I'm paying for being a slacker this year with BER!

ugh. So i had all sorts of high hopes for my garden this year. I figured that since this is my second year SFGing, and I wouldn't be starting from scratch, I wouldn't get overwhelmed. Last year, I had my main 3 beds down from my house a bit, not far away or anything but not easily seen from the house. I decided to build a new smaller bed just for tomatoes closer to the house for this year. That way, they would get more attention from me for pruning and my dogs would be able to see and chase off the critters that used them as a buffet last year. I got kind of a late start on the season due to a remodel project inside thehouse taking wayyyy longer than I had expected but evrything finally got built, planted and staked-all was well. Then-we left for a vacation. Oops. We were driving across the country from Ohio to the Grand Canyon so I arranged for my sister to be a "plant sitter" while we were gone for 2 weeks. I have a hose timer, so I set that up to water the main 3 beds and I moved all my pots and my potato bags to that area. All she had to water was the tomato bed. When i returned last week, the plants had tripled in size and were starting to set fruit. One was a little droopy, but it looked like she had done well watering them. I pruned off a bunch of suckers, got them tied up a little better and kept watering them and watching. The one didn't really perk up at all and yesterday, we noticed that almost all the fruits had developed BER and several on the next plant had too. This was a new batch of MM and I am very confident of it's quality. I tossed dry milk and epsom salts in the hole when I transplanted. So I'm not sure what I should do. When I did a search on it, a lot says to add some more calcium or buy the BER liquid stuff from the store. But one said that it sometimes happens when a drought occurs during the first setting of fruit. So I'm thinking maybe they wern't being watered as well as I had hoped. I already picked all the ones with brown bottoms. Should I just keep watering well and see what happens or is trying the calcium liquids worth a shot?

B the W: Sorry I've been MIA all season so far! I've missed you guys!

More consistant watering should solve your BER issues since you did the calcium bit epsom salts bit. Do you know what is in the BER liquid?

Kay

Often my first fruits have a touch of Blossom End Rot and then the second fruits and any to follow usually are fine. There is hope!

That is good to hear Camp! I've never seen it before this year, but then, I've never gone on vacation for that long either.

Not sure what's in the BER liquid, I just found some old threads where people had recommended it. I've seen it in the stores before though in a spray bottle.

Welcome back GG! Missed you around here! I agree with CAMPRN & Kay - since you have already done the calcium & magnesium you should see it clear up with more consistent watering. The other usual culprit is root disturbance (ask me how I know ) and if you haven't had to replant them repeatedly from critters digging them up.....

GG

now that your home, I'd water more and more consistent. That should improve the next set of fruit that set. Best of Luck.