There is nothing better than picking and eating a beautiful, red, sun ripened tomato. Unfortunately, environmental issues can rob the gardener of some of that joy by precipitating cracking, blossom end rot and other problems in their produce. This article describes some of these problems and the solutions for each.
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Blossom rot starts as a small spot near the blossom end of the fruit. As it gets bigger, the spot becomes darker, sunken and leathery. According to Judy Sedbrook, Colorado State University Extension Cooperative, this problem occurs when there is not enough calcium to support the needs of the developing plant. Imbalances in calcium can result from shifts in the soil moisture, excessive nitrogen levels caused by improper fertilization and damage to the roots.
The solution to this problem is even and consistent watering, proper fertilizing and mulching.
Suncald is yellow or white spots on the side of the tomato that is exposed to the sun. This can be prevented by shielding the fruit from too much sun (e.g. less pruning).
This is a malformation (puckering and crevices) at the stem end of the tomato that is caused by too cool weather when the plants are blooming.
Cracking, either star like radial cracks from the stem or concentric splitting, can be more than just an eye sore, it can be the entry way for pests and bacteria, thereby rendering your fruit inedible.
Cracking occurs as the tomato reaches maturity. It is a physiological disorder that results from uneven soil moisture. When the fruit attains the mature green stage and the water supply is decreased, the tomato will start to ripen. At this point the cellophane like outer wrapper becomes thicker and stiffer. If the water supply suddenly increases then the fruit may begin growing again. This will cause splitting. Some varieties of tomatoes are more able to expand without cracking than others.
In addition to the primary reason described above, tomatoes may crack because of significant fluctuations in temperature. For example, if the plant loses a significant amount of leaves and the fruit is exposed to the sun, it will heat up (expand) during the day and cool down at night. These shifts in temperature can cause cracking.
This problem can be prevented by providing regular, even watering especially as the plant is maturing and layering mulch around the plant to hold in water.
Tomatoes are the most enjoyable part of the summer. Vigilance on the part of the gardener can prevent many of the environmentally caused problems described above. Attention to proper watering, fertilization and mulching will help prevent cracking, catfacing and other problems.
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