Jan Davis
Full Member
Posts: 20
Joined: Mon Jun 25, 2007 8:48 am
Location: Western Colorado

Yellow spots on tomatoes

Both Beefsteak plants are producing tomatoes with small yellow dots on the skins. When the tomatoes are peeled, the yellow dot areas are hard little yellow knots in the flesh - easy enough to cut out but a time consuming extra step in prepping! The Better Boys, Romas, and Cherry tomatoes are all fine. The Beefsteaks are also splitting at the stem, sure makes for ugly tomatoes but doesn't affect the taste. Any ideas on what might be causing the yellow dots and splitting and how to prevent them next year?

User avatar
rainbowgardener
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 25279
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

The cracking is caused by uneven water supply. If the tomato dries out a little, the skin hardens up. Then if it gets a bunch of water, the tomato swells faster than the skin can expand.

But someone else will have to try re the yellow spots, I don't know the answer to that one.

Jan Davis
Full Member
Posts: 20
Joined: Mon Jun 25, 2007 8:48 am
Location: Western Colorado

Thanks for the response - I'd guessed it was a watering issue but since all of the tomatoes are within a few feet of each other and three of the varieties aren't splitting and cracking, thought maybe it was a Beefsteak thing. They're no better than the Better Boys, think I'll pass on them next year - more room for the salsa and sauce Romas!

User avatar
rainbowgardener
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 25279
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

Well some varieties are more likely to crack than others and the bigger the tomato the more likely it is to crack.



Return to “TOMATO FORUM”