Picking at night?

[Brant]

Hey guys,

So my tomato plants have been producing a ridiculous amount of tomatoes for the past month and a half. They are the Early Girl variety so they are small but I probably pick about 60 to 100 a week from my six plants. Recently, some of the fruit have been splitting, either on the vine or a minute or two after I pick them. Mostly after I pick them.

It is getting really hot here (yesterday was 110), so I am guessing maybe that has something to do with it. They have not split up until a week or two ago and I know it is not from uneven watering because I use drip irrigation on a timer.

So here is my question: should I wait till night to pick my tomatoes when it is cooler? Will that help keep them from splitting right away? How helpful might a shade cloth be? They are usually in partial shade anyway.

Thank you in advance!!

[gixxerific]

No expert here but a shade cloth may help.

Picking in the morning is usually the best. They have overnight to rest up and build up the sugar. Though I believe beans and peas are better picked early evening cause they are the opposite. Check me on this.

Good luck I had 80% or more of mine crack last year.

[TZ -OH6]

Pick them earlier in the ripeness stage (half color) before they get soft enough to split, then and let them fully ripen off the plant.

[Bobberman]

it seems that the cherry super sweet tomatoes crack when the sweetness is at its peak! The crack develops a skin over it.when they crack on the vine. you can still eat them after they crack but it is a sign to me that they are at their peak of ripeness! cutting them of may help with the cracking instead of pulling them and watch so they are not too rip when they are picked will also help! my early girls never crack but the high temp probablyripens them very quickand may creat a presure inside the tomato that makes them crack! put them in a cool place may help! about 50 or 60 degrees or a air conditioned room!