How to deal with the top rot of tomatoes in a greenhouse: the best recipes and folk methods

Diseases of tomatoes are a common occurrence for any gardener. Tomatoes are often grown in greenhouses to protect plants from dry soil, frost, and other adverse weather conditions. However, if the temperature regime or watering is violated, even in a greenhouse environment, tomatoes can face diseases and pests.

In this article, we will talk about such a common tomato disease as apical rot. We will figure out how to deal with it and what preventive measures to take to keep your crops healthy and bring more harvest.

What is this disease

Vertex rot is not an infectious disease. It infects plants both in greenhouses and outdoors.

Most often, young bushes that are just beginning to bear fruit are susceptible to rot. The main unpleasant consequence is a strong decline in yield. The disease is more of a physiological nature, not associated with infections and pests, but can be caused by bacteria.

Caution! Although top rot does not kill the entire plant, the infected fruit should not be eaten.

Symptoms and external signs

If the onset of the disease is determined in a timely manner, then you can effectively deal with it. Apical rot affects fruits starting from the area of ​​flower attachment. In many varieties, this part is hidden from view, therefore, in order to determine the presence of infection in time, you need to periodically carefully examine the bushes.

At the beginning of infection, an almost imperceptible watery speck appears on the top of the fruit. Over time, the skin around it becomes brown and dry. The surface appears to be depressed.

Externally, the size of the damage may be small, but significant changes occur internally:

• bacteria appear on the infected part of the skin, which penetrate into the fetus;
• tomato pulp darkens and rots;
• the seeds are also affected.

One of the distinctive external signs of apical rot is that the affected fruit begins to ripen earlier than others.

Reasons for the appearance

Bacteria and fungi have always been considered the cause of tomato disease.

However, unlike, for example, gray rot, the main cause of apical rot is calcium deficiency in the tops of the fruits. This means that the tomato receives little calcium salts, which are not enough for the proper growth and division of cells in the pulp and skin of the fruit.

The tops of the fruits suffer the most from nutritional deficiencies. That is why all fruits on the hand are affected by apical rot at once. Hence the great loss of harvest.

Calcium deficiency occurs for several reasons:

• lack of moisture;
• increased salinity and acidity of the soil;
• damage to the root system;
• stressful situations for the culture (for example, watering with ice water in hot weather or sudden changes in temperature).

How to deal with vertex rot

How can tomatoes be processed to prevent disease? We can say with confidence that the use of special drugs will give a positive result:

• calcium chloride solution for plant nutrition;
• special microbiological preparations such as "Fitosporin";
• substances containing copper, such as Bordeaux liquid;
• seed treatment before planting with potassium permanganate solution or succinic acid solution;
• to increase the general disease resistance, it is recommended to treat the seeds with any growth stimulant before planting;
• limestone saltpeter for foliar feeding;
• spraying the sheets with a solution of calcium chloride during the period of active growth;
• spraying with lime milk;
• application of Nutrivant PLUS and Fertivant dressings.

There are also folk remedies for preventing and getting rid of top rot:

• planting tomatoes at a sufficient distance. Branches and leaves should not be intertwined;
• pinching;
• watering plants in a greenhouse every other day, and at high temperatures it is better to switch to daily abundant watering;
• frequent ventilation in greenhouses or greenhouses;
• adding eggshells and ash to the wells.

Read also:

Disease-resistant and easy-to-care tomato "Gina".

Spectacular appearance and unusual taste: Kumato tomatoes and the secrets of their cultivation.

Why are cherry tomatoes so good.

Preventive measures

Of course, it is always easier to prevent a disease than to cure it. This also applies to tomato diseases.

Prevention of the disease with apical rot begins with the correct preparation of the soil for planting, as well as with the observance of some rules of agricultural technology:

1. The first and most important way to prevent the disease is the timely uniform watering of plants;
2. Try to avoid sudden fluctuations in humidity;
3. The top layer of the soil must remain loose, so the next day after watering, the soil must be loosened;
4. The soil for plants should be slightly acidic to moderate;
5. Tomato beds should be weed-free;
6. Lighting should be uniform and continuous, about 18 hours a day;
7. The air temperature for the normal development of bushes is 18-22 degrees;
8. For the prevention of diseases on the 35-40th day, the seedlings are sprayed with a solution of Bordeaux liquid. They are also treated with this solution after each rain;
9. Don't get carried away with fertilizers. Observe the dosage and application frequency indicated on the label.

Gardener tips

On specialized forums, you can find a huge variety of tips from experienced gardeners to combat top rot.

For example, many advise spraying with calcium nitrate (5-10 g per 1 liter of water) 2 times a week.

Someone claims that spraying with soda ash at the rate of 1 tablespoon per bucket of water saves his crop.

There are many recipes, but they are all similar to each other. The main thing, according to experienced gardeners, is to prevent excessive drought and to water and fertilize the plants in a timely manner.

Conclusion

From all of the above, we can conclude that plant immunity plays a very important role. With a lack of trace elements - potassium, iodine, manganese, copper - tomatoes weaken, and the possibility of infection increases.

In order to protect tomatoes from various diseases, you need to follow simple prevention rules. It is also important to improve the soil environment and follow the rules of crop rotation. Then your harvest will always be rich, tasty, and most importantly healthy.