Identify and Treat Blossom-End Rot in Tomatoes | Avoid BER Myths

What do antacids and tomato blossom end rot have to do with each other? Well, it turns out probably nothing. Let's investigate.

In this video, we'll use the most current research available on blossom end rot to compile strategies based on what we know about the biology behind blossom end rot. No antacids required =)

You’ll learn what blossom end rot is (and is *not*), why it occurs, how research has evolved to change our approach and a list of tactics to both prevent and treat it in your tomato garden. We cover watering best practices, soil salinity, appropriate fertilizing, vulnerable varieties and much more.

**Links and resources referenced in this video**
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**Equipment you might want in order to follow this video**
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#tomatoes #gardening #homestead #tomatoplants #vegetablegarden

[fruitful]

I find that if it rains alot, the blossom sticks to the bottom of the tomato. If you pull the expired blossom off when the fruit is starting to form, at a very early stage, it helps tremendously. And it stopped 50% or more from getting end rot. The bloom sticking to the newly formed fruit wants to hang on, and if it gets wet it causes it to get a mold spot. If that happens it will result in blossom end rot, so pick those dead buds off as soon as fruit forms.

[katipohl]

Hi and thank you from Germany. It would be easier to listen for me without background music. Great content and I saved this interesting video in my tomato playlist.

[Donnybrook]

As a chicken owner, I have alot of crushed oyster shells to supplement the hens diets for their health and strong egg shells. I add a handful of oyster shells into the soil for each tomato plants. I did not add oyster shells for a few other plants to see if this amendment is effective in preventing or correcting BER. So far, the plants with oyster shells have shown no new BER while those that did not get them are still showing BER.

[mrsbiodeb]

Excellent and helpful information. I'm encountering BER for the first time this year.

[dennisshaw]

We always got some blossom end rot ever year. I bought a box of powdered milk and gave each plant some. After that we had no blossom end rot so there is that.

[JacobsTriangleHomestead]

I just read an argument on Facebook a few days ago about what to do about BER. I read everything from adding to the soil such as eggshells, Tums, aspirin and Epsom salt. Then the argument turned to calcium uptake and whether watering caused BER or cracking. I've recently changed my away from using Epsom salt on my tomatoes. Now it sounds like I need to learn even more about BER. I've been trying to water regularly to prevent the plants from getting dry. I've also been trellising and pruning. This video was definitely interesting and informative. There are so many people who swear that they have BER figured out, but it seems the reality is they are just getting lucky with their treatment.

[johncosgrove]

I've been using Tomatoe tone and bone meal on initial transplantings. When blossoms appear, I use 0-10-10 Alaska fish oil. This seems to work well on my Parks Whoppers. This year I've gotten some ber but they are mostly at the top of the plant so I'm going to try reducing the intensity of the sunlight with a cover rated at 40% reduction in sunlight.
Thanks for the informative video, it really helps me to understand the cause and treatments for Ber..

[melodylamour]

I had too small a pot with 2 San Marzano tomato seedlings that grew fast. I decided (as a 1 yr newbie) that I better try to upset their whole lives and give them their own, proper sided pots. It must have stressed them out. All the 1st set of fruit had BER. Talk about timely information. Thank you. I had no idea this type of tomato tends to be more vulnerable. Last season I did choose mostly all cherries. Zone 10a Florida. I did remember a video somewhere that mentioned shade cloth. I doubled up tulle and tied that to the tomato cages. It seems to be working to shade them enough. Man, everything you are saying is spot on to my issues. LOL and yes the other day I thought well spray the leaves with Cal-Mag.

[Dragonsbrath]

Man I really enjoyed your video. You have a way of explaining things in a way that is super assuring. Keep making excellent vids because I just subscribed to your channel but mostly because it can help people understand gardening from your wealth of experience. Thankyou.

[timothymajors]

This year i put small 1 ft tall copper antenna next to each plant, had a bumper crop this year, less bugs almost no rot, and that's been a problem in the past.

[GardenKatt]

I like that type of music but am unable to finish this video because the music is just too distracting.

[zee-lvjh]

From my experiance BER is most likely caused by inconsistant moisture. i haven't had the problem since I started using drip irragation. I also treat my tomatoes and onions with a pellatized gypsum which also prvides sulfer

[BethLarsenSedona]

Excellent and well- researched information, and thanks so much for the references!

[marcuspowell]

Thank you for the video. I had a little BER last year but my real problem was early blight. I wanted to get as much production as possible out of the bed I had my tomatoes in, planted them really close and ended up with next to nothing.

[BellaCW]

Thank you! Luckily my tomatoes are fine at the moment, but I'm really struggling with BER on all of my squash and even pumpkin plants this year! I've tried giving them fertilizers with extra calcium and plenty crushed eggshells from my hens, but nothing is working. I can see the end rot starting on the flower before it has even bloomed. Zucchinis are producing like crazy, but all of the fruits keep rotting away before they even have a chance to get pollinated! 😫

[KeikoBushnell]

Ooh I love knowing WHY! 😊 ❤THANK YOU FOR THIS

[erikahuxley]

I get alot of BER for my cherry plants in my Earthboxes this year, the sad thing is I know the reason too. Just love watering my tomatoes plants too much, it's something I already know just a bad habit. The raised beds soil disperse the water well so those plants in soil don't have that problem, with container there is that goldilocks zone of moisture to thrive for and how you formulate the grow mix is a big factor. The great thing with grow bags is there is so much aeration it does protect against overwatering. I've always used container trays with the grow bags I find it give the perfect balance. Calcium is generally not the problem from what I see, especially when the plant look very healthy with little diseases, many gardeners already use good soil and probably too much fertilizers.

[humanbeingnotahumandoing]

Thank you a lot for bringing light to this topic! I enjoyed the video a lot🙏

[Sproutupgardening]

Came back and watched this great video again. I love your channel!

[Hutzjohn]

After growing in 15 x 15 pots for years I have found if your your tomatoes get BER it's a combination of the pot is too small and it's too hot outside ---- the tomato has become root bound and CAN NOT absorb enough water (especially/mostly) if the temps go [above about] 85 degrees.