How Can I Prevent My Tomato From Splitting?

Tomatoes split because of fluctuations in the amount of water they get. Are you watering your tomatoes regularly and deeply?

Did you plant your tomatoes in a well-drained soil?

Have you been mulching your tomatoes?

Have you asked for a split resistant varieties in the nursery?

Have you been harvesting tomatoes early in case of announced heavy rain?

You should water your tomato plants every two to three days during the summer. When you water, water at ground level because spraying the leaves can result in the spread of diseases (like blight and septoria) and water deeply. Regular, deep watering will reduce the effect of a sudden rainstorm because your plants won't be going from dry conditions to sudden wet conditions, which causes splitting.

By planting your tomatoes in raised gardens or placing crushed seashells at the bottom of containers or planting holes you can lessen the possibility that your tomatoes will be oversaturated by water. Oversaturation is what causes tomatoes to crack.

Provide your plants with a good two to three-inch layer of organic mulch such as straw, pine needles, or shredded bark. This will maintain more regular soil moisture levels, and you'll deal with less splitting.

If you had troubles with splitting tomatoes you should consider planting resistant varieties in your garden. In general, the thicker the skin, the less prone a tomato is to split. Most modern hybrids seem to resist splitting.

You have done all you can to prevent tomatoes from splitting.

If your tomatoes are almost ripe, and you're expecting a major rainstorm, it is the perfect time to pick your tomatoes before they're overwhelmed by extra moisture. Tomatoes will ripen on or off the vine, so go ahead and harvest those that look nearly ready for picking.