We picked this small tomato, the first of the season, today, and enjoyed it for lunch on our sandwiches. This one, a Heatmaster, was planted about a week ahead of the others, but the later-planted ones and even some of the volunteers have eclipsed it in size. I think the snap pea vines that were growing in this bed shaded it to much; it really didn't start growing until after I took the peas out.
It had a little bit of blossom end rot, which we cut off. Blossom end rot is caused by a calcium deficiency, which seems surprising since desert soil has plenty of calcium and our hard water ought to supply even more. The problem is that calcium needs water to be transported up the stem of the tomato plant to get to the leaves and fruit. When water stress occurs, which is almost inevitable here, it goes into survival mode and sends the calcium to the leaves first, and the fruit get what's left over.
Suggestions for treating it: water deeply, mulch heavily, and add gypsum to the soil to combat the salinity which exacerbates the problem.
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