Re: [tomato] tomatoes turning brown

hgeep1@SoCA.com
Thu, 17 Jul 1997 17:15:19 -0700

Margaret Lauterbach wrote:
>
> >X-Sender: mlaute@pophost.micron.net
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> >Date: Thu, 17 Jul 1997 11:45:05 -0600
> >To: Tomato@GlobalGarden.com
> >From: Margaret Lauterbach <mlaute@micron.net>
> >Subject: Re: [tomato] tomatoes turning brown
> >Mime-Version: 1.0
> >Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
> >
> >>>
> >>
> >>Many of my tomatoes are turning brown on the bottom before they ripen.
> >(celebrity, roma,
> >>patio, early girl). I am growing in barrels in potting soil.
> >>
> >>Is this what is called "blossom end rot"?
> >>
> >>Does anyone know if this is due to too much fertilizer (I have been using
> >Miracle-Gro
> >>for tomatoes), not enough fertilizer, too much water, not enough water?
> >>
> >>This just started. I live just north of Los Angeles near Ventura County.
> >>
> >>Any suggestions or adivse would be appreciated.
> >>
> >>Thanks,
> >>
> >>Howard Goodman
> >>
> >Yes that is blossom end rot. Whatever you have been doing with watering
> >must be changed right away if you're going to get decent tomatoes. Growing
> >in barrels presents a problem, because I irrigate my tomatoes for hours,
> >but they're planted in the ground. Blossom end rot is a calciium
> >deficiency, usually caused by improper watering. Plants can't take up
> >calcium unless the ground is moist. Either too soggy soil or too dry will
> >prevent uptake of calcium.
> >
> >If I were you, I'd crush some eggshells and mix them into the root area of
> >each tomato (get them from a restaurant if you don't have a sufficiency),
> >and water them in. My guess is that your containerized tomatoes are too
> >dry. You may have to water more often than once daily. Good luck,
> >Margaret (who hopes you'll consider buying different varieties of tomato
> >next year)
> >7/17

Thaks for the advice. I think they are probably too dry.

Which different varieties do you recommend for next year. Most of the
nurseries around here only carry the "ordinary" varieties.

Thanks again,
Howard