BER on Stupice?

[Greatgardens]

I haven't grown Stupice in more than five years. But I don't recall BER being an issue. I'm growing a single plant in an EarthBox, and I have lots of BER -- probably at least 10%, and it keeps on showing up on new fruit. The Early Girl in the EB next to it has zero BER. It is not new growing media. I added dolomite to the media at planting time (same as every year). The plant has never, ever been short of water since setting it out. This is the Stupice commonly available in the U.S. from Tomato Growers Supply. I also have a tiny amount of BER on Orange Wellington, but nothing like the Stupice.



Has anyone else had this experience with Stupice, especially if grown in a container?

[bbjm]

I've grown Stupice several times, including this year. I have not had BER on it, and this year it is in a 4-gallon pot. I even let it get too dry a few times which is easy to do in this heat. By the way, the flavor of it this year is better than I remember it. It is a great little tomato for sure.
Hopefully, your plant will grow out of it. I've not tried Orange Wellington.

Good luck!

Bret

[RJGlew]

I no longer grow any `Stupice' from North American seed sources. Phenotypically they are far removed from the CZ original.

http://www.tomatoville.com/showpost....&postcount=127

I have never seen BER on Stupice

[simmran1]

As mentioned many times previously BER is the lack of transformation of calcium at certain times of fruit growth. I used to get BER every year as an annual event until I happened on utube where a guy soaked lime in a bucket and doused the plants (in July etc.) and I thought this was a hoax until I tried it just for the heck of it. This is now what I do every year for container plants. I'm a believer, though by (theory) this should not have any effect, as consistent water is the culprit.

[RJGlew]

Blossom End Rot (BER) in Tomatoes
by Carolyn Male
http://www.webgrower.com/information/carolyn_ber.html

[Balr14]

I experienced BER on two occasions, once it was only on one or two plants and didn't last long and a second time it was much more wide spread and lasted longer. At that time, I read that the plant growing too fast caused it. So in subsequent seasons, I reduced the frequency of adding plant food to my containers and have never seen it again. I add some dolomite pellets to my containers, too. But, it's only about 2 tablespoons per Earthbox, so I don't know if that helps or not.

[seaeagle]

Originally Posted by simmran1

As mentioned many times previously BER is the lack of transformation of calcium at certain times of fruit growth. I used to get BER every year as an annual event until I happened on utube where a guy soaked lime in a bucket and doused the plants (in July etc.) and I thought this was a hoax until I tried it just for the heck of it. This is now what I do every year for container plants. I'm a believer, though by (theory) this should not have any effect, as consistent water is the culprit.

From what I read it very well could have a positive effect as maintaining a neutral PH is one of the prevention and treatments mentioned in the several university tomato reports I read. It maybe shouldn't have an immediate effect but by liquefying it and applying it may work faster.


If you are having BER you also shouldn't use fertilizer as the extra nitrogen and potassium can be detrimental.



No Magnesium ( epsom salt ) as it will compete with calcium for nutrient uptake.


Calcium and Lime are two things that could should be applied.



Anyway a few things that may or may not have been mentioned.

[MrsJustice]

Originally Posted by RJGlew

Blossom End Rot (BER) in Tomatoes
by Carolyn Male
http://www.webgrower.com/information/carolyn_ber.html

Powerful, Amen!!

This is How Dr. Carolyn is still with us. It's good to see all of you helping each other.

I suffer from Dyslexia and only God give me the ability to Communicate with you intelligent people. That's why I Give Thanks to God with a Amen!! So please stay here at Tomatoville as I been missing everyone. I to, go to Dr. Carolyn Teaching from the Past as if her Spirit is still with Us, Amen!!

[Greatgardens]

Thanks for the replies and links.

I didn't know that Moravsky Div is actually the same as the Czech. version of Stupice. I grew Moravsky Div quite a few years ago, but I grew it as a "fall tomato." The result was that it was a good tomato, but split badly (as most tomatoes seem to do in late Sept and Oct). Anyway, I suspect that those seeds are long gone. I'm pretty sure that I got my seeds from Tomato Growers Supply, but I see that they do not currently carry it. I see that Victory carries it. Anyone here grown theirs? Or grown from another supplier that they were pleased with?

With regard to the BER, there is no possibility that that the plant was ever "short of water" since it was grown in an EarthBox that never "went dry." But I was unaware that it may have resulted from too rapid growth. A friend near me grew the same seeds/plants in the ground and had no issues. It may end up being one of those mysteries that never gets solved.

[RJGlew]

"...Moravsky Div is actually the same as the Czech. version of Stupice." Yes, Vladimir tracked that one down for us - it's a rebrand by Russian marketers. Andrey (Belarus) provided the first MD seeds to Carolyn, and it took off in NA as a "new variety" from there. I believe that after the original Stupické came to North America in the 1970s, it was primarily propagated by home gardeners who selected only for largest seedling size and so we ended up with bigger more luxuriant plants, but smaller and less tasty fruit. I purchased `Stupice' seeds from 2 respected North American sources and those were the plants I got (I posted a link to a comparison article earlier). When the MD seeds arrived from Andrey they were just one generation removed from the original CZ seeds, and so they produced a different looking plant, with bigger and better tasting fruit - hence why folks viewed it as a new variety, and `better' than Stupice. Now I only grow Stupické from the following CZ breeders: Moravo, Semo, Sempra, and Seva , and they are all seem basically the same.

[Oliver]

This is my first year growing Stupice; two plants. Both grown in the ground. The first tomato on my Stupice plants had BER. None have since then. I have a Thorburn's Terra Cotta in that same part of the garden that had a single fruit with BER. First fruit. I haven't added anything to the plants since planting them except water from the garden hose. The rest of the fruit from the two plants have been fine.

[MrsJustice]

Originally Posted by Oliver

This is my first year growing Stupice; two plants. Both grown in the ground. The first tomato on my Stupice plants had BER. None have since then. I have a Thorburn's Terra Cotta in that same part of the garden that had a single fruit with BER. First fruit. I haven't added anything to the plants since planting them except water from the garden hose. The rest of the fruit from the two plants have been fine.

I Planted 4 Thorburn's Terra Cotta Tomato Plants that all produced 2 large Tomatoes than but all Plants Died as if it was a determinate tomato plant before all this heat. But the were good eating in a sandwich. My kids love than too.