Blossom End Rot

[cmpman1974]

I have reviewed several articles about Blossom End Rot on tomatoes and how it is a physiological issue.

I am at the point where I am ready to stop growing tomatoes. I grew 15 plants this year. They started off great, topping 6 ft in height for some. They were loaded with tomatoes.

Well the bad news....To date, I have not got to taste one ripe tomato. 50+ off the vine with Blossom End Rot severely. This problem has gotten worse the last two years.

I don't know what to do. I live in Michigan (zone 6B). Our rainfall has been so little this summer. Driest year I can recall in over ten years.

My soil is alkaline and I've been working on trying to lower it. It has high clay content, but I have established raised beds 1 ft high three years ago. These have better soil. Ph was measured at 7.8 through the local extension office.

Should I just dump powdered lime in the planting holes next year regardless? I have to do something. What a waste of a season to get nothing out of the hard work.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I don't have the means to install an automatic watering system so that's out.

Chris