how much of the meds (fertilizer) did you add at first? and dont water until it needs it!

having rocks in the bottom is useless,all it does is take up 3 inches of space where you could have soil,
egg shell tea is useless also
If you are in the heat wave ,you may need more water,cut out the fert
what are you using for you Soil mix?

dickie is right, there is no point in putting gravel in the bottom of any container. All it does is decrease the space you have for your tomato's roots and raises the level of the perched water table. If at all possible, I suggest you remove your Cherokee Purple from the pot and dispose of the gravel replacing it with 3" of a good quality growing medium. (I know, a big project, but your CP will thank you with better/more tomatoes.)

BER (Blossom End Rot) is most often the result of inconsistent watering. Adding eggs shells or egg shell tea will have no effect on it. Foliar sprays will not help unless you actually have a soil that has no calcium in it. That is very rare in natural soil and I'd say non-existent in good growing mediums. BER is indicative of a calcium transport problem, not a lack of calcium.

Container plants will need watering more often than tomatoes in the ground, probably daily or more often in times of high temperatures. Dig down with your finger about 3-4", is the growing medium wet, dry, or just right? If it is wet, don't water, if dry then water. If it is just right, check again the next day. If the medium is very dry, normal watering may have no effect on it, the water will just run off the top and down the sides of the container then out the drainage hole(s). In that case a slower delivery method is needed to allow the growing medium to absorb the water. That is the principle behind those glass watering globes you see advertised. You can slow the delivery down by taking a large plastic container (a gallon milk jug, or even a 2-liter bottle, you'd just have to repeat more with a smaller container) and make a very small hole in the bottom so that it just drips and place it in your planter and fill it up. Repeat as needed until the growing medium is thoroughly moistened throughout the container.

Mulching the top of your container with compost, straw, hay, rotted leaves, grass clippings, even shredded paper or sheets of paper or cardboard helps maintain a consistent moisture level. You don't say what color the container is, but if it is dark colored, you may want to figure out a way to shade or insulate it.

I hope that helps.

Betsy

Here is a link that might be useful: Myth busted: Don't put gravel in pot

Horeb- It DOES get easier, especially if you keep reading these forums! I have learned so much here. When I grow toms in small containers, and 5 gallons is small, in the heat of summer, I find the plants always appreciate some afternoon shade. Linda