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Re: Better Boys have blossom end rot Help!

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

Just my $.02 worth.  
And this is all from the top of my head, so bear with me please.  haha

On a bulletin board I frequent, this discussion about blossom end rot (BER) 
happens every summer.   

The general concensus, on that bulletin board, is that BER goes away by 
itself after a time.  Roma types are the most susceptible, although others 
can get it.  Every year my roma types get BER but it only lasts for a couple 
of weeks and then it goes away. 

BER is caused by environmental factors that stop the calcium from reaching 
the fruit,  causing the damage.  After the environmental factors change and 
become more "normal", the BER goes away.  This could include over-watering, 
under-watering, excessive heat, and probably a bunch of other factors.

A few people on that board tried to do side by side experiments where they 
planted  several groups of tomaotes.  One group with calcium added to the 
soil.  Another group that was treated with one of those calium sprays, and a 
third control group that didn't get any added calcium.  According to them, it 
made no difference.  Now, granted those might not have been completely 
controlled experiments, but at least they tried.

Also, if you notice, most of the BER affected fruit is about the same size, 
possibly meaning that the damage happened at a particular time in the fruit 
development.  Fruit that was larger was fine, and fruit that was smaller was 
also fine.

So, pick off those bad 'maters and throw them in the compost, then wait for 
the weather to change.  Oh, the bad 'maters can go in the compost cause it's 
not a disease, but just damaged fruit.  Of course if you don't feel 
comfortable throwing those nasty looking things in the compost, then don't.  
haha

Let the harvest begin!!!!

Denese (near Cincinnati)


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