Vegetable soft rot

Vegetable soft rot is a soft slimy rot of root that has a foul sulfur odor. It comes from hot humid weather and contaminated media.

The rotting of fruit can occur through damage inflicted by insects, garden tools, or simply the fruit laying on a warm, moist soil. These conditions will give bacteria and fungi an opportunity to develop. Fruit may become discolored, slimy, soft, and foul smelling. Overmature fruit can also develop fruit rot.

Soft rot often occurs under warm soil conditions. Planting cold seed into sandy soil may increase the amount of soft rot. Sandy soils warm up rapidly causing the seed piece to sweat and predisposing it to soft rot. Soft rotting bacteria, also Erwinia carotovora, may be borne on seed tubers, which leads to decay under the proper environmental conditions. Soft rot is a wet, slimy looking decay with a white color.

A number of things can be done to discourage fruit rot including the following. Control pests to reduce injury to fruit and spread of diseases. Be careful when working the garden with garden tools. They can inadvertently create open wounds. Keep fruit up off of the soil by staking or mulching. Do not allow ripened fruit to remain on the vine. Crop rotation and proper drainage are also important. Control outbreaks of fungi-causing diseases with the proper fungicide.