Cracking / Splitting on Top of Tomatoes

[hcdpny]

I havefriendswho have problems with bottom rot, however, I have a reverse issue. I end up wth cracking / splitting on the t ofthe tomatoes. Any idea as to what might becausing this ?

[RickNC]

It has something to do with water. The soil dries out and the skin of the fruit hardens. Then the plants gets water and the skin swells and cracks or something like that.

I have the same problem. No matter what I do my beefsteaks do it. My grape tomatoes do it on only a few.

[rainbowgardener]

Rick had it right. It is due to inconsistent water levels. If the tomato dries out the skin hardens and then if it gets a whole bunch of water, say a big rain storm, the tomato swells up faster than the skin can stretch and it cracks. So you never want your tomatoes to dry out. But the bigger the tomato, the more prone it is to cracking; Rick was also right about beefsteak tomatoes do it more.