16,949 Garden Web Discussions | Growing Tomatoes
Here's another explanation I like from a very well known poster on the Containers forum:
"you add gypsum, the Ca will be immediately available if you water from the top so it can disperse through the soil a little. Be careful because gypsum does contribute to the level of EC/TDS and you don't want that getting so high you burn your plants.
The reason BER occurs is because Ca is not mobile in the plant. The plant can 'borrow N, P, and K from other plant parts and translocate these nutrients to new cells, but since Ca is not mobile, it has to be continually present in the nutrient stream for new cells to form normally. The blossom end has the newest cells in each fruit, so anytime the nutrient stream is interrupted (cultural) or Ca is unavailable, the cells on the blossom end don't form normally. This can occur not only from an actual deficiency of Ca, but also from high humidity (usually coupled with clouds and calm winds), too much/too little water in the soil ..... anything cultural that interrupts the constant and sufficient supply of Ca to newly forming cells in the fruits."
Thanks Betsy.
First, I've been having major DSL problems and it's still not solved, heaven help Verizon, so I don't know how long I'll be on here or elsewhere and have been offline since last Friday.
Just a couple of other points.
Growing in containers is not the same as growing inground whenit comes to BER..
Second, BER iS primarily found with paste type tomatoes, but can affect other varieties as well, so shape is not the determining factor.
THirdly, different varieteis can have different physiologies, which also plays into BER,.
When I used to have my tomato field there were some low spots and after torrential rains some ares would find the plants under water. The normal progression to death of the plant is yellowing leaves, can 't get oxygen and nutriens via the roots b/c the soil is waterlogged, then the leaves turn brown and then RIP.
Some vaiteites would go the death route and others wouldn't go beyind the yellowing leaves and would recover,
So with different physiologies plants handle Ca++ differently as well.
All for now,
Carolyn
beautiful, healthy plants that have nice color, an abundance of flowering, lots of sun (6-7 hrs) with absolutely zero success of tomatoes.
That type of description usually sets off one alarm bell for many of us - excessive nitrogen. High levels of N triggers big beautiful healthy dark green plants with little to no fruit set.
Tells us about your soil and what may have been added to it. Also define "small amount of Miracle Grow" specifically.
The other possible explanation is 'blossom drop' a condition that is primarily air and tem and humidity related (but is also triggered by high N levels). See the FAQ on it below and let us know how your weather has been - average day and night temps and humidity levels.
Dave
Here is a link that might be useful: Blossom Drop FAQ
MGrow potting soil may be the culprit......it may have been a fortified variety. I don't think that it has anything to do with blossom drop because I can still see older blossoms lower and deeper in the center of plants. OK, so if it is a high N situation, is there anything I can do like 1) adjust it, or 2) wait it out, or 3) yank the plants and start over?
Dave, thanks for the information. I'm relieved about the hardening off, because I felt it was too soon. Don't think I'll repot. And some of my seedlings are in Jiffy pots which I dislike immensely. I agree with what you said about them. I always remove them completely when I plant because I don't like the idea of my plant contained in anything. I also feel the plants are more at risk of breaking because the jiffy pots become so fragile over time. I prefer the plastic pots.
My plants are getting lots of light and they are in a cool space. They are starting to take off in the last few days.
So when it is getting close to planting time they need to adapt to that environment. Gradually they go out into it, learn to live in their new house. Now if you take them back to the old house for any length of time after they have adapted to the new one, they have to re-adapt all over again and again.
Make sense?
It does. I've often wondered if plants spending time outdoors get (for lack of a better word) "tanned", such that they don't photosynthesize as well when they come back inside. If that's true, then it would make sense that it would take some time for plants to get used to the indoors again.
Nice looking support system. Years ago, when we lived in a different town, we had a small garden like that. We ate pretty well from such a small space.
This weather is crazy, but we do have moisture. That is something that I couldn't say we had last year.
Jay
Here is some information, including photos, on cutworms, their damage, and some suggestions on control.
I hope that helps.
Betsy
Here is a link that might be useful: Cutworm Information
I would really like to caution you not to use a systemic pesticide on vegetables or fruits. They are not labeled for use on edibles. I assume these are outside and that you mean they were planted out three weeks ago, not that the seeds were planted then. If they are not outside, get them out ASAP. Whiteflies are much worse inside because there are no beneficials to keep them under control. I've gotten rid of them by using Neem Oil. Spinosad is another safe, organic insecticide that might work. Either will work faster than a systemic.
I always start my plants on my screened in porch (roof is screen also) - it seems to be a perfect way to get them used to the elements. it offers some protection from the wind and the sun is filtered. 3-4 hours the first day has never been a problem.
So yes - they should be a big help.
Thanks guys! I layerd two sunside on a covered porch (roof only) they got about 3 hours of filterd sun and then some shade, they still look good. I also considered the wind and they got a nice breeze the whole time. I can really tell wich ones were closer to the fan. So far so good
Ia addition to the hydroponics forum there are numerous threads on acidifying water, and bicarbonates, in the Fruits forum. This is just one example:
Here is a link that might be useful: acidifying water
.Thanks so much for posting. The only problem i have with breaking it apart is the roots are grown together, so tightly it might kill the plant trying to take apart . On the container it said to put whole burlap in the ground an cut little twigs away an plant deep this could make roots stronger ????? Im just confused with all the stems coming from out of the roots any help on this would be appericated thanks
Yes, planting it deep will make the roots stronger because additional roots will grow out of the main stems. I know it's difficult to be agressive with a plant not knowing how it will react. "If" you want to break it up you can dig it up, remove the burlap, and cut, or pull the plants and roots apart, and replant them. They will be fine. Lots of people root tomato suckers by just sticking a bare branch in water. If you are not comfortable just leave them, and they will grow however they will grow, but it looks like they will be a little crowded. It's totally up to you. IMO I would definitely get rid of the burlap.
Yes, was going to reply to 'triffids...having watched the body snatchers last night..all those lively gardens in sci-fi....and here we are...the first time I saw a tomato horn worm I was sure it came from another planet...cheers to the season..; - > Martha Zucchini
The purple is from a phosphorus deficiency. Seedlings can suffer from seed starting mix that is too acidic which causes poor phosphorus uptake. Peat moss, which makes up a large part of most of starting mixes, has a ph of around 3.4 - 4.0. Most seed mix companies add lime to their mixes to balance the ph, but problems can arise because the begining ph of peat mosses can vary depending on where it was harvested and what species of peat it was. And the PH of starting mix can change over time as more and more water is run through the mix. Phosporus uptake problems can begin at a ph below 6 and uptake is almost nonexistent at a ph of 4 and below.
I solved the problem with my plants by adding just a little hydrated lime to their water once or twice, along with a very dilute fertilizer. The amount of lime I added was about an eighth of a teaspoon per two quarts of water. The purple started to fade after the first application and continued to disappear over the next few days to a week. If you take my approach, you should take it slow and cautious because hydraded lime has a ph of about 12 in solution so it can be overdone. The problem is that you won't know what the ph of your starting mix is but you will know that it is probably below 6 if your leaves are purple. In small amounts lime will balance out the PH so that the plants can take up nutrients. Also be very carful of adding fertilizers. I add mine at about 1/4 of the amount the bottle says to add. So for example my brand says 7-8 drops per quart, and I add about 4 drops per two quarts. And I only add them occasionally after the plants obtain their first true leaves. In any case, the purple problem will disappear fast after they are in the ground, and in most cases they will be fine until you get them there.
Kevin
As Carolyn said above the purpling is common and normal. It poses no threats to the plants and they recover just fine all on their own without any intervention. It isn't lack, a deficiency of phosphorus as testing shows sufficient phos in the tissues and in most all potting mixes. Rather it is a temporary uptake issue due to the plants young age and under-developed root system.
Try to fix it if you wish but often trying to "fix" something that isn't a problem anyway only creates more problems. Alkaline soil pH can interfere with uptake of ALL the nutrients.
Dave