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Misbehaving tomatoes

pennypatpennypat Posts: 39
in Problem solving
I would be very grateful if anyone can tell me why my beautiful ripe tomatoes are splitting whilst still on the vine.....I have an irrigation system in place so it isn't intermittent watering as in past years. They are still useable and very tasty, it's just annoying as they won't keep long in the refrigerator if split.
Help please.

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Are they outside or in a greenhouse?

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • pennypatpennypat Posts: 39
    They are they are in a greenhouse 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Then I think  as soon as they turn a paler shade of green I would pick them and ripen them indoors. I think that the high temperatures we’ve had have set the skin but because they’re still on the vine they’re still growing so the skins split. Cut the trusses and bring them indoors and the should ripen without splitting. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    Ditto @Dovefromabove was about to say the same thing.😀 Only I'm just leaving mine if they split it's sauce.😀
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    It's been a common problem this year, Pennypat. I think Dove's suggestion is probably the best solution - if you have any green ones left anyway!
    Hopefully you can save some  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Green MagpieGreen Magpie Posts: 806
    It's even worse with outdoor tomatoes as the watering is more likely to be irregular. They seem to carry on splitting even after I've picked them (unsplit), although keeping them in the fridge helps prevent.this.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited September 2018
    Mine are outside ... we’ve had the best crop ever and they keep coming but as the nights are cooler now they’re coming inside to finish ripening any day now. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • pennypatpennypat Posts: 39
    They have been the best tomatoes we have had for a long time, and split or not they have been eaten, sauced or turned into Pasatta....really flavoursome. Thanks for all the helpful comments, if, and I do say if, we get another summer like this I will resort to cool glass paint for the greenhouse.
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