Just showing off.

[AKmark]

It does seem, that once a plant variety that is prone to get BER goes dry, even once, BER damage cannot be reversed with anything but time. I have learned to pick them off and ignore it, and keep plants watered evenly as the summer progresses. As summer moves along they become less of an issue then disappear totally. I did have a couple of plants throw out some late season BER because I went kayaking and my water person did not do a good job and some wilted alittle, a week later or so some new BER.
I think the plants ability to uptake CA++ is affected because of damaged roots, which upsets the equiliberium between above and below the ground. This problem, with watering corrections, appears that over time to correct itself, as the plant slowly heals the roots,/ the problem, and restores the lost equiliberium between root and plant. That is why they seem to fix themselves with time, rather than with more CA++ which it cannot uptake anyway. In nature, when balance is disrupted, leaves will survive during drought only if flowers and fruit are dropped, and this ensures survival of the plant itself. I am convinced nothing we do can fix it, only self healing within the root structure fixes the problem. I am not a fan of additives anymore either, forget the Cal-Mag etc., I got no results, even dropped using it, they were just fine in time, long after I quit using my fixers.
As a side note, my plants in the larger containers had much less of the problem same varities cross matched too.
Anyway! my two cents/ rubbish for the most part I'm sure. (lol)

[cythaenopsis]

^ Sounds pretty sensible. I'm starting to think from what I've read here and elsewhere that the coincidence of applying calcium supplements and the recession of BER is the healing of the condition that caused BER in the first place (like you said, damaged roots from lack of watering). The added calcium doesn't hurt, but from what I gather it doesn't contribute much to the healing.

While you can cut off the bottom of a BER inflicted fruit and still enjoy some of it, I suspect that in the long run it's better to abort the fruit and let those nutrients go to other fruits that will be fully intact. It seems like BER can leave only a small portion of the fruit edible and... then it begs the question "What's the point in saving it?"

[Doug9345]

I haven't tried to find any research to back it up, but I suspect that as we have bread bigger, longer and faster growing tomatoes that we have exceeded some varieties ability to support the increased demands under adverse conditions.

[CarolynPhillips]

I been absent cause I am still working on the house and I have managed to grow a fall crop of tomatoes too.

Calcium nitrate works for me and I don't think I will ever change it.

Due to arthritis, I chose to grow my tomato plants on pallet tables this fall. Less bending over to prune leaves, fertilize, and twine the plants. It has been a back pain saver. Other than that, the plants are fertilized as I normally do it.

The seeds were sown Aug 5th. The plants are now 56 days old. (8 wks old) Summer sown tomato plants reach the bloom stage earlier than early spring plants.

[CarolynPhillips]

you can get my attention quicker on Facebook
Carolyn Phillips https://www.facebook.com/carolyn.phillips.587
or
Cricket's Greenhouse https://www.facebook.com/cricketsgre...hillips?ref=hl

[tlintx]

Your plants always look so amazing -- and inspiring!

When do you expect a freeze? Does your greenhouse provide enough protection you can keep growing anyway, or do you usually wrap up around then? Are there two plants per pot or is that two stems?

Do you start the seeds in place? How do you get such big, mature plants in eight weeks? I knew I was doing something wrong with my seedlings, but this just reinforces the point! Is there a "despair" emoticon?

[CarolynPhillips]

We get our first light frost between Oct 15 - Oct 31. I have propane heating but the fall expense is low. It doesn't start getting cold on a regular basis until Dec. I plan on growing them until New Years.
I start the seeds in an open flat and transplant to 4 inch pots and then transplanted to those 4 gallon pots.
Each pot has two plants pruned to two vines each.....some three.(experimental)

The plants had full sun at all times and it was extra warm summer heat. I don't know how to explain it but plants mature according to a certain amount Warm hours. In the spring it is cooler to start out and the plants are slower to mature. The summer heat and sun for a fall crop speeds up the maturing process. After it starts to cool off in the fall, I have to maintain a certain warm degree in the greenhouse in order to have ripe tomatoes by a certain date.
I have experienced that the sooner I transplant to the larger pots, the bigger the plants will be at a young age. If the plants stay in small pots for a long while, they become stunted and near root bound. I like to transplant way before they become root bound. With full sunlight, they will be sturdy large plants at an early age.

[tlintx]

We get our first frost around Thanksgiving, but it doesn't get cold until December. Not that it gets really cold, just cold enough the tomatoes won't grow. I have done a little research on growing degree days, especially in regards to "too hot"! Was thinking about making a hoophouse and seeing if I could extend the season but wasn't sure I had the energy (head cold). Seeing an update to this thread has given me a little push!

Still can't believe the production you get from a 4 gallon pot! I think it's the sunlight I'm lacking for my seedlings -- it's a very fine line between sunny and broiled here! I've been taking detailed notes throughout this thread, and hopefully will be better prepared for next year!

[MrsJustice]

Just Just Just NICE & Wonderful!!!!!!!!!!!!

[efisakov]

looks amazing

[meadowyck]

Incredible. After this move and us in the place 2 weeks today, I gave in while at lowes last week and pick up 7 tomato and 3 pepper plants. I transplanted that night in to 5 gallon pots. I have two tomatoes and I can't tell you how thrilled I am. The folks around me don't spray their yards with chemicals, so I'm really looking forward to getting around to starting seeds in a few months.

Thanks for sharing again.

[CarolynPhillips]

Two weeks since the last photo
Here is a current update. I have not been giving as much calcium nitrate because of the cooler nights and they have a leaf fungus that I treated with baking soda water . Four more weeks til nice size green tomatoes. Five more weeks til ripe tomatoes.
And the Sweet Million cherry tomatoes are loaded.
Wish I could find an heirloom cherry that produced and tasted like that hybrid Sweet Million. I have tried several and non compare.

[Salsacharley]

Hi Carolyn,

This kind of visual evidence confounds me about how much room a plant needs to grow. I am baffled at how you can grow 2 -3 beautiful plants in a 4 gal container (granted they are pruned, and extremely well!) when the "classic standard" calls for much, much more space between plants.

You have a splendid set up!

Charley

[NarnianGarden]

Originally Posted by CarolynPhillips

Wish I could find an heirloom cherry that produced and tasted like that hybrid Sweet Million. I have tried several and non compare.

Thanks for the pictures and Sweet Million recommendation. I have some Sweet 1000 000 seeds, and plan to grow that variety next year, Lord willing.

Did you ever try Ildi? It's supposedly delicious and very prolific.

[efisakov]

Blondkopfchen has similar to Sweet Million bloom. It is yellow grape form small tomato, pretty sweet.