Tomato cracks (sometimes called “growth cracks”) are a problem associated with growing conditions. Dry weather that gives way to excessive watering or a rainy period can lead to cracking. Cracks usually affect the stem end of the tomato (the entry point of water into the fruit).
Sudden changes in soil moisture can cause concentric cracks to form around the top of tomato fruits. Growing tomatoes in the coastal South is always a gamble. Throughout the summer you play the odds against insects, diseases, heat, or drought ruining your crop.
Minor cracks can also occur during hot and dry spells. The tomatoes’ skin dries out just like ours, chapping and cracking away. You’ll notice that your tomatoes can split in different ways – vertically or concentrically. Vertical splits cut across your tomato from the top of the fruit to the bottom.
Why are my Tomatoes cracking on the outside?
Naturally, a heavy downpour can see your tomato crop drenched in one afternoon. The excessive water causes the skin on the tomatoes to crack. Think of the outer skin on the tomato similar to water balloon. It can only take so much pressure before it eventually ruptures.
Why do tomatoes split at the top?
When a tomato’s outer skin splits or cracks at the top it makes it easier for insects, bacteria, and fungus to enter the fruit causing it to rot or be eaten by pests. A ripe tomato is more likely to split compared to a green one .
Why are my Tomatoes splitting?
Sometimes, if you have a lot of rain after a spell of really dry weather, you’ll find splitting tomatoes on your tomato plants. A split tomato problem is really caused by a lack of water . If you take away water, the tomatoes cannot stay lush and juicy, and the skin will crack just as your skin cracks if you do not have enough moisture.
One of the next things we wondered was; why do tomatoes split open?
One article argued that tomatoes splitting open is caused when the inside of the tomato grows to fast for the skin . This is normally from when tomatoes have received more water than normal. It is very important to give tomato plants even watering throughout the growing season and it becomes even more important once they start to form fruit.
What are the cracks on a tomato called?
Concentric cracks: circles that span a section or the entire circumference of the tomato around the stem end of the fruit. Radial cracks: straight lines that extend outward and downward from the stem node.
One way to think about this is cracks usually affect the stem end of the tomato (the entry point of water into the fruit). There are two types of cracks: When do tomato affect fruit? Can I eat cracked tomatoes? Pick a cracked tomato as soon as possible to avoid infection . When preparing a cracked tomato, simply cut out affected parts.
In short, most cracked tomatoes are safe to eat. But take into account the size and depth of the crack. If the tomato split runs deep into the fruit, there’s a chance insects, bacteria, or fungi have entered the tomato.
How do you keep Tomatoes from splitting when it rains?
You can’t always prevent tomato splitting; a rainstorm that dumps several inches of rain on your garden in a few hours will result in split tomatoes no matter what you do. But you can make it less likely that your tomatoes will split by doing the following: Water Regularly and Deeply .