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Re: Blossom-end rot

Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html

At 07:25 PM 8/2/99 +0000, you wrote:
>Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html
>
>actually, according to the folks at our wonderful nursery here (they
>specialize in organic gardening), blossom end rot (the kind usually from
>calcium deficiency or irregular watering) is also caused by growing
>tomatoes in the same location year after year.  I have been growing
>tomatoes in the same spot for 6 years because I don't have anywhere else
>to grow them.  They said that this is the reason why I can't get rid of
>the problem, even though I never used to have this problem like this
>before.  It seems to get worse every year.  They said that the only way
>I can get rid of this problem is to replace the soil in the bed or  grow
>them somewhere else.  I have been growing 1 tomato in a place that's
>never had tomatoes before, getting the same water & native soil, and I
>don't seem to have any BER problems there.  Interesting to think about,
>as I've never heard this anywhere else before.  Any thoughts?
>Kim, zone 9b, socal
>
I think that's utter rubbish. I've grown tomatoes in the same patch for 29
years, and have not had BER problems at any time. Our county agent said she
had read somewhere (but was not able to supply a citation) that tomatoes
prepare the ground to grow more tomatoes. I'm now beginning to suspect
that's a mycorrhiza thing. 

Dr. Carolyn Male (whose credentials as an expert on tomatoes are beyond
question)says some varieties are vulnerable to blossom end rot, and that
stresses early in the tomato's development contribute to BER. Those
stresses include overfertilizing, uneven watering, and desiccating winds.
She says that under those stressful conditions the available calcium goes
to the plant instead of the fruit, causing the BER. Were I you, I'd start
growing a different variety of tomato, and take what the nursery people
tell you with a block of salt. Margaret L


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