Most of us have seen cracks in a tomato that reveal a portion of stretched inner meat. The phenomenon is often found in plump, mature tomatoes. If picked right way, cracked tomatoes can definitely still be edible, although the dried skin around the cracks is not tasty and has to be removed.
Unfortunately, exposed tomato flesh almost seems to be an invitation to creatures and insects to hop on board and taste test. The longer it stays on the vine, the more prone it is to attract fungus and bacteria. This is not a feature of tomato growth that a gardener usually enjoys.
Why Does This Happen?
One good way to understand why tomatoes split in varying degrees is to compare the cracks to stretch marks. When people gain weight or muscle mass quickly, the human body may form stretch marks in order to keep excess fat completely covered with skin.
Some tomatoes grow so quickly that the epidermis and cells simply do not have the ability to stretch over the new growth. Instead of forming stretch marks like a human, tomatoes simply split.
Basically, this happens because tomatoes get too much water during a period of time, and grow too quickly, also called “tomato water stress.”
Sometimes a gardener can stress tomatoes out with irregular watering techniques. Cracking often occurs when tomatoes go through a period of dryness followed by excessive ‘make up’ watering.
The dry spell followed by an excessively moist spell can cause the inner flesh of the fruit to grow much faster than the epidermis can stretch.
What Can You Do?
Preventive measures are always best. To keep your tomatoes from cracking, try to set up a consistent watering schedule. Don’t wait for the tomato soil to become completely dry before it gets watered.
The best solution is to set up a drip watering system that constantly and evenly waters your tomatoes during the day.
The Secret to Growing Incredible Tomatoes, and Doubling
Your Harvest…
If you enjoyed this tip, you’ll love “Organic Tomato Magic”, where I share with you the exact secrets my grandfather used to grow over 10,000 lbs of tomatoes per year, with just a couple acres of land, check it out at the link below:
Key take away… if you forget to water your plants one day(or are unable) do not try to “make up” for it by watering more after-wards, this is usually what contributes to the cracking, try to water evenly and the exact same amount (unless it’s really hot and evaporation is a potential problem)
I have read quite a bit about how to grow and why they crack etc, etc. However maybe someone can tell me if it is a bad idea(as I have often heard) to grow tomatoes that are watered by your air conditioner(??) My tomatoes for the past few years were grown by being watered by the condensation while starting off in a pot directly underneath my air conditioner. I have had some as large as a softball and very plentyful. They normally are of the beefsteak variety. This year, the leaves have been burning prior to ripening and I have had insect problems eventhough I have been dusting. They only seem to get into the tomatoes that are closest to ripening and larger. Any comments are welcomed.
I have found that a drip irrigation system on a timer is the perfect solution to even, exact watering of my tomatoes. I lay out the pipe and drippers and then cover the whole thing with mulch. I can be gone for a week at a time and know that my tomatoes are being watered properly and I also know I won’t be coming home to a bunch of weeds that need to be pulled in the tomato patch.
Hey Karl,
Yes! Drip systems are definitely way to go. Post some of your pictures up on our facebook page of your drip system if you can for folks to see.
But what about the irregularity of mother nature’s waterings?? We’ve been blessed with LOTS of water this year, and I have tried to not let them get dry at all in-between (I was aware of the cracking factor) and still have cracks. ?
There is a sun-dance you can do that the native americans used to do that might help reduce the rain…
Just kidding! Really – not much that can be done about that
I still haven’t found a way to control mother nature.
If you enjoyed this tip, you’ll love “Organic Tomato Magic”, check it out at this link: http://www.GrowingTomatoSecrets.com/organictomatomagicfb.html