On Sat, 19 Jul 2003 16:16:40 -0400, Noydb
wrote:

No magic. No miracle. No cure-all. And absolutely no quackery.
-------
Most excellent post, Bill!
I agree, no quackery here, but rather it seems you are in tune
with the actual symptoms of the plants as a means of determining
the condition of the soil. While soil tests can be performed using
professional services or those do-it-yourself kits, there are so many
variables that can effect the test and give inaccurate results.
Don't get me wrong, I do soil tests but I don't rely 100% on those
results. I make some soil ammendments as a result of my soil test
but then I watching the plants carefully as a further indication of
soil condition is and what it may need.


I'm not a quack. I was getting BER, researched the problem online and began
adding the tablets as a convenient means of countering the problem in my
soil. I have never recommended this as a panacea but as a specific response
to a specific condition and only if that specific condition has manifested
itself in a particular plot previously.
------
Bill, did this technique solve your problem?
I'm located in New Jersey and over the years, I've had a BER (Blossom
End Rot) problem in my two 100 SqFt. plots to varying degrees but only
with my Roma tomatoes. Specifically for BER prevention, I've amended
the soil using compost enriched with eggshells, pelletized gypsum and
epsom salts and this definitely helped solve the problem but not
universally. Last year, there was still one small area that gave me
problems with BER so I gave that area a bit more treatment this year
before planting.

Bottom line, is that monitoring the symptoms of the plants and keeping
notes is a major key to determining what soil amendments are needed.
Soil tests are useful but certainly not accurate enough to solely rely
upon .

If Bill is a quack then so am I, a quack with beautiful 5 to 6 foot
tall tomato plants with no signs of BER yet this year. (Keeping
my fingers crossed) grin

---pete---