Tomatoes' rotten bottoms can be fixed

Question: My tomato plants grew beautifully, and I was eagerly waiting for the tomatoes to ripen. Just about the time that they looked as if they would soon be ready to eat, they began developing black bottoms. The tops look fine, but the bottoms are dark and ugly. What is going on and what can I do about it? ---- Sherry


What is going on, Sherry, is that your tomatoes have developed what is called blossom end rot. It is not a disease but a physiological condition caused by a calcium deficiency. What you can do about it is to make sure than your plants do not get too wet or too dry. Either of these conditions prevents the plant from taking up calcium. This is a very common problem for the home gardener and is more prevalent in tomatoes grown in pots because plants grown in containers dry out quickly, especially on windy days. The top of the tomato will still be good to eat, just cut away the "ugly" part. Try to water your plants evenly and keep them slightly moist, not soggy or dry, and the condition will go away and the rest of the fruit will ripen into beautiful tomatoes.

Question: I'm wondering if you know of anything we can plant or broadcast on top of the ground to deter gophers. I hesitate to poison or trap them, and am wondering if there is a better method of getting rid of them. ---- Gail


I'd love to tell you that there was something other than trapping or poisoning that would work, Gail, but the truth is that there is no evidence that anything else works.

There is a plant called gopher purge that is often said to repel gophers, along with anecdotal cures such as bubble gum and human hair, but death is really the only effective answer. If you can encourage barn owls to nest, they will do the job you hesitate to do because they are natural predators of gophers.

There is a way to keep them from eating the roots of your plants, if you want to go to the trouble. It is called exclusion: You do this by digging a hole and lining it with gopher wire, which has holes small enough to keep gophers out.

Q: Is there a way to keep basil from bolting to seed so quickly? ---- Beverly


Basil, like all plants, has only one purpose in life and that is to go to seed and reproduce itself. There is, however, something you can do to slow down the process. Do not plant it in full sun as the seed packets all tell you to do. Whoever wrote those directions never gardened in Southern California. Plant it in filtered sunlight and the leaves will be broader and it will take much longer for the herb to flower. When it does flower, be diligent about cutting it back and you will get a big bushy plant that will keep you in pesto for a long time.

Rose Crawford is a certified garden consultant and a master composter who lives and gardens in Vista. She answers your gardening questions every other week. E-mail questions to or write to "Ask Rose," c/o Features Dept., North County Times, 207 E. Pennsylvania Ave., Escondido, CA 92025.

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