How to fix my cracking regular & grape tomatoes

I've read that it is most likely inconsistent watering. So am I watering too much/too little. Too much at 1 time, not enough at 1 time???

The cracks go down the tomatoes (both our regular and our grape tomatoes), they are not the circle cracks.

I water to soaking about once a week. We have a raised bed, and the soil below the raised bed is pretty hard. The bed is about 1 foot deep, maybe a little less.

Will fixing our watering fix our bitter cukes too? :) We have those growing up a trellis.

Thanks!

Reply to
Sam
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Sick your finger in the ground to determine dampness (soggy, damp, dry). Don't water if soggy. If you can squeeze water out of the soil, don't water. It may take you awhile to determine the appropriate amount of dampness. At the first sign of wilt, water. If your cukes are cracking, then may be the problem. Do not spray water on the plant. Fruit can pick up water easily from the stem.

Reply to
Billy

Generally, cracking is attributed to overwatering from what I understand. I await the input of other group members.

Try some mulch?

Reply to
Omelet

:In article :, : Sam wrote: : :> I've read that it is most likely inconsistent watering. So am I :> watering too much/too little. Too much at 1 time, not enough at 1 :> time??? :> :> The cracks go down the tomatoes (both our regular and our grape :> tomatoes), they are not the circle cracks. :> :> I water to soaking about once a week. We have a raised bed, and the :> soil below the raised bed is pretty hard. The bed is about 1 foot :> deep, maybe a little less. :> :> Will fixing our watering fix our bitter cukes too? :) We have those :> growing up a trellis. :> :> Thanks! : :Generally, cracking is attributed to overwatering from what I :understand. I await the input of other group members. : :Try some mulch?

Yes, mulch is a good idea, and I agree about watering when you see wilting. Next season I'd suggest digging deeper. Tomatoes are deep rooted plants.

Reply to
Anonymous

I've had tomatoes almost explode last year after a big rain late in the season. It had been very dry up until then, and I had kept the tomato plants happy with a soaker hose.

Butternut squashes did the same thing. It was the rush of excess moisture.

Last year was frustrating. No rain, then too much for a week, then no rain right into a dry autumn. This year, plenty of rain.

That's pretty much typical of the cracks you get when the plant gets a burst of water.

Maybe water 1/2 as much, twice a week. And add some mulch. You need to even out the soil moisture.

Bitter cukes could be due to them getting too little water (at times).

Reply to
Pat Kiewicz

To get even watering try this:

Take a gallon plastic milk jug and poke a small hole in the bottom with a nail. Bury it up to it's neck beside your tomato, and fill twice a week.

Reply to
JustTom

That is an awesome idea!

Reply to
Omelet

I can't take credit. It was a tip I read from the "Tomato Man" Darrill Merrell. Unfortunately, he died in April at 68. His daughter is carrying on

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In addition to even watering, it also eliminates water on the leaves, so you can do it any time of day. And it's also an easy way to get liquid nutrients directly at root level as well.

Reply to
JustTom

Eh, best if done when planting the tomato. I would worry about damaging the root structure, once the tomato is mature. Also not sure what it would do to the over all crop at this point. Use in conjunction with mulch.

Reply to
Billy

Mulch is a given. :-)

Reply to
Omelet

Thanks for passing it on...

Reply to
Omelet

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