Kathy, there's a search feature at the top of the page and when I enter BER containers I get a lot of links here that I'm sure will be useful to you and I've linked to that search link below.

Hope that helps,

Carolyn, just saying, and you know it, but what you put in that container is not the best that you can do. And when you get better stuff like artificial mix in your containers, remember that what amendments that you add get flushed out rapidly with water, so you have to add calcium on a regular basis.

Here is a link that might be useful: BER and containers

Preventing it in containers is a real problem even with an ideal container mix as the primary issue is keeping the soil moisture levels consistently moist vs. wet then dry then wet etc. And keeping the nutrients levels, especially calcium distribution as the fruit is developing consistent as well.

The smaller the container the harder it is to do, the larger the container the easier it is to do - one reason why using nothing less than 10 gallon containers per plant is often recommended and why even larger is better. Using an automated drip irrigation system for watering and feeding also helps. Even using self-watering containers can eliminate much of it. And of course, the container mix used plays a big role.

Then there is the type of plant chosen when you are forced into far less than ideal conditions - cherry varieties pose much less of a BER issue than the large or plum type do.

So you started out with at least two strikes against you, maybe 3 without knowing the size of your container.

A couple of things you can do to improve the odds is (1) switch to a liquid supplement like MaxiCrop Liquid Seaweed or Earthjuice (only 2 of many available) or you can stick with your MG diluted in water since you have it. Liquids work 10x better in containers than any granular or powder does. Use that supplement at least once week when watering the plant. You can also dilute it to 1/4-1/2 strength and use it 2-3x a week as needed.

Then (2) change your watering regimen. You say it must be watered daily? If that is true it would be very unusual and either your container is far too small or you are over-watering. Stick you hand deep into the soil down to the root level, do NOT go by the surface appearance. If it is at all cool of moist, don't water. (3) Mulch the container heavily to prevent evaporation. (4) split your watering into 3-4 doses rather than all at once. (5) set the container in some sort of tray or base if possible so it can absorb water from the bottom - make it as self-watering as possible.

Hope this helps.

Dave

Dave, thanks for your reply. My pot is 16 inches across on top, 13 inches to the soil level, and tapers to 10 inches on the bottom. I have it mulched with bark chunks. In our near 100 or 100 temps, I assumed everything needed watering daily. I also thought that if I let it dry out more, it would be considered inconsistent watering as it would be wet one day, drying out the next day (with no watering.)

I will try your suggestions. I tried using big trays under some of my tomatoes and Juliet filled up with water, didn't suck it up, and started dying from drowning. I siphoned it out but she is all brown on top. It seems I can't do the right thing with these guys! My roses are wonderful, my daylilies, too. My tomatoes are struggling and not a success!

I have 3 plants on the driveway about 2 weeks old. They are about 2 weeks into the 5-1-1 recommended by Al on the container forum. Mine are big because they were suckers from my garden but Al says that some BER is nearly unavoidable. I put a little lime in the mix like he recommends and when tomatoes first appear I water in a very little bit more to supply the calcium. Last fall I had two plants from suckers and no BER whatsoever.

IMO it also affects larger tomatoes more than smaller ones. My container Stupice and Rutgers are ok, but the Brandywines are a problem. I'm going to start slamming it with calcium and hope for the best.