I have no idea what's happening to yours. My plants are in cages and I just pulled off 2 very rotten tomatoes the other day. :(

Any thoughts about how to stop the rotting?

Well, let's try and figure out what's causing it first.

With it being late in your season (with the accompanying cool temps and humidity) and having the tomatoes sprawled, the cause is likely fungal in origin.

Are you seeing anything on the foliage or just the fruit?

Is the rot limited to just the parts of the fruit that have contact with the straw or ground?

You might want to go to the Tomato Problem Solver and look at the pictures for diseases of ripe fruit. May be anthracnose, black mold, blight.

Do any of those look like they might resemble your problem?

Here is a link that might be useful: tomato problem solver

Hi Suze,
Thanks for the web site. I can see where it could be
one of two things. The most likley is Black Mold.

I have had tomatoes in years past and never had a problem
like this. Usually we deal with dry hot weather, now
these past two weeks, we have had over 4 inches of rain
and cool temps day and night.

I doubt if my tomatoes fall into *Late Blight*. Although I
do have red and green tomatoes rotting at a pretty good
rate. I have lifted the tomato plants up off of the straw
as well as possible and am hoping for the best.

Tomorrow I will be looking for some type of Fungicide spray.
Friesfan1

That "problem solver" site does show some pictures which look like my outdoor tomatoes if I click on the "green fruit "link but it doesn't tell me anything at all! No text!
It's like saying "your tomatoes look like this? You've got problems!"

I also have dark patches on stems and some dark curled leaves.

Help!

Here is a link that might be useful: 2 sad and ugly pictures

andyrm, for future reference, it is helpful if posters start their own new threads regarding problems. I'm not trying to give you a hard time, but what ends up happening sometimes is that questions get missed and/or the thread ends up not addressing the specific topic or question that the original poster intended.

No text!
It's like saying "your tomatoes look like this? You've got problems!"

When using problem solver, one can keep progressively clicking on the pictures down to an individual picture. Then you'll get the description. I will paste in the link that I think you are needing below. From your pictures, looks like you may have late blight.

Here is a link that might be useful: tomato problem solver - late blight

andyrm,
I agree your tomatoes look like the Late Blight pictures.

My tomatoes are still rotting. Luckily at a slower rate.
I know for sure that next year, my tomatoes will be staked
higher, and with stronger reinforcement. A hail storm
knocked down my Beefsteak.

As per posting a new topic.... Andyrm's tomatoes are rotting
on the vine. So definately his post does fall under this
topic.
I have seen topics still running strong over a 2 year period. The
instructions do say *Search the
site to see if your topic can be answered*.

I have bookmarked the site for future reference.

Friesfan1
z5b KS USA

when i container some of my tomatoes I wind up with black
rot spots. I water once a week or more often. Just according how the vine looks.
I use a good well draining mix and use MG for a fertilizer.
Thanks

Growing my tomato in topsy turvy. Rot on bottom of fruit. No blight of any kind on plant it self. Had rainy spell for while then very hot spell.

Hi Shirly,
I notice all of the links seem to be dead ones now. One of the problems with looking at questions from 5 years ago. I suggest if you are asking a question after this long, it might be easier to start a new topic.

I have not heard any good results from the upside down tomatoes. Most people I know have had no good luck.

Mary
NW KS

Shirley, rot on the bottom of the tomato
is usually "Blossom End Rot".
Pretty common in Topsy Turvey grown tomaotes.
They probably need calcium.

Ask at your nursery for some type of calcium for them.
I had that problem when I grew some upside down tomatoes
A few years ago.
I wish I oculd remember the name of the product
they sold me,
But I don't.
I just remember I mixed it with water
(according to bottle directions)
And sprayed the entire plant,
Leaves, stems, fruits, everything,
Once a week (I think)
No more blossom end rot.

Good luck!

Rusty

have about 20 plants....one better boy bush had one completely rotten tomato in one pot....would guess weather and rain problem...all the other tomatoes are just fine....not getting as many blossoms this year....had to plant late...the indian