dkra wrote:

x-no-archive: yes

In article , Noydb
wrote:

[lack of fruit production in tomatoes]

Lack of calcium and / or uneven watering will cause this problem. I have
handled it for years by pushing food-grade calcium supplement tablets
about 1" into the ground at planting time. (I use 3 per tomato / pepper
plant). They dissolve fairly quickly and leaching takes them into the
root zone over the season. So far, so good for the past several years.

snip

For a calcium supplement, are antacid tablets (e.g. TUMS) or powdered milk
(30 percent U.S. R.D.A. of calcium per 24-gram serving) other
possibilities?

I'd read somewhere else that multivitamin pills also make great plant
food.

-- dkra


I would guess that both of those might be good.

That said, the crucial time appears to be the conditions that prevail at the
time of pollination / fruit setting although the symptoms do not show up
until somewhat later. There is no cure for BER, but it is (usually)
possible tosimply avoid it.

Although these suggestions are good 'quick fixes', the best way to handle
this is the 'long term' way. Add organic sources of calcium such as oyster
shells / egg shells / rock powders to your soil and let the bacteria get
started on the longer term solution.

Bill
--
Zone 5b (Detroit, MI)
I do not post my address to news groups.