BER

[Father'sDaughter]

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

Now I see. You grow in containers. You are Italian American and perhaps grow Roma and San Marzano ??
Double jeopardy

It was mostly my dwarf project varieties growing in containers that were the hardest hit. The in-ground plants--pastes, beefsteaks, and hearts faired much better.

[WhippoorwillG]

We are seeing it this year in varieties that I've never seen it in.

Jaune Flamme and a few of our round salad sized have been victims this year, in addition to the usual suspects. Luckily, it didn't affect all of the fruit in any cluster.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

[Starlight]

Originally Posted by Father'sDaughter

Most of my BER has shown up when I would go on vacation for two weeks and we would have a rainy spell--too much rain and all my nutrients washed out of my containers.

The past few years right before we left I gave all my plants a heavy top dressing of Tomato Tone and I would come home to healthier plants and a lot less BER. When we're home I can stay on top of things with regular feedings of Texas Tomato Food, and our new Wifi irrigation controller skips watering if we have rain.

I was wondering about giving mine an extra dose of TT. They are due for their normal two week feeding on Sunday, but with the tropical storm rains the past two days and two or three more days of non stop rain, I was wondering if feeding them would help at all with BER.

[zipcode]

It depends a lot on how the plant makes the transition from vegetative to production.
If the plant grows too much mass before making fruit the chances of BER are highly increased. Besides feeding, this overgrowth can be caused by weather early on, too cloudy, no hot days, etc.

[Starlight]

Originally Posted by zipcode

It depends a lot on how the plant makes the transition from vegetative to production.
If the plant grows too much mass before making fruit the chances of BER are highly increased. Besides feeding, this overgrowth can be caused by weather early on, too cloudy, no hot days, etc.

Thanks for that bit of information. Learned something new about BER.

[SteveP]

I haven't had BER in my raised bed, but loose a few every year in container plants. I blame it on inconsistent watering. I have been very consistent so far this year and have pulled 12 with BER that were half dollar sized from 4 plants. I wish I didn't lose any, but I don't consider that excessive.

[Gardeneer]

Originally Posted by SteveP

I haven't had BER in my raised bed, but loose a few every year in container plants. I blame it on inconsistent watering. I have been very consistent so far this year and have pulled 12 with BER that were half dollar sized from 4 plants. I wish I didn't lose any, but I don't consider that excessive.

Steve, that is more often is the case with BER.
One solution is to use a much bigger pot so it won't dry out as fast. Other solution is to have some kind of drip system. Heavily mulching the top of soil can also help reduce moisture loss. But it has to be real thick, 2 to 3" of bark, pine straw, ..

[SteveP]

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

Steve, that is more often is the case with BER.
One solution is to use a much bigger pot so it won't dry out as fast. Other solution is to have some kind of drip system. Heavily mulching the top of soil can also help reduce moisture loss. But it has to be real thick, 2 to 3" of bark, pine straw, ..

They are in 30 gallon containers (2 plants per container). A drip system is definately needed as well as the mulch. I thought about moving them where they would go into shade around 3pm instead of 6pm. They would begin getting sun about 7am.

[MadCow333]

I had 3 San Marzano in containers last summer. 2 had BER early but lined out and made nice toms later. But 1 was constant BER all season. I just left it produce, sprayed with neem, and wound up with toms that had the BER lesion but small and could be cut off. Generally it didn't open, didn't extend very high, and I could cut the bad end off and use the rest of the tom for sauce. Just saying. ymmv

[carolyn137]

I've posted this link many times, but BER has always been asked about in the disease Forum,not in General Discussion,and no,it's not a disease.

Perhaps this migh thelp,from Victory Seeds when Mike Dunton asked me to write it.

http://www.webgrower.com/information/carolyn_ber.html

Not much has changed since I wrote that article and it's still a multi-million dollar problem for commercial growers since BER also can affect squash and peppers and so much more.

Carolyn, edited to add I can't remember if I also discussed internal BER where there are no external symptoms,but cut open the fruits and the interior is black.

[Worth1]

In smaller containers or any container for that matter I sink the drain holes up in the soil.
By doing this I can come home from work in extreme heat and my plants are still as happy as a clam but I water them anyway.
My biggest fear was BER and I dont have one sign of it at all.
Right now I am the only person on the street that doesn't have dried up tomato plants in containers.
If you live in an area that permits this like no nematodes or soil problems I highly suggest it.

[bigpinks]

The 5-1-1 dude says its all but imp-ossible to avoid BER in containers but that it will usually straighten out by itself

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by bigpinks

The 5-1-1 dude says its all but imp-ossible to avoid BER in containers but that it will usually straighten out by itself

Who is the 5-1-1 dude?
Worth

[MrBig46]

Try adding calcium by spraying on a sheet with some calcium-based product. With us for this purpose sells Wuxal. I regularly spray spice tomatoes with this product every two weeks. Spraying with 0.5% calcium lactate solution can also be used.
Vladimír

[Gardeneer]

If you think it is RALLY the calcium deficiency, there is a simple home made solution. It is not the Old Wives story, it is scientific. It is possible to have Calcium in the soil but not in a form that is readily available for the plant's uptake:
Here is the home brew :

-- Save your eggshells.
-- Wash and let them dry up real good.
-- Hand crush and put it in your coffee mill, grind it to fine powder. This can speed up the chemical process in the next step.
--- Put the powder in a container, like a tall gall, or bigger one of you are processing large quantity.
--- Add good old household vinegar to it. Distilled vinegar is just fine.( about One TBS per 2 eggshells).
You will immediately see the action with your eyes. Heavy bubbling and release of CO2.
-- Stir now and then and let it continue. As the amount of Calcium Carbonate ( in eggshells) diminishes, the chemical action will slow down , even if there is still some vinegar left intact.
FINAL PRODUCT: will be still almost 95% H2O and about 5% CALCIUM ACETATE. Give or take a percent or too. This is not a chemistry science lab to be exact.
In the Calcium Acetate , Calcium is in Ca++ form and it is ready for the plants.

How much to apply ? Not too much. Calcium is just a trace element..Add 2 to 3 TBS per gallon of water.

Q: WHAT IF I ADDED TOO MUCH OR TOO LITTLE VINEGAR TO THE EGGSHELLS?
A: Relx ! If you added some extra amount of vinegar, the final product will contain some vinegar ( that is acetic acid, to be exact ). When you dilute the solution and use it, that amount will be negligible to lower the soil pH.
If you added too little vinegar, still some of the Calcium Carbonate (eggshell) will be intact . No worries it will precipitate anyway, with other impurities. After all people mix lots eggshells into soil AND NOTHING HAPPENS.
BTW: I am now brewing some myself. I had about 8 eggshells at hand. And I added about 6 oz of distilled vinegar to it.
Let me check how it is doing!
Going great . And lots of CO2 bubbles formed on top.
Here is a picture for your viewing pleasure.