Usefull cure for BER.

[michael johnson]

There is a product that has been on the market for some time now called (Calcified seaweed ) made by Maxicrop, -seaweed fertilsers.

Upon reading the chemical make up of it- it also contains rich scources of Calcium carbonate, and magnesium oxide- which are the main ingrediants used to stop BER dead in its tracks, unfortunatly it wont reverse any damage already done by BER to those tomatoes that already have it-but it will prevent any further trusses from getting it.

It is largly used here in the UK by chryanthemum growers and tomato growers alike, as it also contains lots of other trace elements as well- the idea is to dig it in early in the season feb/march time and it will totaly prevent any BER from starting, and is good for about four years in the soil-before another dose is required.

Calcified seaweed is strange looking stuff in the box, a sort of chalky white with brown flecks in it, I am not sure if USA members can get hold of Calcified seaweed or not-either by Maxicrop or other brand,-but it sure is good stuff and saves an awfull lot of problems later on.

Rock Dust- Earlier this season I mentioned trying out the scottish rock dust for the first time, well I can report that it is wonderfull stuff indeed - absolutly no leaf deseases whatsoever of any kind ( first year ever ) -just lovely dark green healthy leaves throughout, less insect pests for some reason?, ( they said it would stop some of them )-dont quite know how though-perhaps its one of the trace elements in it they dont like, but generaly well worth the effort in digging it in and trying it out.

[Polar_Lace]

I've used this 'Liquid Kelp Spray' (for foliage, soaking seed & seedlings) from garden's alive a lot in the past. I ran out of it, but it works quite well. Directions For Use

Read this story: Rock Dust Grows Extra-Big Vegetables (and Might Save Us from Global Warming)

[matereater]

Very interesting article. Any idea what kind of 'rock' dust they used ? any kind ? Is it possible to make your own ? I'm sutting some garden wall bricks which creates quite a bit of dust, could I use that ?

[Polar_Lace]

matereater,

I googled Rock Dust, & this is what it comes up with: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q...=Google+Search

If the link doesn't work; then google it by yourself; it comes up with alot of info.

[michael johnson]

I am afraid that the liquid kelp spray is the wrong one-although simular.

It does not have the calcium carbonate in it or the magnesium oxide which are added as a seperate item from ground limestone and other things, which helps to calcify the seaweed to the stage required.

I think if you google for (Maxicrop seaweed products ) it will give you more information, as its the combination of calcium carbonate and magnesium oxide that actualy stop the rot of BER.

Ber is a watering problem and phsycoligical disorder, mainly common to plants in pot and growbags, but also can turn up in beds as well, but the calcium carbonate and Magnesium oxide help the plants to overcome this problem and let them continue to uptake the nessesary nutrients into the stem and leaves, and definatly stops any further BER from ruining the crop for the rest of the season.

Funnily enough it only seem to appear in large tomatoes and middle size tomatoes, but never in cherry tomatoes or medium salad type tomatoes-possibly the influance of the wild cherry or current tomato in its breeding .


Rock Dust- The googled link on the scottish rock dust is the right one, its the scottish rock dust that I am using at the moment,

But having said that- there is also a North American supplier as well- I just cant remember the name of the firm, but its the same type of stuff -dug out of the mountains as the scottish one, its mentioned a lot in the website that hosts the main info about the american chap who grew the record breaking tomatoes (Wilbur ) or some simular name to that.

[carolyn137]

(Ber is a watering problem and phsycoligical disorder, mainly common to plants in pot and growbags, but also can turn up in beds as well, but the calcium carbonate and Magnesium oxide help the plants to overcome this problem and let them continue to uptake the nessesary nutrients into the stem and leaves, and ****definatly stops any further BER from ruining the crop for the rest of the season. **** ( stars added by CJM)


Michael,

Much research has been done on BER in the last 20 years here in the US b'c it's a huge money loss for the vegetable industry b'c it affects not just tomatoes, but peppers, squash, cukes, cabbage and more.

Plants that have fruits that have BER have plenty of Ca++ in the plant tissues, so it isn't a problem with uptake from the soil or mix or whatever.

There are two exceptions to what I just said and that's when the soil or mix is completely devoid of Ca++ or when the soil is very acidic, and both situations are quite rare.

There are many stresses that can induce BER such as too hot, too cool, too dry, too wet, too windy, but the two main ibducers are overfertilization which is a stress to the plant b/c it causes rapid growth, and uneven delivery of water.

As I said above, the problem is not one of uptake of Ca++, rather, it's maldistribution of Ca++ within the plant such that Ca++ doesn't get to the blossom end of the fruits.

Whether this is a supply and demand issue or whther it's associated with increased transpiration is not clear.

What is clear is that adding Ca++ to the soil does not stop BER dead in it's tracks, as you wrote above, and can't prevent it either. If the prevention or cure was that simple there would be no BER problem for anyone, anywhere.

As plants mature they can better withstand the various insults that can induce BER so BER goes away on it's own.

So many folks add this or that and then assume what they added worked when all that had happened is that the plants were more mature and could handle those environmental insults much better/

Adding Ca++ to prevent BER is perpetuated in books and magazines and radio shows and similar, b'c those folks don't take the time to do the research that they should.

If one goes to most Univerity websites now, one will see that addition of Ca++ is not something that is recommended and control of possible inducers, where possible, is what is recommended.

[supergirl]

That's really interesting. I didn't know that BER affected so many other vegetables as well. I wish mine would take a rest from the tomatoes and afflict the cukes instead. They're happily cranking out cucumbers to the point we're having a hard time keeping up, and I have yet to get a ripe tom (had a couple that looked ripe, but, unfortunately - BER!)

[kimpossible]

The only time I had a problem with BER was when I planted my tomatoes and peppers in containers. I believe I made two fatal errors - 1) The soil mix was too rich - I had added composted horse manure, and 2) uneven watering during a very hot, dry summer.

When my plants are in the ground (alkaline clay, but gradually amended through the years with compost, manure, etc.) I have had no BER. I think the soil is much better balanced, and the watering is definitely more consistent.

[michael johnson]

I understand what you say regarding the calcium uptake etc, but - I am afraid I shall have to disagree on that point-no doubt what you say you read on various research on it etc is true from their point of view.

But- in other parts of the world research and experimentation has also been carried out on it.and found it to be definatly a positive cure that does indeed stop BER dead in its tracks, the same condition also causes bitter pit-in apples, trees are sprayed and watered in with the same solution to save the apple crop once it is noticed from the start early- which indeed it does.

I personaly have been using various calcium carbonate and mag-oxide mixes for years when BER strikes and it has always cured mine-no probs, on years where I actualy take the time and trouble to dig it in early before the start of the season -I get no BER probs at all, except if I happen to have a few plants in grow bags or pots that get it, then a quick dose of the nessesary stops it stone dead, if I pull off all the infected ones on a particular truss- no other tomatoes on that truss continue to get it later, or any other trusses further up the stem- (Crop saved from BER ), but once or twice I left a grow bag or two or a pot or two without treating them, and the BER definatly continues up the stem to the top infecting each truss as it goes-regardless of age or maturity of the plant.

The most usual products that I have been using prior to Maxicrop Calcified seaweed- products by a company called Chempack -this company is headed by a well known agricultural and industrial chemist- whom I know personaly -having met him and discussed things with him years ago when he first started up as a small business-but has now grown to be a major agricultural advisor and supplier, plus all of the horticultural industry and especialy companies using indoor water trough feeding and lighting.

The products they sell and advise on the use of-have been tried and tested for years and are well respected here in the UK and personaly I prefer to go with that school of thought as a reliable scource to cure or stop the various problems one comes accross in this field-from an industrial and agricultural chemist who was trained at cambridge university and got various honours degrees and letters after his name for acheavments in these fields- who has a very good reputation and respect in the whole of the horticultural field and agricultural world, he was also asked to undertake a large project in the middle east a few years ago to turn whole areas of sandy wasteland into viable cropping land again- which he did by inventing a special fertiliser for them to plough into the land which is now growing and blooming again and restored to the balance of nature.

[greggf]

My extremely unscientific and un-researched response to BER is:

1) arrrrgh

2) it seems to be increasing, not just in my garden, but everywhere

and

3) anything anybody can say or share about it, anecdotal or otherwise, please do so.

I'd have to say that I notice no pattern, weather or other, as to what makes it occur, and I'd also have to say that nothing that I've tried seems to prevent it.

Gregg Fedchak

[vodreaux]

Why does BER effect Roma-Like Tomates more than other tomatoes?

All my Roma-Like Tomatoes has BER. The other tomato varieties has nothing.

[Worth1]

Hmmmmm!

[carolyn137]

Why does BER effect Roma-Like Tomates more than other tomatoes?

All my Roma-Like Tomatoes has BER. The other tomato varieties has nothing.


And most often that is the situation. I didn't mention in my post above that most paste tomato varieties are more susceptible to both BER and Early Blight ( A. solani)

The vascular system of tomatoes is not the same from variety to variety and that's known b'c of the appearance of BER with some varieties and not with others. No, there is no list b'c conditions do vary.

Apparently paste tomato varieties as a group tend to have more problems getting Ca++ to the fruits b'c of their vascualr system.

When did you last see a cherry tomato variety that had BER?

How often have you seen a heart shaped variety that had BER?

That's my point.

[michael johnson]

strangely enough -here is a typical example of calcium in its natural form-doing the stuff.

Some time ago on the other website- there was a chap who had quite a lot of BER in his tomatoes year after year, he was also a dedicated deer hunter each season- he suddenly got the idea to take all the deer bones down to the local slaughter house and get them to put them through their bone crunching mill he did this for two or three seasons, and dug it all into his tomato plot as a sort of bone meal addative, and now according to him he hasnt seen any BER anywhere in his plot again for the past three years.

Its probably a bit slow to work for a start- but it obviously does.

I realy dont know why Roma gets it when others dont, it must be some sort of genetic weakness in roma, but then there is the added advantage of it being a longish type of tomato- you can always cut the bottom bit off and still be left with a decent length of tomato to eat .

But in the main -calcium carbonate and magnesium oxide has always worked for me 100% despite differing opinions on the subject, it does it quickly and efficiently and for thousands of others who have bought these purpose made cures for it by reputable companies most have been 100% satisfied with the results and are very happy to have saved their crops, as proof of the pudding etc-etc, if it were not so-then obviously these companies wouldnt sell anything and would soon go out of business.

Most of them pay thousands of pounds in research money to all sorts of private labs and university research centers to do the ground work for them in the begining, and personaly I cant see them wasting their time and money on this if it did not produce the desired results for them.

[Althea]

I haven't found a U.S. source of calcified seaweed. Peaceful Valley Farm Supply carries a variety of rock dusts. I had planned to try rock dust this year, but .... . Thanks for the report on your experience Michael.

One of the most convincing possible reasons I've seen for Roma's suseptibilty to BER is that they are a meatier, fast growing tomato that require more water and calcium. Who knows?

"you can always cut the bottom bit off and still be left with a decent length of tomato to eat ."

I left one of the Purple Russian's from the BER affected first flush on the vine planning to do exactly that.