tomato plants help

Hi! I need help with my tomato plants. We have never been quite successful with our tomato plants and this year in no exception. This year we tried to grow them in containers on the porch so we could watch them more closely but that has not helped either. A lot of the flowers are falling off and there are rot spots forming on some. And then there are some that look beautiful! (LOL) Any suggestions? We water constantly as the soil dries out quickly in the containers. Any help would be appreciated.

Tomatoes are easy to get root rot. I started several plants inside this past winter. They were blooming and looking nice, then all of a sudden they started going down hill. We took a chance and planted them outside and they're flourishing. Have you tried some kind of plant food? They have some specifically for tomatoes. That might help if you decide to keep raising them in containers. Are the pots big enough? Proper drainage?

This may be bloosom end rot. It can show up on the plant or the tomato its self. I put compost tea on mine and some of them get sugar under them when planted to give them a boost. My problem is the slow tack off of the store bought ones. I plant some in compost and buy a fes to get an early start. The ones I planted do so much better.

We used some Miracle Gro granuales and mixed some Miracle Gro soil in with our soil. We also brought a spotted tomato to the feed store and they said it was a fungus and gave us something to spray on it. We sprayed twice but it did not help much. The flowers are still falling. My husband transplanted 5 into the garden to see if that would help. I am assuming drainage and watering is good. I am not too sure how to gauge that. We will keep trying so we can learn.

Might take a look at this link:

http://www.hbci.com/~wenonah/min-def/tomatoes.htm

Maybe it will help someone.

That is a good resource site. Thanks

The website says to calcium in needed for blossom end rot. Any suggestions on adding calcium?

Bone meal?

Could you explain what bone meal is and where to get it? I have never heard of it. Thanks.

Bonemeal is dehydrated, pulverized bones. The resultant powder contains calcium, phosphorous, nitrogen, magnesium, potassium, sulfur and other microminerals including copper, iodine, iron, manganese and zinc.
Obviously, it's good stuff. We make our own from the bones that sift out of our compost piles. Had I read this post before sending your seeds I might could have sent you a quart or so....

Egg shells are another good source of calcium.
Tomatoes like a light application of magnesium sulfate (epsom salt).
They don't like excess nitrogen, but your list of symptoms doesn't indicate nitrogen overdose. Tomatoes do prefer rich soil, well-drained. They are one of the few plants that can be grown in pure compost.