Knowledgebase

tomato fruit damage #414025

Asked July 13, 2017, 4:30 PM EDT

I have several varieties of heirloom and hybrid tomatoes in my garden, some are just starting to ripen. But one or two on a certain plant have deep holes and scars as shown. Not all fruit on the plant is affected, but most is still green. Inside the "hole" in the fruit is black oozing stuff. The tomato plants are supported by a fence, planted through landscape fabric for weed control, and covered with wildlife netting to repel deer. Any advice would be appreciated.

Charles County Maryland

Expert Response

We think this symptom is caused by animal feeding damage, possibly from squirrels or birds nipping at the fruit, leading to the decay. A similar symptom is caused by a condition called blossom end rot, which is a common problem in tomatoes. The following page explains what causes blossom end rot and what you can do to prevent it. https://extension.umd.edu/growit/blossom-end-rot-vegetables

ckc


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