What's it look like?

Tomatoes develop a brown sunken patch on the bottom of the fruit (known as the blossom end).

What it attacks

Tomatoes and capsicums. This is not a disease, but instead, a nutrient deficiency in the soil.

What to do before it arrives

This condition is a result of poor levels of calcium available to the plant. So it's important to have sufficient nutrients in the soil at planting.

The difficulty with supplying calcium to tomatoes is that additions of lime or dolomite will alter the pH balance of the soil making it more alkaline. Tomatoes grow best in acidic soils so try adding some gypsum instead because this won't affect the pH level.

The condition is made worse when inconsistent watering happens. Regular and routine watering is important from flowering onwards.

What to do if you already have problems

Keep up regular and routine watering so avoid worsening the problem.

There's not much that can be done for the current crop. By the time you see results after working in soil conditioners like gypsum, your harvest will almost be over. Take measures to correct the soil for the next crop - and don't forget crop rotation.