Why do Tomatoes Split and How to Prevent It

Perfect tomatoes are always applauded, but they are not always the reality; sometimes, splitting is inevitable. If you’ve ever been to a local farm, you’ll spy certain tomatoes whose surfaces have been marred with unsightly lines. Some, like heirlooms, are more prone to cracking. For the most part, these tomatoes are still safe to eat, as long as there are no sour smells or a mushy texture. 

Here are a few ways to help you minimize splitting in the vegetable garden. 

 

Why do Tomatoes Split? 

Tomatoes usually split due to fluctuations in watering, not pests or disease. Sometimes, the splitting is unavoidable, especially when they go from a dry spell to a sudden, heavy rainfall. Avoid fertilizers high in nitrogen, which promotes foliar growth over fruiting and can cause cracking. 

In heirlooms, tomatoes tend to split along concentric lines – the cracking is more superficial. Another type of spitting is known as radial cracking, or vertical splits. These types of splits erupt during hot, humid weather, exacerbated by inconsistent watering, and are considered more serious. 

If the splitting is cosmetic, the tomatoes can be left on the vine as long as you keep a close eye on them. Once they’re ready to harvest, cut away the split portion before eating. If the crack is more severe and exposes the flesh, inviting pests and disease, then it is not safe to eat. Green tomatoes that have split are more prone to rot. 

Grow Tomatoes Indoors

Believe it or not, you can actually grow small or cherry varieties of tomatoes indoors using a self-watering planter with a trellis. Look for dwarf varieties such as the Kitchen Minis™ Cocoa tomato, which don’t require extensive space to grow.  

How to Prevent Tomatoes from Splitting

While tomato splitting is a part of a gardener’s life, there are measures you can take to prevent this from happening. Unless you have the power of a god, it’s unlikely that you can circumvent external factors such as a torrential downpour, but you can minimize the shock and prevent tomatoes from spoiling. 

• Consistent Watering: Tomatoes need regular, deep watering, about an inch per week on average. If the soil feels dry, it needs to be watered. An irrigation kit, designed to be used in conjunction with raised garden beds, ensures even watering throughout, keeping the soil moist even during times of drought.  For even greater convenience, you automate your watering with a Vego digital water timer. 

• Mulch: Another way to keep the soil moisture consistent is to add a layer of organic mulch. Although mulch is often nominally applied by gardeners, it helps prevent tomato splitting by conserving soil moisture and reducing temperature fluctuations. 

• Choose Resistant Varieties: Check the seed packet for labels indicating whether it’s split resistant – these varieties are less prone to cracking.  

• Harvest on Time: If there’s an impending rainstorm on your weather forecast, it may be prudent to start picking tomatoes that have started blushing. Let them continue ripening doors; they won’t be the same as coveted vine-ripened tomatoes, but it’s a tradeoff some gardeners are willing to make. 

• Provide Good Drainage: Growing your tomatoes in raised garden beds gives them a better chance of weathering a deluge, as the improved drainage provided by raised garden beds allows the excess water to drain away. Because chemical pollutants can easily seep into the surrounding area, it’s recommended that you use organic insecticides to combat pests. 

• Use the Correct Fertilizer: When too much nitrogen is applied, tomatoes become victims to excessive leaf growth and reduced fruit production. Tomatoes benefit from a balanced, slow-release fertilizer, which is why many gardeners use specifically formulated tomato fertilizers so they don’t have to worry about ratios. 

Split Resistant Tomato Varieties

Not tomatoes are created equal – some, like Cherokee Purple, are more susceptible to splitting, though they retain other desirable qualities that make them worth growing, such as their smoky flavor and dark-tinted flesh. On the other hand, some gardeners choose to buy split-resistant varieties to decrease their chances of tomato splitting. 

• 'Sun Gold' is a golden-fleshed tomato with a crisp, tart flavor. A prolific producer, it’s perfect for snacking. 

• 'Mountain Magic' is a hybrid tomato with perfect rosy-red flesh. Along with the superior quality of heirlooms, it has been bred to withstand the triple threats of the tomato world: late blight, early blight and fruit cracking.   

• The Celebrity Plus Tomato is an improved version of the Celebrity tomato. While its flavor is average in taste, it’s excellent for slicing and still outshines those from the grocery store. 

• 'Mortgage Lifter' is a heavyweight tomato named for its creator, an auto mechanic who was able to pay off his $6,000 mortgage in just six years by selling the tomato plants. It has a sweet, almost citrusy flavor and even larger fruit to match.  

• 'Sweet Million' is a high-yielding, indeterminate variety that produces trusses of globular, picture-perfect fruit. The ample fruit it produces is sugary sweet, sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.