There's nothing more rewarding than growing your own fruit and vegetables, which is why it's so frustrating when they don't grow as they're supposed to. If you've ever harvested your own tomatoes, you may have noticed they can form splits on their sides, but why is this, and what can you do to stop it?
Whether you're a beginner at vegetable gardening or have been doing it for years, Mother Nature can tend to throw us a curveball from time to time and surprise us with a faulty harvest. One of the most common issues you may encounter is freshly ripened tomatoes with brown splits running down their sides.
This can be particularly disheartening when you've worked hard ripening stubborn green tomatoes for them to split once red. So, what can you do to avoid this, and is there a way to reverse the splitting before it goes too far? This gardening expert is here to help.
Experts reveal why your tomatoes are splitting on the plant
Tomatoes are a fantastic high-yield fruit to grow in your garden, even if you're limited on space and are looking for small garden tips. They grow tall and can be planted in pots to save space.
You might run into a few problems with them during the growth process, one of them being splitting. Garden design expert and influencer Ish, @Gardening.with.ish on Instagram, has shared his expertise on splitting and how to reverse it.
"There’s nothing more dissatisfying than turning up to see your tomatoes growing but then seeing a big giant split right through the side of it, and there are a couple of reasons as to why that happens," says Ish.
Now, if you're trying to make your garden look bigger, you probably won't have a greenhouse or polytunnel; however, they are one of the common causes of tomatoes splitting.
"Most tomato splitting is usually caused inside a greenhouse or a polytunnel, and that’s supposed to be the best way to get them to grow, but unfortunately, greenhouses can get incredibly hot," explains Ish.
While greenhouses are supposed to be warm, when it's particularly sunny, they can reach temperatures of up to 40, almost 50 degrees. This is when Ish says vents become really important.
"So if you got a polytunnel like I have, make sure you open these vents and let fresh air through and just bring that temperature down a bit," he suggests.
The other cause concerns watering your garden plants properly; it's not just flowers that are particularly sensitive when it comes to watering routines.
"The next main cause is underwatering or irregular watering, and that means not watering this enough or so infrequently that it dries out, rehydrates and dries out," says Ish.
"Which can cause a bit of stress and underwatering is, well, not watering it, and by drying them out, you’ll find that the leaves will start to curl a little, and those tomatoes won’t get the moisture they need. So as a result, they stress and they crack open," he continues.
How to keep tomatoes from splitting
Now you know why splitting occurs, learning how to support your plant as it grows and how to reverse any splitting is a great next step.
"So, by regularly watering and keeping the temperature a little bit lower than boiling hot, then your tomato plant can actually recover," Ish points out.
Showing his tomato plant, one which he stopped watering for a while prior to show how the effects of stress can lead to splitting, Ish explains that watering can be a powerful solution.
"You’ll see now that I’ve continued watering it for another few days, I’m generating more flowers, and by keeping this hydrated, even giving it a good feed every week, I’ll have some amazing cherry tomatoes," he states.
Shop tomato care essentials
RRP: £9.50 | The best way to feed and fertilise your tomato plants is to use a specific type made for them. This one is enriched with seaweed extract and will help your tomatoes ripen instead of stopping them.
RRP: £12.52 | These Gold Leaf RHS collections Chelsea Ladies Comfortable Leather Gardening Gloves are perfect for any job you need to tackle in your garden, especially tending to your tomato plants.
RRP: £9.95 | These popular secateurs feature a carbon steel blade and lightweight, non-slip handles, making harvesting your tomatoes easy and comfortable.
There are several alternative uses for tomato feed in your garden; in fact, it can be extremely beneficial for high-yielding flowers such as petunias and other trailing plants.
