Help for End Blossom Rot in Earth Tainer Tomatoes

10 years ago

My husband and I built two Earth Tainers and planted two tomato plants in each 31 gallon tub. The plants are looking great and are bearing lots of fruit however we are struggling with blossom end rot. The grow media included a 5:2 ratio of Miracle Grow potting mix and perlite. 3 cups of Dolomite lime was added to each container. What can I do to prevent BER for the remainder of the season? If adding more lime will solve the problem, how much should be added?

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Comments (7)

edweather USDA 9a, HZ 9, Sunset 28
10 years ago
More lime will not help because the calcium would take too long to become available. BER is not from lack of calcium, but from lack of mobile calcium in the plant. Here's a thread I like. Scroll down the thread to Al Tapla's explaination.

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/contain/msg0514510630172.html

This year I had som BER on my only SIP, and I threw everything but the kitchen sink at it including; calcium nitrate in the reservior, calcium nitrate foliar spray, gypsum in the reservior, and Texas Tomato Food in the reservior, which has extra calcium in it. My BER stopped (for now) fairly quickly, and I only lost about 10 Red Brandywines. After everything I did, still not sure what stopped it. Might have stopped by itself anyway, which is usually the case.
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
10 years ago
BER is not just calcium related - it is a combination of lack of calcium availability and uneven watering practices. Maintaining even soil moisture (no droughty or dry periods followed by excessive or heavy watering) can reduce the problem significantly. Also any cultivation in the immediate area can exacerbate the problem as it damages necessary feeder roots that transport both nutrients and soil moisture. Also fertilizing with a low nitrogen/moderate phosphorus fert can be helpful as well.
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Cheflara, I've gardened for 34 years and have probably done more reading on this "hobby" than anything else in my life. Among the contributing factors to BER are uneven watering, fluctuations in temperature, and lack of calcium in the tomatoes themselves. (Adding some to soil rarely helps, cause it's very plentiful in most soils.) There is are some simple things you can do to help reduce the chances of BER, though as some have mentioned, it usually goes away by itself as the season progresses. One thing is to put a good 3 or 4 inches of grass clippings on top of the containers. Having been to New York City many times, I know there are areas where grass clipings aren't easy to come by. But using them has so many benefits, it would be worth a little trouble to get some, like taking some boxes along the next time you visit the burbs? The clippings will: 1. Keep the soil moister, reducing "uneven" water conditions. 2, Keep the soil cooler, up to 50 degreees on the surface on hot days. 3. Provide all the nutrients your tomatoes need. Chemical fertilzers simply are not as good, plus they cost money. The grass clippings provide "a balanced meal," not too much of one nutrient and not enough of another. The chances your tomatoes will get the calcium they need will be better. If your plants are getting all-day sun, you might also think of leaning something against the pots to shade them from the hot afternoon sun. Remember, only the plants need sun, not the pots. Some kinds of materials can get hot enough to cook roots touching the inside of the pots. This also helps reduce fluctuations in temperature. And finally, if you don't have saucers or something under the pots to catch water, it would be very beneficial to get some. What happens with potted plants is that the soil dries out and shrinks. That creates a space between the soil and the sides of the pot. You water, see water running out the bottom, and think the soil has been wet. But the majority of the root ball is still bone dry. If you have a saucer under the pots, water collects there and then is slowly drawn up into the rootball by capillary action. I've been suggesting for years that drainage holes NOT be put on the bottom of containers. They should be about 2 to 4 inches up the sides, depending on the size pot. And lo and behold, a friend of mine who lives in another city recently bought a potted dwarf lemon tree. She e-mailed me and asked why the drainage holes Were Up the Sides? It's possible someone came up with this independently, but I think I have "dibs" on it? All of the above will just make General Conditions for your maters better. A healhtier plant is less likely to have problems of any kind.
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I really wouldn't advise doing anything at all. The lime in the mix ensures there is enough calcium. The BER is the result of some other factor, quite possibly weather related. It will almost certainly clear itself soon. The afflicted fruit won't improve, but the BER will simply stop appearing on new ones. If you feel you must add lime then do not add it to the water reservoir unless it is hydrated lime rather than dolomitic (which is what was added to the mix). Be very careful with it and use a really small amount (like a teaspoon) as it is very potent stuff and will radically shift pH. I don't recomend anything more than a wait and see approach, however. BER is very common with tomatos no matter how well cared for and most of the time it clears itself with no intervention.
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Although BER is a sign of calcium deficiency, it is often not a soil problem, but a watering problem. The plant does not get sustained calcium because of irregular watering. BER is also more common early in the season and is more common in pots because they may go through a wet-dry cycle. Plants in containers are usually fertilized with a liquid fertilizer The eggshells will take a long time to break down and release calcium. Yes, 3 plants in an 18 inch pot is a bit crowded. Tomatoes can grow roots from the stems. That is why they should be planted deep with about 1/3 of the stem going below the ground when you first plant them. It helps them develop a healthy root system. Don't put on too much nitrogen fertilizer or you'll get lots of leaves and not many tomatoes. When the plant sets fruit it is normal for the lower leaves to die off as the fruit ripens. Blossom end rot
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gjshawk
10 years ago
I had a problem with BER also in one of my Grow Boxes. I checked with the local nursery for lime, but they suggested Epsom Salts. I added a handful into the water reservoir, and the BER started to go away. I add a handful about once every 10 days or so, as the water changes out. The BER is greatly reduced. Most of the fruit now is clear.
Ernie
10 years ago
It's odd that the nursery recommended epsom salts, gjshawk. In general, you should avoid excess magnesium, potassium and ammonium nitrogen if you're trying to curb blossom end rot, since all three compete with calcium uptake.
gjshawk
10 years ago
They told me that it was a magnezium deficiency that caused the BER. Whatever the cause, the salts seem to have had a big positive effect on my tomatoes.
Ernie
10 years ago
I'm glad that you solved the BER problem, gjshaw, but, In all of the university research/recommendations that I've read, I've never seen BER tied to magnesium deficiency. On the other hand, BER is strongly tied to calcium deficiency (in the fruit), and excess magnesium has the potential to compound the problem. If your plants were suffering from magnesium deficiency, there should have been foliar symptoms (yellowing between leaf veins, for example).

This post was edited by shazaam on Mon, Aug 5, 13 at 13:29
gjshawk
10 years ago
I was originally looking for dolomite lime. Nobody around here (western Colorado) seems to have it. Next year I will find some before I prepare my mixes. Dunno why the epsom salts worked, but that's the only thing I have added. The leaves are fine, nice and green. I'm still getting some BER from the one plant, but not nearly as bad as before.

Help for End Blossom Rot in Earth Tainer Tomatoes

Comments (7)

edweather USDA 9a, HZ 9, Sunset 28

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

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