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Splitting Tomatoes #880947

Asked August 10, 2024, 3:25 PM EDT

Hi, I have a couple of Roma and other tomato plants and before they fully ripen many of them are splitting. I’ve had conflicting suggestions as to what the problem is. Anything from the hot weather making irregular watering, to too much water, to slugs and snails. Also, no matter what we do in terms of watering the leaves on several of my plants always look like they’re dried out and droopy, but they aren’t. Can you help? Thank you

Montgomery County Maryland

Expert Response

Hi, 

The leaf curling is most likely due to the heat. Even with consistent watering this can still happen and is quite common. 

The cracking and splitting also looks like a symptom of heat and watering. Also have you fertilized with nitrogen recently? If so that can cause splitting of the fruit. You can try to pick them before they start to ripen on the vine and let them ripen in a sunny window instead to help prevent the splitting. Also if you have a location, maybe try moving them off the brick? It may be keeping them too hot in the black grow bag and the brick patio radiating heat off of the hard surface. You could try to check for watering needs twice a day but the morning would be better if it seems like they are getting too much water. You can refer to our page on common Tomato problems  page but overall we think that it is due to heat and water. 

It may not fully correct this season but maybe a bumper crop later on could be not as cracked especially when the temperatures level out some. 

Emily

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