tomatoes are splitting

[mater samich]

I have beefmasters and jet star tomatoes and when they turn ripe they are splitting . is it due to the hot weather or some kinda soil problem ? iam in south west tn thanks in advance .

[lilturtle]

I have found that some tomatoes will split in the hot weather if they get water on them during the heat. don't know if that helps at all.

[rainbowgardener]

Splitting has to do with inconsistent watering If the tomatoes dry out, the skin hardens up. Then if you get a bunch of rain, the tomato swells up faster than the skin can stretch and it splits or cracks.

Some varieties are more prone to it than others and the bigger the tomato, the more likely it is to crack.

If you can keep your tomatoes evenly moist, but not wet all the time, it helps prevent this. Mulching well helps, because it helps the soil hold moisture.

[MaryDel]

Cracking around the top of a tomato is usually indicative of too little water, while cracks elsewhere (blowouts) are usually from too much water after the tomato starts turning.

[Gary350]

My grandfather use to say, if the tomatoes split or get a bad spot pick them because it will only get worse. I live in TN and I have Beef Steak, Beef Master, Big Beef, Jet Star, German Johnson all but the Big Beef are splitting. We were having lots of rain but no rain for 2 weeks then 2" of rain day before yesterday tomatoes have been splitting all summer. I have been canning them as fast as I can I have canned 40 pints and 9 quarts in mason jars so far. I probably need to do 9 more quarts today.

[gixxerific]

As some of you know I'm still battling this problem myself. I can't hardly get a tomato without the splitting, (which is called catfacing, mater samich).

I just want to know how much watering is "Consistent watering"? I water at least once a week heavily and usually a few times during the week lightly. They say plants need an inch a week. But if you water heavily and give them a inch than wait a week they will dry out and split when watered again. So would it be best to water heavily once a week if there is no rain. Than maybe lightly every day maybe every other day. I do use mulch and that is not stopping the cracks. I have a timer and thought about a 15 min watering every morning would this be too much. Maybe every other day.

I know the inch a week is a general amount needed for plant growth and the drying period works to help the roots grow deeper into the soil searching for water, but it goes against the fruit part of the plant which is becoming a problem for us. So what to do, go against the one inch method or water all the time? A dilemma for sure.

I hope any replies to my furthering the question will help you as well mater samich.

[rainbowgardener]

Sorry gixx, but tomatoes splitting or cracking and catfacing are not the same. Splitting is as the name suggests a simple split/ crack made when the tomato skin can't contain the internal pressure any more. Looks like the picture here:

https://gardening.about.com/od/vegetablepatch/f/TomatoCracks.htm

Catfacing is a much more serious deformity that changes the whole shape of the tomato, with holes and rotten spots. Looks like the [url=https://www.aragriculture.org/diseases/image_library/tomato_vegetables/tomato/cat_face.htm]picture here[/url]:


or here:

https://www.ppdl.purdue.edu/PPDL/images/catfacing-tomato.jpeg

Splitting is entirely about inconsistent watering. Catfacing may or may not have anything to do with that. It is a problem that likely is started at pollination and has a lot to do with variety... some varieties are much more prone to it and larger tomatoes are more prone to it.

[gixxerific]

Oops sorry. Now I get it a little better. Thanks RBG

I have both.