Tomatoes are susceptible to skin cracking, especially this time of year. Cracking is a result of rapid fruit development usually combined with fluctuations in water availability. If a tomato starts to ripen during dry weather and is then subjected to lots of moisture (heavy rain or excessive irrigation) and high temperatures, the fruit will swell quickly bursting the skin. Tomatoes may split radially (as in the photo above) or in concentric circles around the the shoulders. Either way, the cause of the cracking remains the same.
There are several steps you can take to reduce the likelihood of cracking in your garden:
- Provide regular, consistent irrigation (approximately one inch of water per week, may need to increase amount or frequency in sandy soil). Monitor rainfall with a rain gauge and don’t irrigate if it isn’t necessary. Containerized plants may need more frequent watering depending on the size of the container.
- Mulch the soil to conserve soil moisture.
- Fertilize according to your soil sample report – plants that are subject to high nitrogen and low potassium levels are more susceptible to cracking.
Some varieties of tomatoes are more susceptible to cracking than others when grown under the same conditions. Supersonic and Jetstar are two varieties that show relatively low incidence of cracking in studies. In my garden, Cherokee Purple cracks consistently (on right above) while Carolina Gold (on left above) cracks very little. As for my cherry tomatoes, Supersweet 100 (below) is intermediate, while Jolly Elf (not shown) cracks very little.
Certain varieties, particularly some heirloom varieties, will crack early in their development. The cracks may become very deep but often callus over and do not rot if the weather isn't too wet. This is Brandywine Red below.
Cracked tomatoes are not pretty but can be harvested and used right away. They will not keep because decay can set in quickly. If you have tomatoes on the vine and are anticipating a heavy rain, consider harvesting them before the rain event and letting them ripen at room temperature until you are ready to use them.
Lisa, I planted the Carolina Gold also and was very happy with them, they did not crack, I did find they did not last as long in storage; however, since they are a Determinate you can pick them and can as tomato sauce or stewed tomato's. I plan next year to plant more of these to use specifically for making homemade tomato sauce. On the small tomato's, I planted a mixture this year of Yellow Pear and Juliet Hybrid, which I put in containers on the deck. What I found was the Yellow Pear were too big to go in containers. The Juliet Hybrid worked out great in the container on the deck and the fruit has NOT cracked. I recommend the Juliet Hybrid for anyone who has limited space or no yard and has to plant in containers. Marty
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