Why are my tomato fruits developing black, mushy spots before they can ripen?

Question

My tomato fruits are going bad before they have a chance to go from green to red. Can anything be done this year to the plants I have? I have same problem with every new fruit.

Answer 1

I assume, this is a BER - Blossom End Rot. I had this issue last year in my plants - This can happen for various reasons, I am no expert in this subject but I like to share what I know.

1. Excess watering can cause this problem - check the moisture level of your soil

2. Fluctuation in watering - i.e Many days without watering and ending up with excessive watering in one day

3. Calcium/Magnesium deficiency in the soil, this was the case in my tomato plants. I used equal mix of Epsom and Gypsum salt on the surface of the soil and water the plants. However, this only helps the new fruits and not the already rotten ones. If you feel its lot of hassle to get the mix right - you can find one like this online - and mix it with water as suggested on the label. Remember this is one time activity - Don't repeat it until you see the problem again.