Q: Why do the bottoms of my vegetables keep coming up rotten and brown?

A: That is a sad and disappointing occurrence called Blossom End Rot, brought on by inconsistent watering. Many believed that a calcium deficiency in the soil was to blame for blossom end rot, and gardeners would scramble, adding things like lime, eggshells, and even sheetrock! While calcium is crucial for plant growth, nothing beats your vegetable plants receiving consistent moisture. In other words, do not let the plant completely dry out between waterings. Once blossom end rot is identified, go ahead and remove affected fruits from the plant. Going forward, if you keep plants consistently watered, future fruits won’t likely fail at their blossom end.

Also, it’s always good practice to have some kind of mulch (nuggets, woodchips, even newspaper) under your plants to prevent ‘splash back’ from the dirt onto the plants when you water.

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