Tomatoes

[Mags22]

Why have some of my tomatoes split or started to? I have watered religiously so they've never dried out, and fed as well. Thankyou for any ideas and how to avoid it next year.

[alavahalf]

Tomatoes are less prone to splitting if they have a regular water supply .. little and often... not just once a day as most do. An irrigation system with a timer possibly being the best option if you aren't available for frequent watering. They split when they have too little water.
The other thing which we have little control over is the recent swings in temperature, this doesn't help either. Growing in a poly tunnel or green house is preferable.
If they have only just split you can still eat them as long as they are not full of fungus.
Someone I know who is a commercial grower tasted my tomatoes a couple of weeks ago and said they tasted far better than his, but he could tell they were watered just once a day just by the taste and moisture content. He strongly advises a cheap irrigation system with a timer.
He says he produces more than 100 tonnes a week and supplies every supermarket in the UK .. cant really argue with him.

[Old_Geezer]

Mine mostly split too. Decided I'd not know what's got in them after splitting. Slung then on the other trough, perhaps they'll come up next year. Between splits and slugs, not been a good return.

Had an auto watering system a few years back. Not cheap. Turned it off over winter but had failed to note the advice to remove it altogether. Next Spring, when I tried it again, water spurted out everywhere. Didn't feel enthusiastic about forking out a second time.

[Chipchopper]

You are not alone, many of mine split too.
They were doing fine until we had a couple of days, heavy rain after a long dry spell.
I think Alavhalf has hit the nail on the head, sudden changes in the weather are often beyond our control.

[Togo]

Getting mine to ripen has been no fun. The ones that have are delicious. I am waiting with baited breath for a dozen huge beef tomatoes to ripen up to have a burger or a nice tomato, orange and balsamic dressing side dish. As big as tennis balls the are. Had no trouble with splitting or bottom end rot but the courgettes have been a disappointment due to the weather.

[Tilly2]

We've all had little disappointments this year. Not a good year for the roses!

[diddlydo]

Some splitting is almost inevitable whether greenhouse or outdoors - it is all due to irregular amounts of water. Some of my greenhouse ones are split but most aren't. Anyway a split tomato never hurt anyone and they're perfectly usable. Courgettes have gone absolutely crazy this year so I'm feeding the neighbourhood as 2 of us can't manage 35 courgettes per week!

[alavahalf]

Same problem.. cant keep up with courgettes, I'm just picking them and slicing them before I put them on the compost. Exactly the same problem with cucumbers.

[diddlydo]

Alavahalf - why not freeze them and use for soup in depths of winter or give away to neighbours?

[Euniceadi]

I have grown tomatoes in my 6' x 8' greenhouse since I bought it three years ago. It has a concrete floor, as a summerhouse previously occupied the location. I plant my tomatoes in growbags standing in large rigid plastic trays, available from B & Q or similar, a few inches longer and wider than the growbags. To maintain a steady supply of water, I used a knife to cut small slits along the sides of the growbags at about ground level and I keep water in the tray. When I feed my tomatoes, I pour the water and fertiliser in through the top of the growbags. This system works for me, as only a handful of tomatoes have split each year and, as has already been said, they can be eaten, as long as they are not mouldy.