Tomato Blossom End Rot - UPDATE

If you've been following progress in the Weather Garden, you'll know we had a problem with the ends of our tomatoes rotting. Nothing else, just the ends. Turns out it's caused by lack of calcium in the soil. We fixed it. Here's how. Read question below:

Q: I have heard that calcium chloride is the fix for tomato blossom end rot. If this is true, could you please tell me the mixture I should use?

A: Blossom end rot accurately describes the large tan or black spot that occurs on the bottom of tomatoes and peppers. It is the result of calcium deficiency in the young fruit. Calcium deficiency may result from insufficient calcium in your soil or an inability of plants to take up sufficient amounts of the mineral. Because calcium is not a highly mobile element, changes in water availability, even for a day or two, can result in a deficiency. No fungi, bacteria, or any other disease organisms are known to cause the condition and it is not spread from one plant to another.

Calcium is absorbed through plant leaves so the best quick fix is to spray tomatoes with a calcium chloride solution. Pre-mixed sprays are available at garden centers.

You can also mix two level tablespoons of calcium chloride powder in a gallon of water. Calcium chloride (80% concentration) is the ingredient of DampRid Closet Freshener(tm) product sold at drugstores.

Apply three sprays at one week intervals. Lastly, be sure to mulch your tomatoes and keep the soil around them moist but not soggy during the growing season.

We were able to find our solution at Southern States in Roanoke, but many local gardening stores should also have a similar spray. It worked for us. Hopefully it works for you.

---Brent

Groundhog on the Loose

He may be able to predict the fate of winter, but he's doing a number on our Weather Garden. Yep, the groundhog is back. So far he's eaten our okra plants , and little else. Better him than me, not a big fan of okra. Sometimes groundhogs have a summer burrow (aka, under the weather deck) that is distinct from the burrow used for hibernation, mating and rearing of young. You might call it the strategic attack burrow.

This burrow is a place where the groundhog can wait until the last Live shot of the day, then run like hell over to the garden where he nibbles on every last plant. Sorry for the rage.

Once you've determined that you have a pest problem with groundhogs in your garden, you'll need to consider possible groundhog control solutions, which include the following:

- Frightening groundhogs away from the garden with motion devices.
(Put that motion activated singing bass to work)
- Discouraging groundhogs with repellent smells or tastes.
(go for a jog when temperatures are in the 90s, then remove your shirt and hang it on a tomato stake)
- Fencing groundhogs out of the garden.
- Bringing out the heavy artillery: tossing gas cartridges into the groundhogs' burrows, etc.
- Live-trapping groundhogs as they exit their burrows and relocating them to an area far-removed from your garden (illegal in some states).

If you have some suggestions, click the comment button below. Or, drop me an email at bwatts@wdbj7.com

--Brent