Cracked tomatoes?

Debbie
by Debbie

Why do you think my tomatoes get circles around them and crack open on the vines and get bugs?

  6 answers
  • Sandramcgill7 Sandramcgill7 on Sep 18, 2018

    Horn worms just learned about them

  • 4002639 4002639 on Sep 18, 2018

    Mine did this this year and according to my local 4H certified gardener it is because of lack of consistent watering.

    When water is plentiful the fruits grow steady and the skin stays soft. When it isn't the fruits slow down and wait for it and the skin toughens to protect it. If all of a sudden it gets a lot of water it will soften and grow again. From the looks of your picture you had this problem a few times.

    The key is consistent watering. In rainy weather that is difficult. I lost a lot of fruit this year for this problem.


  • 2818713 2818713 on Sep 18, 2018

    This doesn't look like horn worms, or at least what they did to one of my poor plants. OMG, those things look like little monsters! She devoured my leaves and ate entire portions of tomatoes. Hate those things!!

  • Sandra M. Willis Sandra M. Willis on Sep 18, 2018

    Lori is right. When the plant is dry, the growing of the tomato slows. When you water several days, or it rains for several days, the tomato fills with water and gets bigger causing the skin to split.

  • Alex Watson Alex Watson on Sep 18, 2018

    I have always heard that you should water tomato plants in the beginning, but once tomatoes start to grow, that you should dry grow them. The plant will look wilted but the sugar in the tomato will concentrate, giving you more sweetness and flavor.

  • Redcatcec Redcatcec on Sep 18, 2018

    Uneven watering is the cause, mine did the same thing, had wicked heat from the sun, very little rain, we tried to compensate, but it was not enough.