THE TOMATO GROWING THREAD 2018

ricky101 · Jun 19, 2018

sandymac said: ↑
1) You must ensure you have calcium in your compost. ( lime, calcified seaweed, dolomite lime, crushed oyster shells etc) Some people use egg shells, however these take a long tome to break down, an easy remedy is to put a couple of calcium tablets into the compost, or you can spray with a calcium solution.
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Interesting comments, though wonder how they can be applied.

I know from ph tests that most composts are neutral or slightly acid and cannot say I have noticed any bags saying they have extra calcium added ?

My toms are in 18" tubs but wonder if adding some garden lime now will help ? and how much to add ?

Same with your mention of calcium tablets, you mean the supermarket type in the vitamin section ?

You mention spraying with cal/mag , would be good to know what you use and what ratios you mix them to, Epson salts and calc tablets ?

thanks

sandymac · Jun 19, 2018

ricky101 said: ↑
Interesting comments, though wonder how they can be applied.

I know from ph tests that most composts are neutral or slightly acid and cannot say I have noticed any bags saying they have extra calcium added ?

I mix my own compost made up of 70% peat, 20% Perlite and 10% worm compost
With the following additives in the final pot
80 grams seaweed meal
50 grams Fish Blood and Bone
50 grams calcified seaweed
Nothing to stop you adding calcified seaweed, garden lime etc at beginning of season.
Quickest solution now is foliar spray with calcium supplement.

My toms are in 18" tubs but wonder if adding some garden lime now will help ? and how much to add ? as above spray as a bit late for lime

Same with your mention of calcium tablets, you mean the supermarket type in the vitamin section ? that's correct

You mention spraying with cal/mag , would be good to know what you use and what ratios you mix them to, Epson salts and calc tablets ?

I spray with plant Magic plus (magne-cal +) you can get it from any hydroponics shop online

Magne-Cal Plus - Magnesium Calcium - Additives | Plant Magic Plus

I feed with maxicrop organic tomato fertiliser on Wednesdays at half strength gives NPK 4/2/5
I feed with Bio Bizz grow and bloom gives NPK 6/10/10 on Sundays at half strength
thanks
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regards Sandy

JWK · Jun 19, 2018

sandymac said: ↑
Of all the plants I am growing only one plant has blossom end rot and it is one of the Shirley plants which is growing in a quad grow. This plant has suffered quite badly I lost all of the first truss and several toms on the second truss as well as one on the third truss.
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It's strange you have one like that as it has been treated exactly the same as all the others as you say. It has been a strange year weather wise and it could be down to that, over the years I notice mine perform differently depending on which part of the greenhouse they are planted, i.e. North or South side and nearer the door or back end.

I grow a similar amount of plants as you and have three poorly plants this year. One of them, 'Steak Sandwich' was the strongest looking plant when I planted them all up. It has hardly done anything since planting and the others growing alongside are twice as big now.

A couple of 'New Girl' have done a similar thing, stalled after planting. Mine are in the soil in the greenhouse and all I can think is there is something in that bit of soil - I dug it all out and exchanged it with an outside bed in the spring. I'm tempted to dig one out just to look at the roots. I kept the smallest spare 'New Girl' in a pot as I ran out of space and that has grown like mad since, so I am sure my problem is soil based.

sandymac · Jun 19, 2018

JWK said: ↑
It's strange you have one like that as it has been treated exactly the same as all the others as you say. It has been a strange year weather wise and it could be down to that, over the years I notice mine perform differently depending on which part of the greenhouse they are planted, i.e. North or South side and nearer the door or back end.

I grow a similar amount of plants as you and have three poorly plants this year. One of them, 'Steak Sandwich' was the strongest looking plant when I planted them all up. It has hardly done anything since planting and the others growing alongside are twice as big now.

A couple of 'New Girl' have done a similar thing, stalled after planting. Mine are in the soil in the greenhouse and all I can think is there is something in that bit of soil - I dug it all out and exchanged it with an outside bed in the spring. I'm tempted to dig one out just to look at the roots. I kept the smallest spare 'New Girl' in a pot as I ran out of space and that has grown like mad since, so I am sure my problem is soil based.
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I have four steak sandwich and seven crimson crush , I would have thought these bigger varieties would be the first to get blossom end rot but all are clear. ?? just one of those things.
Just to mention the grafted crimson crush I bought are not as good as the ones I grew from seed.

ARMANDII · Jun 19, 2018

I'm way behind with my 15 plants of 5 varieties due to the weather and also other events. I've only just put canes into the buckets and post to tie the plants and they've only about 2 thirds of the size they should be. I've given them a feed and, hopefully, within a week they'll be back to the right stage.

JWK · Jun 20, 2018

My first tomato is ripening and it's outdoor Crimson Crush! This is a very odd year, I think it must have been too hot in the greenhouse for my more pampered indoor tomatoes a few weeks back.:

Cinnamon · Jun 20, 2018

@ricky101 I use a handful of garden lime per plant so a pack lasts me a couple of years.

sandymac · Jun 20, 2018

JWK said: ↑
My first tomato is ripening and it's outdoor Crimson Crush! This is a very odd year, I think it must have been too hot in the greenhouse for my more pampered indoor tomatoes a few weeks back.:
View attachment 107032
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My first steak sandwich is ripening, I have been eating Sungold, Sun cherry, Flamme and gardeners delight since May.

Sheps · Jun 20, 2018

Thanks for the help and advice guys, it's appreciated.

Maybe I have been over feeding them, half a pint of this twice a week, so I'll go down to once a week and see if the Blossom End Rot stops.

Will this help with the Calcium deficiency?

JWK · Jun 20, 2018

@Sheps I would go easy on any more nitrogen feeds like that Maxicrop product for a week or two.

Sheps · Jun 20, 2018

Maybe that has been my problem, John... too much feed causing incorrect water take up by the plant resulting in Blossom End Rot.

sandymac · Jun 21, 2018

Sheps said: ↑
Thanks for the help and advice guys, it's appreciated.

Maybe I have been over feeding them, half a pint of this twice a week, so I'll go down to once a week and see if the Blossom End Rot stops.

View attachment 107048

Will this help with the Calcium deficiency?

View attachment 107049
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The tomato feed pictured is an chemical fertilizer I would not use too much of that stuff.
the seaweed extract shown is rich in vitamins and minerals including calcium, spraying with that will do the plants a power of good and should remedy any deficiencies.
not in sunshine or at the end of the day of course

Igrowfromseed · Jun 21, 2018

My tomatoes have been outside for 6 weeks against a south facing wall. This fine weather has kept them going.

JWK · Jun 21, 2018

What variety is that @Igrowfromseed ?

Vince · Jun 21, 2018

I've been quiet because I may just have something special? One of my "Big Zac's" produced a triple megabloom, they've pollinated, I may just beat my record..... comfrey tea to the fore

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THE TOMATO GROWING THREAD 2018

ricky101 Total Gardener

sandymac Super Gardener

JWK Gardener Staff Member

sandymac Super Gardener

ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

JWK Gardener Staff Member

Cinnamon Super Gardener

sandymac Super Gardener

Sheps Keen Gardener

JWK Gardener Staff Member

Sheps Keen Gardener

sandymac Super Gardener

Igrowfromseed Apprentice Gardener

JWK Gardener Staff Member

Vince Not so well known for it.

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THE TOMATO GROWING THREAD 2018

ricky101 Total Gardener

sandymac Super Gardener

JWK Gardener Staff Member

sandymac Super Gardener

ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

JWK Gardener Staff Member

Cinnamon Super Gardener

sandymac Super Gardener

Sheps Keen Gardener

JWK Gardener Staff Member

Sheps Keen Gardener

sandymac Super Gardener

Igrowfromseed Apprentice Gardener

JWK Gardener Staff Member

Vince Not so well known for it.

Tomato Growing Thread 2023

Tomato Growing Thread 2022

Tomato Growing Thread 2021

TOMATO GROWING THREAD 2020

The Tomato Growing Thread 2019

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