Blossom End Rot

Blossom End Rot is one of the biggest problems that backyard gardeners face each summer. Let's talk about it this week and learn what we can do about it.

Blossom End Rot - 7/1-7/7/2024

Monday, July 1, 2024

This is a small carrot haul we did earlier in the year. It is almost time to plant for fall so carrots should be on the list.

Good Monday morning and Happy July 1! Can you believe June is already gone? I have a lot of orders to fill from Saturday's sale. Our next sale is coming up this week because we will be celebrating Independence Day. The 40% off seed sale will be from July 4 through July 6!

I cleaned out and refilled the pond today. The fish are doing well. We had two different sets of customers. Today is pay day so I had to write out all of the checks.

All day long, I have had two people pulling all of the orders from the sale. I was checking each one and mailing it out. There are boxes and boxes of orders to be checked and mailed plus at 5pm when they left, there were still a lot of orders to pull. Some of the orders were ten pages long.

I stayed closing orders until 6pm and then we had a delicious roasted turkey that David made. I thought he would smoke it but he did not.

This is a short week for us. We are open for three days and then I get a four day weekend with a 40% off sale so next week will be a lot of work for us again!

Blossom End Rot

This would be a nice garden picture except there is something wrong with the tomatoes--blossom end rot!

Hey there, garden enthusiasts! Whether you're a seasoned green thumb or are just dipping your toes into the soil of your first garden plot, there’s something both groups might battle: blossom end rot on vegetables when growing a garden. It’s an issue that can be frustrating, but with the right knowledge, you can tackle it head-on.

Let's dive into what blossom end rot really is. Imagine you are nurturing a plant, excited to see fruits start to form, and then—oh no!—you notice a dark, sunken spot forming on the blossom end (the bottom) of the fruit. This is more than just a cosmetic issue; it's a sign that your plant is in distress.

Tuesday, July 2, 2024

Matt is holding Trump before we gave him a bath. Isn't he cute? He is so tiny.

Good Tuesday morning! It is already 7am and I just printed orders again. There are not too many new ones. I need to get all of the weekend orders out.

Trump after his first bath.

Trump out for some fresh air with me.

Along about 7am, David got a text from one of our teen helpers that there was a dog out by the chicken coop. When Matt got here, I had him bring the dog up front. It was a tiny male puppy, maybe four weeks old! I was shocked. I decided to keep him. We bathed him and named him Trump. We sent Matt to the store to get some puppy chow, a collar, a bed, and a stuffed toy. I put him in a little storage container and took him to work with me.

This is Melania. I just gave her a bath.

I filled a lot of orders but nowhere near getting them all done. Around noon, David got a text from the next door neighbor that they found a tiny puppy under their car. He said they didn't want it and he would bring it over this evening. It's a girl. Melania arrived around 5:30pm, even smaller than Trump. I bathed her and they were both just chowing down the Puppy Chow like they had been starving. They both have black spots but Trump is brown. Melania is gray.

The puppies were up all night long. Fun times for us until they grow a bit. We did search the back of our yard for any additional puppies but could not find any. These puppies are just too tiny. Someone is totally cruel. I wonder if they dumped one in each yard all the way down the road.

Pamela and Sue Ellen are not too happy. Sue Ellen is afraid of them like they are mice! She keeps jumping back when they move. Trump was content to nap all day long but when Melania came, he was up bouncing around with her. She doesn't like to be still. They both have black spots. Trump has a brown background and Melania is grey. They are so tiny and cute.

Blossom End Rot

You can't miss the blossom end rot on this tomato, can you?

First and foremost, how can you identify this problem? Look for the early signs: a small, water-soaked spot at the blossom end of the fruit which gradually enlarges and becomes black and leathery. This is your cue to intervene.

Now, let's discuss how to prevent blossom end rot. Here are a few effective strategies:

Consistent Watering: Keep the soil evenly moist, not waterlogged. Consider using a drip irrigation system for regular, even watering.
Mulching: Apply organic mulch around your plants to help maintain soil moisture.
Correct Soil pH: Lime can be added to acid soils to help increase calcium availability.
Test Soil: Conduct a soil test to determine your soil's calcium levels and pH.

Wednesday, July 3, 2024

Aren't they sweet? They sleep a lot, still too young to have been taken from their mother. What kind of monster does this? Our gain. They are the sweetest babies!

Good morning! The new puppies eat like horses and they kept David up for most of the night. I have an indoor and an outdoor playpen coming but they won't arrive until Monday. When it is dark, it is hard to keep the puppies nearby outside.

I fed the puppies this morning and then took them outside. I turned the water on to my plants and they kept getting underfoot.

I put them both in a bigger storage container and took them to work with me. Every little while, I would take them out and feed and water them. I put them down out in the parking lot and both of them started following me all over. We had some fun and they both kept up really well burning energy. They both slept for much of the day.

The puppies like to nap on each other. They are happy together.

I got a lot of orders out but I am not finished yet with the sale items as there were so many big orders.

Late in the afternoon, we left the puppies with Matt and went to Walmart. I got Melania's collar and a stuffed animal. I have some playpens coming from Amazon. We picked up some groceries as well.

Our Farm Store will be closed until Monday, July 8.

Blossom End Rot

Blossom end rot is ugly to see.

What to do when blossom end rot happens? First, remove any affected fruits. They will not recover, and removing them allows the plant to focus energy on developing healthy new fruit.

Adjust your watering practices. Irregular watering can lead to a calcium uptake problem. Consistent, deep watering encourages roots to grow deeper and helps stabilize moisture levels.

Do not just sprinkle some water with your hose on each plant for ten seconds. Deep watering means letting the sprinkler hit the plants for 20 minutes up to two hours.

Thursday, July 4, 2024

We love fireworks and now that we live in the country, we pop some off every now and then!

Happy Independence Day! The Farm Store is closed today so we can enjoy celebrating the birth of our nation just like most of the rest of our country. America!

By the way, we just started a three day, 40% off sale this morning.

All throughout the day, we were in and out with the puppies. All throughout the night, too.

We watched two war movies and ate delicious burgers that Matt came over and grilled. It was a fun day. Some friends of ours went to Bandera for the day and picked up some peaches from Fredericksburg for us. They stopped by to give us the peaches. It was a nice surprise. The heat was miserable all day long.

Not much in the firework department. We did not have any this year and our neighbors just had a few that I saw after 9pm when I was doing the dishes.

Here the puppies are following Matt around while he waters plants.

Blossom End Rot

A cartoon of a farmer finding his tomatoes have blossom end rot.

If immediate calcium is needed, you can use a calcium spray formulated for garden plants. Follow the label's instructions closely for the best results. This can help reduce the occurrence of rot on new fruits but won't repair the already damaged ones.

Consider your fertilizer. Avoid excessive nitrogen as it can exacerbate calcium uptake issues. Opt for a low nitrogen, high phosphorous formula, especially when the plants are fruiting.

Friday, July 5, 2024

We were supposed to have off but there are too many orders. Matt, another one of our workers, and I worked to fill orders. None of the teens would come in. Of course, none of them will be paid for the day either since they are temporary and have been with us for a month. Because she volunteered to come in, not only will she be paid but I am gifting her two extra vacation days because she did that.

In the middle of the day, a truck drove up. I went out to find a couple who have a ranch nearby coming to our store for the first time. I went out and explained we were closed and then I opened for them. Their friend told them about us so I wanted to make a good impression. They bought four avocado trees, some eggs, and a lot of seeds. I was happy. They were happy, and I think we made friends with some more folks in the area.

I spent all afternoon on my feet pulling orders and my ankles swelled up. At 5pm, I took the puppies and went into the house. I sat down and put my feet up. The swelling went down fairly quickly. David fell asleep around 10pm with Melania in his lap and I fell asleep in the den with Trump on my lap. I woke up at 11:30pm, put Trump in the pen and went to bed.

Blossom End Rot

A very long orchard row. Some of the apples have blossom end rot.

Still experiencing issues even after these adjustments? You might need to consider the variety of vegetable you’re growing. Some varieties are just more prone to blossom end rot than others. Seeking out resistant varieties could save you a lot of hassle.

Remember, each gardening experience offers a learning opportunity. Take notes of what’s working and what’s not. Over time, you’ll become adept at reading your garden’s signals and adjusting accordingly.

Saturday, July 6, 2024

These puppies are following me all over!

Good Saturday morning! This morning, Matt is coming over and David and I are going into San Antonio.

Matt got here at 8:30am. We took off with about 12 plants, aloes and snake plants to take to David's sister. We stopped by her apartment and delivered the plants. Then we moved on to a nursing home up the road where David's brother is ill. After a short visit, we headed for Costco, got a membership, and bought some groceries and some stuff for our store. Costco was packed. We then got gas and lunch, then headed back to the farm. Matt graciously watched the puppies for us as well as taking care of all of the animals. He helped us take in the groceries and then went home.

Amazon brought the playpen for the puppies a day early. I popped it together in the living room and carried it back to the den. On the way, (and please understand that this takes talent) the playpen hit a wooden plaque up on the kitchen wall. It fell and hit the second toe on my left foot. Yes, I had tennis shoes on but it broke my toe anyway. Now I haven't had a broken toe since New Year's Day of 2023 when my neighbor came over and I hit my toe hard while going to the door. Oh my heck. Fun times!

David started a new seed delivery and we already have our first order. I am not totally sure how it works. I think we will deliver on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the immediate area for a fee. We still have the 40% off sale going on right now through tomorrow night.

Our Farm Store was closed today since we were not here. Of course, we are closed tomorrow.

This evening, we had chicken wraps that we bought at Costco. They were delicious. Svengoolie was a replay so we watched the third James Bond movie, Goldfinger. In the middle of Goldfinger, there was a lot of thunder and a good rainstorm. After that, we finished watching the final episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Then we started the sitcom Green Acres. I fell asleep on the couch with Trump on my lap. I woke up at 11:30pm, put him in his playpen and went to bed.

Just look at these sweet puppies. We have an appointment at the vet but could not get them in until 7/15.

Blossom End Rot

An AI garden picture with some veggies that have blossom end rot.

Blossom end rot can indeed be disheartening, particularly when you’ve invested time and effort in nurturing your vegetable garden. However, understanding how to prevent blossom end rot and what to do when it occurs means you're well-prepared to ensure your garden remains fruitful and healthy.

Sunday, July 7, 2024

Good Sunday morning. The rain has stopped and now the chances of us getting rain from Hurricane Beryl next week, which were so good last night, are slim to none. How about that?

I need to go out and feed all of the animals. It is already getting hot out there and it is only 7am.

I did get some of the older orders out that were waiting for seeds we've run out of. A bunch came in on Saturday. The orders continued to come in all day long. Tomorrow will be very busy for us. No more sales now until our Back To School/Plant Your Fall Garden sale in mid August.

We spent a lot of time with the puppies. I got a swim in late in the afternoon. Pamela joined me six times but Sue Ellen wouldn't step near the pool.

Blossom End Rot

A pretty garden scene is marred by a squash with blossom end rot.

Concluding, while blossom end rot on vegetables when growing a garden is a fairly common issue, it’s one you can conquer with a bit of know-how and consistency in care. By monitoring calcium levels in your soil, maintaining even moisture, and picking the right varieties, your garden can thrive. Happy gardening as you continue to learn how to handle blossom end rot on growing vegetables! Keep nurturing, keep growing, and let's keep those gardens thriving!

Return from Blossom End Rot to Year Five On The Farm

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