powder milk as calcium source for tomatoes

[cjp1953]

Was wondering if using powder milk as a calcium source for tomatoes works as well as Tomato Tone?I'm using alfalfa pellets on top of the soil and have a fish fertilizer.I have not has BER in 4 of 5 years but seen it with my daughters tomatoes last year.Egg shells I have read about but don't know how fast the plants would use.

[brownrexx]

BER is not caused by a lack of calcium in the soil but an inability of the plant to use the calcium. This is usually caused by uneven watering. Some varieties seem to have more BER than others too.

I have a total excess of calcium in my soil but if I plant Roma tomatoes I can guarantee that they will have BER. This is why I no longer grow them.

[slugworth]

I've had plum type and round tomatoes on the same plant.
The plum type got BER and the round were fine.

[whoose]

Waht is BER?

[slugworth]

Blossom End Rot

[ContainerTed]

When tomato plants are "stressed", they have a tendency to go into "survival" mode. Stress can come from an infinite number of sources. Bottom line, if a plant has more than it can handle, it may begin to "Abort" the fruit it is trying to produce by holding back nutrients and stored water for its survival.

If your growing medium (soil, container mix, etc) is low in soluable calcium, you may have to add some. I grow 100-200 plants each year. I don't add a lot of calcium to my garden, but I will put a small amount of dolomite lime in containers (maybe two tablespoons for an 18 gallon pot).

Tomato plants are very intelligent. Hang them upside down and they turn their branches up to let the leaves face the sun. Turn a container of them and then watch as they turn their leaves to take the best advantage of the sun angle.

I have heard of folks who use powdered milk, but my one time experiment with it did not work as well as the dolomite lime. So, I can't recommend the milk thing.

Think about and treat your plants like the living organisms they are. Mine are always like my babies. And, yes, I talk to them in a soft and even voice.

Final thoughts are to focus on removing stress from your plants, and know that some varieties are more prone to getting BER than others. In 2011, I had 189 plants in the main garden. Right in the middle was Costoluto Genovese. Every fruit on the plant (31) had BER. No other plant in the garden had BER. The location in the garden had never had BER, and none showed up in the following years. So, .....?????

Take Care and Stay Safe

[slugworth]

I've even see it at the green tomato stage,so I just rip those off the plant.
Most of the time you have no control over watering.
I planted today and watered.We are having a monsoon rain right now.
If we are headed for a drought year it will be difficult to maintain the proper watering schedule.

[slugworth]

2 of the plants are genuwine,a brandywine cross with costoluto
I also have seedlings of that variety.

[cjp1953]

I was wondering only because my daughter's tomatoes had them last year.I suspect watering was the problem.These are plants grown in containers,they don't get watered consistently.For my garden,I now and have the last few years mulched with straw and try to be consistent in my watering but the weather is so unpredictable.Seems you get more rain then you want or no rain at all.But I have my garden within reach and can water from a hose.

[Koala Doug]

Originally Posted by cjp1953

These are plants grown in containers

What is the growing medium in the containers? And what type of nutrients are given to the plants?


I ask because the plants would need some source of calcium and it is generally supplied via a healthy soil (for in-ground plants) or in the nutrient (for container plants).

[cjp1953]

Originally Posted by Koala Doug

What is the growing medium in the containers? And what type of nutrients are given to the plants?


I ask because the plants would need some source of calcium and it is generally supplied via a healthy soil (for in-ground plants) or in the nutrient (for container plants).

She used a mix for containers,I had her get some tomato tone and she also bought garden tone.I'm going to watch and make sure the watering is done as we will be babysitting our grandchildren a few days a week.

[KarenO]

http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/IPM/engl...m-end-rot.html

Brief yet good summary. Some varieties are more susceptible.
KarenO

[Koala Doug]

Originally Posted by cjp1953

I had her get some tomato tone and she also bought garden tone

Both of those do appear to have calcium, so she should be good to go. The only things that would affect the uptake of calcium in her containers is inconsistent watering (too much and/or too little) or a pH that is out of the normal range (6.0-7.0 pH).

Some varieties are more likely to have issues with BER on the first couple of clusters (it's probably genetics), but even those will clear up after a number of weeks if the other conditions are met.

[zipcode]

Originally Posted by KarenO

http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/IPM/engl...m-end-rot.html

Brief yet good summary. Some varieties are more susceptible.
KarenO

That's a pretty good link. Indeed, if you had a cloudy mild period and get a lot of growth (usually in the somewhat earlier stages of the plant, before it is loaded with fruit), and then you get sudden hot weather, BER is pretty much guaranteed on some varieties, the root system is not big enough to get water fast to the now high requirements of the plant.

[AKmark]

Originally Posted by Koala Doug

Both of those do appear to have calcium, so she should be good to go. The only things that would affect the uptake of calcium in her containers is inconsistent watering (too much and/or too little) or a pH that is out of the normal range (6.0-7.0 pH).

Some varieties are more likely to have issues with BER on the first couple of clusters (it's probably genetics), but even those will clear up after a number of weeks if the other conditions are met.

3 things cause BER. A lack of calcium, especially in containers. Drying out of the media which causes a physiological disorder with the uptake of Calcium. Antagonism, too much K, etc. I rarely ever have BER and we grow a couple thousand plants a year in containers. I send in leaf samples to labs, it is not guessing. We use Calcium Nitrate in containers. In raised beds, or the garden, Fish Bone Meal or Bat Guano has a bunch of available Calcium in them and they are organic.