PH effects nutrient up take as well.
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A soils analysis will tell you what nutrients you have and the pH of the soil. Your County Extension agent can tell you how to get that done. In Arkansas that’s a free service but each state is different. There might be a charge where you are.
Most soils have plenty of calcium unless you are growing in sand. If you use compost that has a component of chicken manure you almost certainly have plenty of calcium in your soil. Hens don’t absorb all the calcium they eat, a lot goes right on through their system and out the back end.
The main cause of Blossom End Rot is not a lack of calcium in the soil, it’s that the calcium is not getting to the fruit. That’s normally because of water, either too much or too little. If it is too dry there is not enough water flow moving calcium to the fruit. If it is too wet the amount of calcium in the water is too small. The best way to fight BER is to keep the soil uniformly damp, not too dry or too wet. Mulching really helps with this plus keeps diseases in the ground from splashing up on the plants and infecting them. I’m a big believer in mulching.
The pH of the soil is a big factor too. The nutrients are moved from the soil to the plant by chemistry. If the pH is too high or too low then the chemistry gets messed up. A soils analysis should give you recommendations on that too.
Certain tomato varieties are more prone to BER, I’ve certainly noticed that. I had not heard that about the shape causing it but it makes sense. Yellow pears and most paste tomatoes are generally the worst and they have that elongated shape.
A soils analysis will tell you what nutrients you have and the pH of the soil. Your County Extension agent can tell you how to get that done. In Arkansas that’s a free service but each state is different. There might be a charge where you are.
Most soils have plenty of calcium unless you are growing in sand. If you use compost that has a component of chicken manure you almost certainly have plenty of calcium in your soil. Hens don’t absorb all the calcium they eat, a lot goes right on through their system and out the back end.
The main cause of Blossom End Rot is not a lack of calcium in the soil, it’s that the calcium is not getting to the fruit. That’s normally because of water, either too much or too little. If it is too dry there is not enough water flow moving calcium to the fruit. If it is too wet the amount of calcium in the water is too small. The best way to fight BER is to keep the soil uniformly damp, not too dry or too wet. Mulching really helps with this plus keeps diseases in the ground from splashing up on the plants and infecting them. I’m a big believer in mulching.
The pH of the soil is a big factor too. The nutrients are moved from the soil to the plant by chemistry. If the pH is too high or too low then the chemistry gets messed up. A soils analysis should give you recommendations on that too.
Certain tomato varieties are more prone to BER, I’ve certainly noticed that. I had not heard that about the shape causing it but it makes sense. Yellow pears and most paste tomatoes are generally the worst and they have that elongated shape.
The organic fertilizer I make has egg shell, coffee grounds, blood from chickens, and urine all steeped in a "compost tea" (gross but it works usually). I'm all organic, no chemical. The issue is probably the TYPE of tomato (Roma VF). Next year I'll be doing this in the ground, since it's container gardening and not in-ground gardening that I'm doing this year.Yes...wow, x2
Ph is the first point in checking nutrient disorders. Ph can lockout nutrients if its isnt at optimal ph...
Also, too much potassium or nitrogen can lock out calcium. Phosphorus is the catalyst calcium needs..
Calcium shouldn't be deficient; there is almost always a problem with ph or nutrient dispersement, causing lockout.
Over watering can also cause the plantb to not be able to absorb the calcium and phosphorus, leading again, to lock out... And later, iron chlorosis from thr plant not being able to use the phosphorus.
Plants are tricky. The more love you give them in the form of soluble/insoluble chemical fertilizers, the more damage can occur..
I don't add ANY nutrients while my plants are actively growing. I'm certified organic. Theres just no need for me to amend..My soil does it for me
I wish I had an extension office. We're in Belgium.
I wish I had an extension office. We're in Belgium. I can usually do pH testing myself, but nutrients are based on my knowledge of the compost and fertilizer I add to the soil.
The organic fertilizer I make has egg shell, coffee grounds, blood from chickens, and urine all steeped in a "compost tea" (gross but it works usually). I'm all organic, no chemical. The issue is probably the TYPE of tomato (Roma VF). Next year I'll be doing this in the ground, since it's container gardening and not in-ground gardening that I'm doing this year.
Well that tears it. Romas aren't going to be grown next year. Found another one with end rot. My round tomatoes are all fine, it's just that one that keeps getting it time and time again. Only proving that my heirloom types are superior to the regular shelf-variety seeds, as the seeds I keep having issues with are all from a certain name brand I will not name and not the types I bought from organic non GMO heirloom seed providers on Etsy. Got rain again today, so no watering. It's been raining most of the week so I haven't ben watering anything.