Why Do Tomatoes Split and How to Stop It?

Why Do Tomatoes Split and How to Stop It?

If you have grown fruits or vegetables before, I am willing to choose dividing tomatoes on your plants. Growing tomatoes is easy and rewarding, but there’s a problem many tomato varieties suffer from: division. Read on to learn why tomatoes split and how to prevent it.

Why Split Tomatoes

Your tomatoes may look great one day, but the next day they are completely broken and split. When the inside of the fruit grows faster than the outside, the tomato splits in half, causing the skin to tear. The inside of the seed tends to grow faster than the outside, which can become stunted due to inconsistent watering. For example, if your tomatoes are growing in dry conditions, heavy rain one day may cause them to rot the next day. If you water plants inconsistently, the same thing can happen no matter what the weather is like.

There are simple ways to prevent tomatoes from cracking.

Water regularly
The easiest way to prevent tomatoes from cracking is to water them regularly. Try to ensure that your plants are watered regularly, taking into account the rainy season. When it rains, you need to water the plants less. When it’s hot and dry, a good rule of thumb is to water plants every other day. By watering tomatoes regularly, you ensure that the outside of the fruit grows as quickly as the inside.

Pick tomatoes early
The longer you wait for tomatoes to ripen on the vine, the more likely they are to split. The best way to prevent splits is to pick them off the vine before they mature. After picking, place the tomatoes in a sunny window to let them shine.

Giving your plants a layer of mulch will help your garden beds retain moisture. Keeping the soil constantly moist will help with regular watering of the plants.

Choose a variety that is resistant to division
There are many varieties of tomatoes, some of which are resistant to both division and disease. Look for these varieties when planting your garden so you’ll be left with big, healthy tomatoes!

Can you eat split tomatoes?
The short answer is yes. If the tomatoes are already split and not visible, rotting, or have bugs in them, they are safe to eat (if you make them that day!). Be wary of tomatoes that are split, rotten, or have bugs crawling around; because dividing it allows these bad bacteria to enter the fruit.

We hope these simple but useful tips will help the tomatoes in your garden grow bigger and stronger without falling apart. Nice garden!