium.

Wood ash

The leader in calcium volume is the ash obtained from burning deciduous trees; the microelement can occupy up to 30% of it. Ash also contains a lot of potassium and phosphorus.

For emergency treatment of blossom end rot, use ash decoction. Sift 3 kg of ash, pour in 10 liters of water, bring the solution to a boil and keep on low heat for 15 minutes.

Strain the broth and dilute each liter with a bucket of water. Use for spraying.

For prevention when planting seedlings, you can add wood ash to each hole. A glass of sifted ash is required per plant.

After pouring it into the hole, mix the ashes with soil and fill with a liter of water. After this, you can plant the bush.

Eggshell

To feed the planting, water it with infusion from the shell. The disadvantage of this product is that it will take about a week to prepare it.

More suitable for the second or third feeding during treatment, as well as for the prevention of calcium deficiency.

The shells of 10 eggs are enough to fertilize 8 bushes. Grind dry, clean raw materials in a coffee grinder, pour in a liter of boiling water and leave to steep for 5-7 days. Shake from time to time to enhance fermentation processes.

Before watering, dilute each liter of infusion with 3 liters of water; filtering is not necessary. Pour 0.5 liters of product under the bush. Repeat feeding after 2-3 weeks.

Ground eggshells are embedded during digging to reduce acidity and loosen the soil.

You can also add 1 teaspoon to each seedling hole. But even in a compost pit, the egg shells decompose for at least 2 years, and in the soil the process takes even longer.

In acidic soil, 1.5 kg of shells per 1 m2 should be added, this requires 300 eggs. If the soil is very acidic and heavy, add 3 kg of raw materials.

But you cannot contribute the entire amount at once, only in parts over several years. Optimally - 200 g (50 eggs) per 1 m2 per year in two passes - during spring and autumn digging.

The shells should be cleaned and dried before use. If this is not done, animal debris will attract pests to the planting. To preserve the raw material for a long time, it is advisable to bake it in the oven.

During heat treatment, a certain proportion of calcium is lost, but it is released more intensely during decomposition. The greatest loss of microelement occurs during cooking.

Brown eggs have thicker shells, like those laid in winter.

Chalk and vinegar

The reaction between chalk and vinegar produces calcium acetate. This is an organic salt that dissolves easily and is available to the roots.

This fertilizer is well suited for the treatment of blossom end rot because the plants get nutrition from it very quickly. Acetate is also beneficial for soil microflora.

Pour 200 g of chalk into 1 liter of 9% vinegar. Pour the vinegar in small portions, otherwise the reaction will be too violent and some of the product may “run away.”

When the chalk stops fizzing when adding a new portion, do not add the rest of the vinegar, otherwise the solution will turn out to be too sour. Dilute the product with 10-12 liters of water and use it to water the bushes.

Chalk can be replaced with ground eggshells. For 1 liter of vinegar you will need about 40 shells. Dilute a glass of this product with 10 liters of water.

Water the plants, spending 0.5-1 liters per plant. This solution can also be used for foliar feeding.

Calcium acetate absorbs phosphoric acid ions, and phosphorus deficiency may occur after using the product. Therefore, after a couple of days, apply additional phosphorus fertilizing.

Advice from gardeners

Experienced gardeners recommend the following method for combating rot: you need to add ash from burnt oak bark when transplanting seedlings (a glass of ash per hole), and also spray during the budding period.

An infusion for foliar feeding is prepared using 200 grams of ash and 10 liters of water. Place the ash in water, bring the solution to a boil, cook for 10 minutes and then leave for 24 hours. Then spray the tomatoes with it.

Tomatoes are often susceptible to various types of rot. To prevent this from happening, it is enough to follow agricultural practices, regularly and well water the plants, care for them, and also pay attention to varieties that are least susceptible to rot. All these simple measures will allow you to get a rich harvest and keep your plants healthy.

Prevention

It’s easy to avoid the appearance of blossom end rot in tomatoes – it’s enough to provide the plants with optimal temperature and water conditions, improve the soil in the garden beds and apply fertilizing on time during the growing season.

Necessary activities:

If the soil is poor in calcium, add slaked lime and superphosphate to it in the fall. Too acidic soil must be alkalized with dolomite flour, lime or chalk.
Calcium fertilizers should also be added to the seedling substrate - a microelement required by tomatoes at all stages of development. Mix 10 kg of soil with slaked lime or crushed chalk.
Maintain crop rotation. Do not grow tomatoes after other nightshades (peppers, eggplants, potatoes). The best predecessors for them are legumes and pumpkin crops.
Do not overcrowd, otherwise the plants will have to compete for food and water. In addition, thickening promotes the development of bacteria and fungi. Also, to improve air circulation, plant bushes and remove weeds.
Do not allow the soil to dry out too much followed by abundant watering. Irrigate tomatoes on sandy loam and sandy soils every day. But water loam and clay soils a couple of times a week - they retain moisture for a long time.
To check the water-air balance of the soil, rake the surface layer from the stem and take a handful of soil near the roots. Properly moistened soil, if squeezed into a lump, should hold its shape, and after being thrown onto the ground, it should crumble.
Water adult plants 2-3 times a week. Increase irrigation up to 3-4 times a week for tomatoes that have bloomed 5-7 inflorescences and set about 20-25 fruits. A tall bush should receive approximately 1.5 liters per day.
Irrigate young seedlings less often. New root shoots are formed when searching for moisture; if there is enough of it, the bush does not develop a powerful root system. It is these plants that often suffer from blossom end rot in adulthood.
It is advisable to water the planting immediately after sunrise and during the day. At night, the bushes do not absorb water, so the roots remain in waterlogged soil until the morning.
Loosen the bed after watering and rain. Often roots do not absorb nutrition in dense soils because they suffer from oxygen deficiency.
If the air is too dry, place containers of water under the bushes. It is also necessary to increase humidity at high temperatures, especially during the midday hours in the greenhouse.
During the flowering and fruit growth phases, give the tomatoes foliar feeding with a solution of calcium nitrate. To do this, dissolve 5-10 g of the substance (half a teaspoon) in 10 liters of water. Spray the planting, spending one liter per 2 acres. Repeat every 7-10 days.
For root feeding, dissolve 15-25 g of fertilizer in 10 liters of water. Pour 0.5 liters of product under each bush. Fertilizing can be done once a week, alternating watering with spraying.
Normally, transpiration cools plant organs by 5-7°C. When pruning the bush, keep in mind that during hot periods tomatoes require at least 20-22 leaves. In spring and at the end of the growing season (from August) - no more than 16-18 pieces. Only leaves longer than 10 cm are counted.
After harvesting, carefully clean and dig up the area. It is useful to sow green manure in place of tomatoes to increase the looseness of the soil and remove pests and pathogenic microflora from the soil.