[AT] Question OT

David Bruce davidbruce at yadtel.net
Sun Jul 10 20:21:54 PDT 2011


Yes BER (blossom end rot) is a reaction to lack of calcium uptake in the 
fruit.  Thus the limestone.  Of course if there is no moisture in  the 
soil that will reduce the calcium uptake as well - thus the 
recommendation for lots of mulch.  A lack of magnesium can also impede 
calcium uptake thus the ofter recommended addition of Epsom Salts 
(magnesium sulfate).

Note the addition of calcium and magnesium take time to be effective so 
for a "quick fix" the mulch and regular watering will help any new 
fruits but once a fruit has BER it has BER - the same thing can affect 
peppers and eggplant as well.

Old school as we know isn't so bad after all <g>.

David
NW NC

On 7/10/2011 9:33 PM, Spencer Yost wrote:
> The hot and dry probably is forcing you into heavy watering.  My father in law, a much better gardener than I will ever dream to be, helped me cure by mulching and regular bone meal.  Mulch helped prevent leaching of  nutrients, such as calcium, by reducing heavy watering.  The bone meal was fast absorbing and seemed to save the last of the crop.   He then instructed me to increase my use of  dolomitic lime in the fall tilling.
>
> Haven't seen blossom end rot since.   Of course this is old school stuff and nowadays on the Internet I am sure there are more up-to-date solutions.  But it worked for me.
>
> Hope this helps,
>
> Spencer
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Jul 10, 2011, at 18:46, "Richard Fink Sr"<rfinksr at verizon.net>  wrote:
>
>> I believe that there are many on the list that know about farming.
>> I have a problem with tomatoes, growing ok, but when they get about the size of a 50 cnt piece they get a black spot where the blossom would be. Have been told this is blossom rot and to treat with lime????. Have had no luck with that, it has been dry and hot here this summer all help wanted.
>> Thanks
>> R Fink
>> PA
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