In this brief guide, we will answer the question, can you eat a tomato with blossom end rot? We will discuss the impact that blossom end rot has on tomatoes and examine ways to prevent blossom end rot in tomatoes.
Can you eat a tomato with blossom end rot?
You can eat a tomato with blossom end rot. You can cut the affected portion and throw it away. Tomatoes affected by the blossom end rot are not devoid of any flavor or nutritional value. It is safe to eat tomatoes with blossom end rot and, it will not be inferior to a regular tomato. However, you will lose a big chunk of the tomato and have 3/4th of the tomato left.
A few reasons to eat tomatoes:
- Tomatoes are a delicious fruit. The versatility implies that you can eat it raw, cooked, like a savory, or a dessert.
- Tomatoes also have potassium, folate, vitamins B, K, and E. The antioxidant called lycopene protects cells from free radicals and keeps you safe from lung, stomach, or prostate cancer. It also lowers your blood pressure and cholesterol levels and prevents strokes.
- Vitamin K is crucial for bone health and the healing of wounds.
- Lycopene benefits oral health by strengthening the gums and protecting you from gingivitis and periodontitis.
- A couple of other antioxidants, lutein, and zeaxanthin work wonder for the eyes by protecting them from macular damage and blue light.
- Tomatoes also have high fiber. Fiber prevents constipation, lowers cholesterol, and helps to manage diabetes.
What causes the blossom end of tomatoes to rot?
Blossom end rot in tomatoes is a result of calcium deficiency in the fruit. The tomatoes are not able to uptake the calcium from the soil, thus causing them to develop abnormally.
Blossom end rot is not a disease but a response to malnutrition. Besides tomatoes, pepper, cucumber, and eggplant can also suffer from the condition.
A lack of ability to uptake calcium could be caused by any environmental issue such as drought, heavy rainfall, or an erratic watering schedule. A higher or lower than needed quantity of water in the soil causes the plant to be devoid of calcium.
The rotten area, signaled by sunken, brown, leathery spot, takes up water and expands. As the affected tissues of the plant become soaked with water, they visually deform as a result.
Moreover, other factors could indirectly dehydrate the plant and cause the blossom-end rot, such as rapid growth from too much fertilizer, high salt levels, or drought.
You can eat the tomato with a blossom end rot by cutting and throwing away the rotten part and consuming the rest.
Among tomato growers, blossom end rot is a common occurrence. Blossom end rot can affect both unripe and ripe tomatoes.
Will your tomato spoil quicker if it has a blossom-end rot?
A secondary pathogen can attack and sabotage the tomatoes that have been affected by the blossom end rot. Consequently, the rotting process of tomato speeds up in case of the blossom rot condition and goes bad, earlier than it should.
An affected part of an organism becomes vulnerable to microorganisms if it is weak or abnormal.
Also, blossom end rot can transmit from one fruit to another within the same plant. A separate plant would be, however, safe from being contaminated.
Before you grow your tomato plant keep the following things in check:
- Choose a suitable cultivar that is not prone to calcium deficiency.
- Be consistent with your watering regimen.
- Test the soil periodically for pH, temperature, and mineral content.
How can you keep blossom-end rot in your tomatoes to a minimum?
- Adequate moisture levels in any plant are necessary. Water your tomato plant twice a week.
- You can also add a layer of mulch to the plant soil. Mulch made of straw and woodchips is used to protect the plant from excessive rainfall.
- If you experience heavy rainfalls, building a trench will help to lead the water away from the plant.
- Also, keep track of the quantity of fertilizer you use. Try to use aged manure rather than synthetic fertilizers. Your plant will benefit from fertilizers with high nitrogen and superphosphate levels.
- Do not overfertilize the plant because it too can harm the plant.
- Keep the temperature and pH of the soil in check. The optimum temperature for tomato plants will be 60°F or 15.6°C while pH values must lie between 6.2 and 6.8.
- Keep replenishing the calcium levels of the soil by adding crushed eggshells or gypsum.
- Do not cultivate a different plant near the tomato to prevent damaging the roots.
In this brief guide, we answered the question, can you eat a tomato with blossom end rot? We discussed the impact that blossom end rot has on tomatoes and examined ways to prevent blossom end rot in tomatoes.
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