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Blossom End Rot?

OldcompostOldcompost Posts: 191
in Problem solving
These Orange Banana Tomatoes are the second variety this season to get these brown marks.  I have already fed them with milk to add calcium, could it be something else and why is it happening?
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  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Yes, that's BER, which is usually caused, not by a lack of calcium in the compost, but the inability of the plant to access it due to inconsistent watering.

    Whatever your watering regime is, keep it regular.  :)

    Hopefully @Italophile will see this and have more suggestions. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Dovefromabove said:
    Yes, that's BER, which is usually caused, not by a lack of calcium in the compost, but the inability of the plant to access it due to inconsistent watering.

    Whatever your watering regime is, keep it regular.  :)

    Hopefully @Italophile will see this and have more suggestions. 
    I’m so glad you’ve said that Dove, so many people seeming to think it’s lack of calcium and giving the advise of adding more. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • ItalophileItalophile Posts: 1,731
    Indeed it is BER. Years ago it was thought to be caused by a lack of calcium in the soil. Science discovered that, as Dove says, it's caused by the plant's inability to distribute calcium to the fruit via its internal mechanism. The soil can be loaded with calcium, the problem is that it doesn't get to the fruit.

    It's now believed to be caused by plant stress. And herein lies the problem. What is causing the plant stress? Irregular watering is cited as the most common cause and it can indeed be the case. But many other things can stress a tomato plant - overwatering, fluctuating temperatures, sudden strong winds, etc. More often than not, in my experience, you never identify the actual cause. The only factor you can control is watering, so, as Dove says, try to keep the watering regime regular. Though it might not prevent BER.

    But it's well known that some varieties are more prone to BER than others. The plum shapes - Roma, San Marzano, etc - are famous for developing BER regardless. Years ago, in Sydney, I grew San Marzano in the same bed as a couple of other non-plum varieties. Same soil, same watering, same everything. The SMs were riddled with BER, the other varieties were fine.
  • OldcompostOldcompost Posts: 191
    Thank you for your comments, but.... The tomatoes are lovingly cared for in the GH.  I water early and late every day according to the moisture metre reading in the pots (not cold water).  There are 2 oscillating fans going 24 hours for consistent circulation, I can't do any more!  
  • ItalophileItalophile Posts: 1,731
    I think watering twice a day could be part of your problem; that is, overwatering. I can't imagine toms needing that much water even in very hot conditions. I have two pots on my terrace, in full sun all day, temps in the 30s. I water every second day.

    How does your moisture meter work? What does it tell you?
  • GardenGrower11GardenGrower11 Posts: 312
    Orange Banana is a great variety. Very attractive fruits and excellent taste. I'm growing it again this year, from self-saved seeds, and usually have spare seeds to share.

    I've read elsewhere about Orange Banana being one of the varieties being prone to BER, but I don't think I had it myself. Or maybe just slightly on one of the first fruits, and then as the plant grows and improves its root system, the problem disappears naturally.

    Don't agree with Italophile that watering twice a day is part of the problem. In a greenhouse, in unusually hot weather, and using a moisture meter, regular watering is sensible.

    Reducing the frequency and quantity of your watering is likely to make the BER worse, not better. One of the causes of BER is thought to be allowing the plants to dry out too much in between waterings, leading to problems with distribution of Calcium within the plants transport systems.
  • OldcompostOldcompost Posts: 191
    My Orange Bananas last year were big and lovely.  This year the Cosmic Eclipses have BER as well but none of the other 30 varieties.  I use the moisture meters that have wet/moist/dry scales in blue/green and red, I only water when they go into the red.  None of the tomatoes planted in the greenhouse beds have had this problem though, only ones in large pots.
  • seyfadesseyfades Posts: 146
    I seemed to also have the same problem on my costoluto beefsteak tomato. I thought I was giving her it a good soak. I’m growing it outside in a container with halo, but I noticed this morning some of the fruits have BER, it’s a shame as my San Marzano are doing well so far. 
  • seyfadesseyfades Posts: 146

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    That looks more like blight to me ... I may be wrong ... @Italophile ?

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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