Frank wrote:
On 6/19/2010 1:24 AM, Paul M. Cook wrote:
"Jeff wrote in message
...
Jeff Thies wrote:
Paul M. Cook wrote:
So I added calcium to the soil, I used fish emulsion fertilizer

I don't think this is the right fertilizer for tomatoes (although
it is what I in my ignorance used), it has too much nitrogen.
It's
something like 511.

I found this:

http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/...ing_plus/73178

So, the fish fert may not be your cause, but it does not help
and may indeed hurt.

Jeff

and I
sprayed the leaves with calcium water.

http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubs/PDF/C938.pdf


Although some people believe foliar sprays can correct Ca
deficiency in developing fruits, research is very inconclusive on
this issue. What is well known is that Ca only moves in the plant
via the xylem and moves with the transpirational water flow from
the roots, up the plant and into developing leaves. Calcium has no
ability to flow from the leaves via the phloem to the developing
fruit. In addition, once fruit has grown to golf ball size, the
waxy outer layer has developed and is believed to be quite
impermeable to water. Therefore, it is recommended that all Ca
supplied to fruiting vegetables be applied via the irrigation
water
so as to maximize uptake by roots


Sigh. I was using the fish emulsion as it was recommended. I
posted
earlier about using the foliar spray as irrigation water and was
told it was less effective that way. So what the heck, I will add
it to the irrigation water. I try to keep the soil from drying
out.
My pots get a gallon of water a day and if I do not water in the
morning I get a little wilt by afternoon. This whole uniform water
has me puzzled. I mean those plants do grow in the wild and surely
a consistently moist soil is not something they enjoy. I can see
BER is more of a challenge in container gardening. Paul


Think I am doing the same as you except I add a handful of
pelletized
limestone mixed in before planting and fertilize with a mixed garden
fertilizer. When BER showed up several years ago, the limestone
cured
it.

It's been years since I had tomatos with BER. That's when I started
getting my soil tested. I use dolomitic limestone to adjust the PH
and it's worked fine for me for at least 25 years!!

Tom J