Despite a very mild summer, temps barely in the low 90s at worst, my
celebrities have come in and are sun split. They have latitudinal splits
starting at the stem end. They taste great, are rather large compared to
last year and overall a good crop. But what accounts for the splitting of
the skin? I just harvested 20 tomatoes and all but 2 were split to some
degree. Of course organic tomatoes are cosmetically imperfect but I'd like
to address this next year if possible.

On 8/13/2010 7:02 PM, Paul M. Cook wrote:
Despite a very mild summer, temps barely in the low 90s at worst, my
celebrities have come in and are sun split. They have latitudinal splits
starting at the stem end. They taste great, are rather large compared to
last year and overall a good crop. But what accounts for the splitting of
the skin? I just harvested 20 tomatoes and all but 2 were split to some
degree. Of course organic tomatoes are cosmetically imperfect but I'd like
to address this next year if possible.


First thought was too much water but googling indicates it is caused by
erratic watering:

http://www.thegardenhelper.com/splittomatoes.htm

"Frank" wrote in message
...
On 8/13/2010 7:02 PM, Paul M. Cook wrote:
Despite a very mild summer, temps barely in the low 90s at worst, my
celebrities have come in and are sun split. They have latitudinal splits
starting at the stem end. They taste great, are rather large compared to
last year and overall a good crop. But what accounts for the splitting
of
the skin? I just harvested 20 tomatoes and all but 2 were split to some
degree. Of course organic tomatoes are cosmetically imperfect but I'd
like
to address this next year if possible.


First thought was too much water but googling indicates it is caused by
erratic watering:

http://www.thegardenhelper.com/splittomatoes.htm


I think I'll try growing something easy next time, like orchids. Honestly,
I put all my pots on automatic watering 2 months ago. They get the exact
same 5 minute twice a day from these 360 degree emitters.

Frank wrote:
On 8/13/2010 7:02 PM, Paul M. Cook wrote:
Despite a very mild summer, temps barely in the low 90s at worst, my
celebrities have come in and are sun split. They have latitudinal
splits starting at the stem end. They taste great, are rather large
compared to last year and overall a good crop. But what accounts
for the splitting of the skin? I just harvested 20 tomatoes and all
but 2 were split to some degree. Of course organic tomatoes are
cosmetically imperfect but I'd like to address this next year if
possible.


First thought was too much water but googling indicates it is caused
by erratic watering:

http://www.thegardenhelper.com/splittomatoes.htm

That's it.

D

"Paul M. Cook" wrote in message
"Frank" wrote in message
...
On 8/13/2010 7:02 PM, Paul M. Cook wrote:
Despite a very mild summer, temps barely in the low 90s at worst, my
celebrities have come in and are sun split. They have latitudinal
splits
starting at the stem end. They taste great, are rather large compared
to
last year and overall a good crop. But what accounts for the splitting
of
the skin? I just harvested 20 tomatoes and all but 2 were split to some
degree. Of course organic tomatoes are cosmetically imperfect but I'd
like
to address this next year if possible.


First thought was too much water but googling indicates it is caused by
erratic watering:

http://www.thegardenhelper.com/splittomatoes.htm


I think I'll try growing something easy next time, like orchids.
Honestly, I put all my pots on automatic watering 2 months ago. They get
the exact same 5 minute twice a day from these 360 degree emitters.

I tried to warn you about inconsistent watering in June when you complained
about BER and you didn't believe me then. Rather than take up orchids, give
up on pots and put the toms in the ground. Even if you have to do a lot or
work to prepare the soil, it'll make you life easier in the end.

"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote in message
u...
"Paul M. Cook" wrote in message
"Frank" wrote in message
...
On 8/13/2010 7:02 PM, Paul M. Cook wrote:
Despite a very mild summer, temps barely in the low 90s at worst, my
celebrities have come in and are sun split. They have latitudinal
splits
starting at the stem end. They taste great, are rather large compared
to
last year and overall a good crop. But what accounts for the splitting
of
the skin? I just harvested 20 tomatoes and all but 2 were split to
some
degree. Of course organic tomatoes are cosmetically imperfect but I'd
like
to address this next year if possible.


First thought was too much water but googling indicates it is caused by
erratic watering:

http://www.thegardenhelper.com/splittomatoes.htm


I think I'll try growing something easy next time, like orchids.
Honestly, I put all my pots on automatic watering 2 months ago. They get
the exact same 5 minute twice a day from these 360 degree emitters.

I tried to warn you about inconsistent watering in June when you
complained about BER and you didn't believe me then. Rather than take up
orchids, give up on pots and put the toms in the ground. Even if you have
to do a lot or work to prepare the soil, it'll make you life easier in the
end.

And as I've repeated

1) can't plant in the ground - not enough of it - my backyard is 95% patio
2) pots work great for everything else - you should see the cukes and zukes
I got - hugely successful
3) I put all pots on automatic watering way back then and the moisture
meters read perfect ever since
4) I can't do better than perfect
4) you got a problem with orchids?

I don't know how much more consistent my watering could possibly have been.
But if some split tomatoes are the price to pay I guess I'll stick to pots.
They do taste just fine. My yellow pears could not have done any better
with the setup I have. I may just stick to smaller tomatoes since they
seem less fussy to grow.

"Paul M. Cook" wrote in message
...
Despite a very mild summer, temps barely in the low 90s at worst, my
celebrities have come in and are sun split. They have latitudinal splits
starting at the stem end. They taste great, are rather large compared to
last year and overall a good crop. But what accounts for the splitting of
the skin? I just harvested 20 tomatoes and all but 2 were split to some
degree. Of course organic tomatoes are cosmetically imperfect but I'd
like to address this next year if possible.



I've never heard it said that the temperature of the roots vs the top of the
plant could make a difference with regard to splitting tomatoes, but it
might be worth trying to shade the pots, even if it means draping them with
something as ugly as burlap.

In article ,
"Paul M. Cook" wrote:

"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote in message
u...
"Paul M. Cook" wrote in message
"Frank" wrote in message
...
On 8/13/2010 7:02 PM, Paul M. Cook wrote:
Despite a very mild summer, temps barely in the low 90s at worst, my
celebrities have come in and are sun split. They have latitudinal
splits
starting at the stem end. They taste great, are rather large compared
to
last year and overall a good crop. But what accounts for the splitting
of
the skin? I just harvested 20 tomatoes and all but 2 were split to
some
degree. Of course organic tomatoes are cosmetically imperfect but I'd
like
to address this next year if possible.


First thought was too much water but googling indicates it is caused by
erratic watering:

http://www.thegardenhelper.com/splittomatoes.htm


I think I'll try growing something easy next time, like orchids.
Honestly, I put all my pots on automatic watering 2 months ago. They get
the exact same 5 minute twice a day from these 360 degree emitters.

I tried to warn you about inconsistent watering in June when you
complained about BER and you didn't believe me then. Rather than take up
orchids, give up on pots and put the toms in the ground. Even if you have
to do a lot or work to prepare the soil, it'll make you life easier in the
end.

And as I've repeated

1) can't plant in the ground - not enough of it - my backyard is 95% patio
2) pots work great for everything else - you should see the cukes and zukes
I got - hugely successful
3) I put all pots on automatic watering way back then and the moisture
meters read perfect ever since
4) I can't do better than perfect
4) you got a problem with orchids?

I don't know how much more consistent my watering could possibly have been.
But if some split tomatoes are the price to pay I guess I'll stick to pots.
They do taste just fine. My yellow pears could not have done any better
with the setup I have. I may just stick to smaller tomatoes since they
seem less fussy to grow.

Raised beds and/or straw bales
http://www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com/straw-bale-gardening.html
Instead of ammonium nitrate you could use 1 lb chicken manure/bale for
conditioning, and if you're following the directions closely, use an
organic 10-10-10 like E.B.Stone.

Both methods should solve your watering problems, because of larger
mass, and the straw bales will work as a reservoir (organics hold
moisture).
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
http://www.democracynow.org/2010/7/2/maude
http://english.aljazeera.net/video/m...515308172.html

hey dude make sure you water them enough

Paul M. Cook wrote:
FarmI wrote:
....
I tried to warn you about inconsistent watering in June when you
complained about BER and you didn't believe me then. Rather than
take up orchids, give up on pots and put the toms in the ground. Even
if you have to do a lot or work to prepare the soil, it'll make
you life easier in the end.

And as I've repeated

1) can't plant in the ground - not enough of it - my backyard is 95%
patio 2) pots work great for everything else - you should see the
cukes and zukes I got - hugely successful
3) I put all pots on automatic watering way back then and the moisture
meters read perfect ever since
4) I can't do better than perfect

the meters might be in the wrong places or
could not be calibrated correctly. did you
dig down and check the containers and see
if there were some spots that weren't getting
the right amount of moisture. sometimes things
compact or cavitate or layer or crust in such a
way that water is not being consistently located
in the medium...

and really, the meter is going by soil moisture
content, but that does not address the fact that
on different days the plants may need more or
less moisture due to humidity and temperature
and that will not have much to do with soil
water content directly, but indirectly and as you've
found automatic one factor systems are not
going to address complete system variances...


I don't know how much more consistent my watering could possibly have
been.

it's not just watering, but temperature, humidity and
soil structure.


But if some split tomatoes are the price to pay I guess I'll
stick to pots. They do taste just fine. My yellow pears could not
have done any better with the setup I have. I may just stick to
smaller tomatoes since they seem less fussy to grow.

cherry tomatoes... we have so many and they were a
few weeks earlier. just too hard to make a sandwich from
them and they are a bugger to can.


songbird

as a suggestion for this fall --
after things are done... take
those pots and turn the soil
out on a sheet or tarp in one
chunk and then see what it
looks like as you peel it
apart. if you upend it and
it doesn't fall apart then you
can see it might channel water
or have spots that didn't get
enough down far enough
or whatever...

look at the plant roots and
see where they went and if they
spread uniformly or if they rotted,
etc.

much to learn from observation...
report back, we'll be happy to
tell you what you didn't do right.
haha.

peace,


songbird