[Garden-of-Grace-Homestead]

I’m in south west TN and mine look the same. 🤷‍♀️

[theIAMofMEinTN]

It was the heat and drought, I think. I’m in SW TN, also. Most of mine looked like that in July. The ones that are coming now don’t look like that anymore. I’m glad I didn’t pull them ALL up. They look to be coming back to life. But, today, tomorrow and the next are going to be extremely hot again. So, we’ll see. Also, my tomatoes in pots did absolutely horrible this year. The ones all in the ground did much better but still not great because of the weather in July. I watered the ones in pots sometimes twice a day. The soil was still very dry. Crazy!

[Garden-of-Grace-Homestead]

I watered the fool out of my yard and garden. Much to my dismay when I saw my water bill!! $389!! It normally runs about $40/mth 🤦🏼‍♀️

[Squashmania]

😭😳I’m so sorry for your water bill! Can you divert downspouts into rain barrels on elevated stands?

[Berly]

From what I have found splitting in tomatoes is caused by uneven watering. A large dump of rain from a big storm after not much rain. Mostly happens in fruit that has already started turning red but it can happen with green ones (says the literature) but I have never seen that. You can help prevent that by making sure you water regularly during a lower rain period, making sure lots of organic matter is in your soil that helps to hold moisture for longer and cover with a mulch to keep the sun from baking the soil and drying it out.

[Sandra]

sometimes mine split because of the rain and I don’t catch it or I just let it keep growing and they look like that here after they keep growing, so am guessing rain

[Mud]

I use epsom salt to help the tomatoes turn red. It makes them swell with water but they never burst for me. I also use diatomaceous earth and molasses as mineral supplements.

[Cathy-WC]

We have a timed drip system so I don’t really think it’s uneven watering. Usually if we get a huge amount of rain I’ll see the splitting across the bottom of the tomato, but this is the first time I’ve seen this type of pattern on the top. Just really strange. Thanks for the replies.

[Squeeze]

zone 7a, my beefsteaks were the same, all got regular watering every morning. Didnt have that on the romas. I started taking the big green ones and ripen inside it dont happen, just vine ripened

[Preservinghomestead]

Uneven watering. Tomatoes prefer a bit of moisture every day or two during summer. If you have dry conditions for a week and a heavy rain, tomatoes will split.

[Cathy-WC]

We have a drip system and water every morning.

[Preservinghomestead]

The splitting is still caused by uneven moisture. Some tomatoes sre prone to this, especially heirlooms. Perhaps water twice a day will work better later in the season. Was it drier in sept. Than earlier in the season? There is also looks to be insect damage on the tops from a chewing insect or mechanical scarring.

[EmmaB]

Mine looked exactly the same. I noticed the ones under the leaves did not have the issue. I got a shade clothe to cover the plants and the newer ones did not have the same issue. I am thinking it is the increasing radiation intensity from the sun. I remember there was a discussion about the fruits etc. are getting burned by the sun on a YouTube video. I think it was Adapt2030.

[Ms.Y]

You are exactly right. I’m in MN and my tomatoes that grew in full sun looked like these. Even leaves got burned. Tomatoes that grew under a tree with mulched roots still blooming and producing full of green foliage. And I’m talking about zone 4.

[Mud]

I got dots on my tomatoes on the side they face the sun. At first I thought it was blight attacking the tomatoes directly first but usually blight hits the leaves the worst and they were fine. The tomatoes sat on my counter top for 2 weeks and the little yellow dots never grew in size. It wasnt blight or a disease.

I think these heat waves / heat bubbles are extra cosmic radiation hitting the earth. Expect to see unusual results for the next decade. We will probably end up with some really delicious mutants so try to grow anything new that seems like a worth while fruit.

[Squeeze]

Mine are still doing that well into fall, they get regular water every morning. similar plants in several locations are all reacting like this. These are all leftover plants from spring, and were watered twice daily through the heatwaves. It just seems like the big tomatoes suffer, plums and cherries seem fine. I was starting to think it was a PH issue or a fertiler burn problem as I have tried about everything to remedy it