Watering frequency for tomatoes

[ddurk751]

I live in Georgia and this is my 3rd year for planting tomatoes in my Earthbox. This year I started watering more frequently and I'm seeing blossom end rot on one of my first tomatos. I planted my box with soil from last year and used everything in the replant kit. I have also been adding the Calcium Nitrate once a week as directed. I'm wondering if I'm watering too often. I have experienced blossom end rot in previous years, but usually not until closer to the end of the growing season. Any thoughts? Thanks

[gardendoc]

Well first you can't over water. Many years the first fruit will develop BER even with all the recommended amendments.

I believe many times the BER is started in the transplant production phase.

It develops long before symptoms appear when the tomato fruit are the size of a dime. It can also be found in some varieties and not in others.

[rotor]

BER can be caused by three things too much water....not likely in EB lack of pollination try flicking the flowers to guarantee pollination. Finally excess heat over 90 degrees constant. Try shading if you get into heat spells

[gardendoc]

Blossom End Rot is only caused by inconsistent watering that interrupts Ca availability. To get more sciencey, the inconsistent watering causes a depletion of the apolplastic pool of water soluble Ca2+ within the cells of developing fruit. This happens when the developing fruit are very small prior to visible symptoms.

Now the EarthBox system provides a consistent root zone moisture level and many time only the first fruit will develop BER. This is primarily the incidence when using garden center transplants where it is common for the grower to limit watering, resulting in the transplants receiving inconsistent (wet/dry cycles) before the home gardener even buys the transplants.

[rotor]

Sorry was thinking Blossom drop. Didn't have my coffee yet ha

[CathyM]

"Now the EarthBox system provides a consistent root zone moisture level and many time only the first fruit will develop BER. This is primarily the incidence when using garden center transplants where it is common for the grower to limit watering, resulting in the transplants receiving inconsistent (wet/dry cycles) before the home gardener even buys the transplants."

I realize this is an old post, but I just now came across it.  The quote above from gardendoc makes absolutely perfect sense.  Inconsistent watering at the retail level before customer purchase.  That never occurred to me.