Do container plants need special care to prevent blossom end rot?

Container plants demand extra care to avoid blossom end rot. Since their soil dries out faster and holds fewer nutrients than garden beds, I learned the hard way with potted tomatoes suffering from rot while their ground-grown companions thrived nearby. Here's how to turn your container plants into triumphant plants.

Mix a custom soil for containers. Combine 60% potting soil, 20% perlite, and 20% compost by volume. This maintains drainage but retains moisture. Never use garden soil, which can compact in pots. I mix a huge batch each spring to use for all containers.

Container plants should be watered twice daily in hot weather. Stick your finger two inches into the soil, and if it feels dry, give it a drink until excess water runs out of the bottom. In hot, dry houses, place saucers under pots to catch drippings. My pots need to be watered twice a day in the July weather at present.

You can add a small amount of this natural mineral to your potting mix just before planting. Adding just a tablespoon to a gallon of soil will provide calcium without adversely affecting your pH level. Be sure to check your pH level monthly with test strips and adjust it accordingly. Generally speaking, pH will shift more in planters than in the ground. Use sulfur for high pH and downers." Use lime for low pH "uppers."

Drape roots in a low-frost cloth to prevent temperature swings, or slide pots into afternoon shade once the thermometer creeps to 85 degrees or higher. Wrap pots in bubble wrap in early spring. I prefer rolling plant caddies for easy moves. Healthy roots equal a healthy flow of cal.

Document your container care routine seasonally, recording the frequency of waterings, soil amendments & plant responses so that you can modify these practices as needed, depending on the weather. These techniques will help you grow rot-free tomatoes in small spaces.

Read the full article: Prevent Blossom End Rot: Ultimate Garden Guide