A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Food Garden Forum The Tomato Forum Tomato craters

Hi, I am a new member and home gardener. I have a problem with my tomatoes. They are growing like gangbusters, the problem is as they ripen they get these craters on the side or top, sometimes on the bottom. Then at the site of the crater, they start to rot, not all of them do this. It is only occuring on one tomato here and there. They don't turn black and the plants all look normal. My garden is organic, I have used no chemicals, and the rest of the vegetables in my garden are growing normally and are all healthy. Can someone help me with this?

Welcome!

So you think you could post a picture? Meanwhile, take a close look and see who's sitting on your tomatoes. Have you picked any of them & looked inside?

A few lost tomatoes is not a big deal, to me at least. What variety are they? Do you ever see bugs on them? How ripe are they when they start to rot?

The tomatoes are super bush variety and they don't get the craters until they are almost ready to pick. So far I haven't seen any bugs on them at all.

Maybe the bugs are making the holes in the tomatoes at night.

There is no sign of bug infestation, the skins are smooth and there is no sign of any ruptures in the skin where bugs may have entered.

Tocatoes can be picked early, up to 4 days or so before they're fully ripe. They tate just the same ripened on the kitchen counter. Don't ever refrigerate tomatoes or put them n the sun to ripen. See if that helps any.
By craters, do you mean open wounds, or deformities where the skin is intact?

I have started harvesting them and setting them in a sunny window. Some of the unblemished ones get them after they're picked, and some before they're picked,the skins are not broken.

my mom always puts tomatoes in the fridge

That image didn't come through.
Putting tomatoes in the refrigerator will kill the sweetness.
Iff there are no eaten spots or skinless spots, you have cat-facing. scroll down this page until you see the pic.
http://www.weekendgardener.net/vegetable-gardening-tips/growing-tomatoes-070707.htm

Thanks a million! I checked out the site you sent me to, it's sunscald. We've been having alot of rain for a week or so and then none and hot weather. The tomatoes that are edible are some of the best tasting I've ever grown, guess I'll salvage what I can and try to control the watering as best as I can. Thanks again. Theresa

Do you pinch leaves? Or do the plants gettoo heavy and sag? Those practices can allow sunscald. Pick them early, as soon as you see some blush, and place them whee they are not in direct sunlight, not on a window ledge.

THAT is the purpose, of course, you are so fortunate. Let's hope the season only gets better!

Instead of using the window sill, you may want to consider getting some paper lunch bags, slide your greener tomatoes in the bag(s) and roll the end shut. It works EXTREMELY well for me. It may be because the ethylene gas concentration in the bag is higher than the open room/window sill.