My first case of BER ..

[NarnianGarden]

Yesterday I saw a wet spot in one of my little darlings, and immediately thought of blossom end rot.. I had overwatered due to the heat, and the fruit could not contain the extra water ...
This morning, the symptoms were clearer, the moist spot had turned light brownish. Indeed, this was official - my tomato has succumbed to BER

So, I plucked it and cut of the bad part - and sauteed the rest in butter. It did taste really good on bread, tangy and fresh flavor! No wonder why Fried Green tomatoes is considered a delicacy.

So next time nature gives you BER, you just make some FGT...

[Irv Wiseguy]

I've never had fried green tomatoes. Maybe I'll give it a try with the next batch of BERs.

So far every tomato on my 506 Bush has BER. It's in a SWC so the water is consistent. 1 TSP of calcium nitrate a week hasn't helped (yet).

I've been throwing green BER tomatoes into the field behind my house. Hopefully it gives the critters something to munch on or at the very least they'll rot and fertilize the soil a little. Maybe I'll even get a volunteer or two for next year.

Irv

[Redbaron]

Me too ironically. In all my years never a single case of BER. But just now I got one from a cross of Green Zebra X Black From Tula. There goes my streak of 42 years!

[SharonRossy]

I've been battling BER with cuor Di Bue plants, both n containers. I added calcium, lime, you name it. Even did a ph test, which was in the neutral zone. Then I tried a weak solution of water and vinegar to help bring down the ph level. It's weird because the first tomatoes which are quite large are fine. The BER seems to hit the newer fruits. I have removed probably thirty or more, too small to fry up. Very frustrating. I also did not over water. I wondered if it was due to over fertilization or the fact that my potting mix had lime in it and I added more and the soil was too alkaline?
Scott, I actually stopped growing Green Zebra because it always got BER.
BER is a bummer. Right now it looks as though it might have stopped, but I was really tempted to prune it down severely. It's a wait and see.
Sharon

[NarnianGarden]

That's sad to hear about your plants, Sharon.. Hmm, I was planning to grow Green Zebra next year - we'll see if it survives this climate and fluctuating summer temps without BER ...
I am done trying any more tricks, have added egg shells and won't try vinegar... even if it sounds benign... Probably overfeeding, but the plants really looked like they needed an extra ooomph. Now the foliage is picking up nicely and adding color ..

So far all the others are fine, it was just this one that fell in the battle.. RIP!

[KathyDC]

So far, knock on wood, I haven't had any BER issues. I have been feeding the plants with Texas Tomato Food, which claims to help eliminate BER in the garden. I don't know if that's the reason or not, since this is my first season really growing tomatoes... so take that for what it's worth, but I have had so far no BER problems.

Kathy

[SharonRossy]

I have been alternating fertilizers as I have read the plants need different nutrients at different stages. Too confusing. In any event, I have a fertilizer with calcium because BER has to do with calcium intake, and I also have some without the added calcium. Kathy I wish you good luck! Hope you stay BERless ! One of the many challenges of growing tomatoes.

[NarnianGarden]

Another fried green tomato eaten this morning...!

Alternating fertilizers sounds good, I have been thinking about the same - in a couple of days' interval. Just gave them some liquidized chicken manure for foliage growth, and in a few days will add some phosphorus containing stuff. (it's for roses, but should be ok for other plants as well... one time cannot do anything sinister)

As long as there is something on my plate, it has been worth it. hey, there are no green tomatoes in the supermarket, so at least I am getting something for my labors, right?

[nolabelle]

I could eat fried tomatoes until the cows come home! I have been known to pick a couple of green ones just for frying. Try dipping them in a light tempura or cornmeal batter, then fry until crispy. Good stuff!

[SharonRossy]

Sounds good to me! We had a huge downpour yesterday temps are at 63 this morning. What a crazy summer! I might be eating a lot of fried green tomatoes this year!!

[NarnianGarden]

One more way to use the green tomatoes in cooking: meat or vegetable stews. In Persian cuisine, they use sour grapes or dried sour berries to create acidity and balance to dishes - they love the sweet / sour combination.
Even very small green tomatoes might be used this way, as a condiment, a bit like caper buds...

I'll use them up in one way or the other, but will eagerly anticipate a munch of a ripe, dark red tomato

[edweather]

The BER on my Red Brandywine in a SIP seems to have stopped fairly quickly (for now.) Not sure what did it, but I threw everything at it but the kitchen sink.......calcium nitrate foliar feeding, calcium nitrate in the reservior, gypsum in the reservior, and Texas Tomato Food, which is high in calcium. Maybe it was just time that did the trick. The foliar feeding, even though I only did it twice, seemed to do some damage to the foliage, but the plant is still ok. Just felt I had to try some things to combat this. It's my nature, just couldn't stand by and 'hope' things get better. Have a few regular containers and none of them have BER this year.