Tomato Problem

[Pa Pa Jack]

I am originally from PA. I was raised around gardening and enjoy it.

My problem, since moving to SC, is with tomatoes. I get great crops, but they have the thickest. toughest skin I have ever encountered.

I have made sure they have decent water and that the soil is well cared for, but nothing I do can seem to get rid of this skin.

Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Yellowhair42]

Why not look it up like I did.Tough Tomato Skins: What Makes Tomato Have Thick Skin

 

[2LaneCruzer]

I am originally from PA. I was raised around gardening and enjoy it.

My problem, since moving to SC, is with tomatoes. I get great crops, but they have the thickest. toughest skin I have ever encountered.

I have made sure they have decent water and that the soil is well cared for, but nothing I do can seem to get rid of this skin.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Here's an article that might be of help; we have a lot of the water/heat problems here in Oklahoma, but I have not experienced any problem with thick skins.

http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/vegetable/tough-thick-tomato-skins.htm

I suggest that you look at the varieties that you are using; as I recall, some of the Heritage varieties are thick skinned. My favorite of all varieties is one called "Super Fantastic". They do not produce really big tomatoes, but they nearly always produce. They are very disease resistant and have a great flavor.

Last year was so hot that nobody in my area got any tomatoes. I planted 18 plants, and got 2 tomatoes, both of which were inedible. First year that ever happened. The cherry tomatoes produced maybe a cup full; that was it. I plan to put up some netting to reduce the effect of the sun this year, that is if the heat is anything like it was last year.

 

[Pa Pa Jack]

Normally I plant Roma and Celebrity. The Roma always did have a thicker skin, but they are bred for sauces and that is normal. The Celebrity is my favorite tomato for the table. It has a thin skin and wonderful size and taste. But since moving to SC, they are almost inedible.

The issue seems to be with either the heat or watering. I now use drip irrigation. I have tried to use a net covering to keep the scorching sun off the plants better. If these things have helped at all, I can't tell the difference. We tried cherry tomatoes last year and they were a total failure. Like trying to chew gummy bears.

I've had the soil tested, and found it a little low in pH but otherwise pretty good. I was hoping someone had another solution.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Normally I plant Roma and Celebrity. The Roma always did have a thicker skin, but they are bred for sauces and that is normal. The Celebrity is my favorite tomato for the table. It has a thin skin and wonderful size and taste. But since moving to SC, they are almost inedible.

The issue seems to be with either the heat or watering. I now use drip irrigation. I have tried to use a net covering to keep the scorching sun off the plants better. If these things have helped at all, I can't tell the difference. We tried cherry tomatoes last year and they were a total failure. Like trying to chew gummy bears.

I've had the soil tested, and found it a little low in pH but otherwise pretty good. I was hoping someone had another solution.

I have grown a few Celebrities and they produce fairly well here. I can't imagine SC being any hotter or drier than it is in Oklahoma. I always try to mulch mine so the soil holds its moisture a bit longer; make sure they have plenty of Calcium. I usually mix about a half cup of bone meal and a half cup of blood meal in the soil beneath each plant.

You might consider contacting you local department of agriculture, or your local university/college ag department. You might want to check online; there may guidance there specific to your area. Good luck; now just don't tell me that you can't grow okra.

 

[randy41]

you should call your extension agent. the only difference between SC and PA would be latitude. is the soil type different? add a lot of compost.

 

[Stimw]

I saw the show Modern Marvels about harvesting and they said a new varriety of tomatoes has thicker skin which allows mechanical harvesting. I wonder those "engineered" tomatoes are now the norm?
I have no luck with tomatoes here, they come up, get 2' tall, set fruit the size of golf balls and then the plant dies like the stem was cut! I gave up on them. I grew tons of them when I lived in the city,go figure.

 

[SandburRanch]

I saw the show Modern Marvels about harvesting and they said a new varriety of tomatoes has thicker skin which allows mechanical harvesting. I wonder those "engineered" tomatoes are now the norm?
I have no luck with tomatoes here, they come up, get 2' tall, set fruit the size of golf balls and then the plant dies like the stem was cut! I gave up on them. I grew tons of them when I lived in the city,go figure.

Check the plants root system for Nematodes.

 

[rsewill]

You can't over water tomatoes.

 

[kenmac]

I have always planted better boys , big boys & early girl tomatos with good results

 

[PossumHound]

I have always planted better boys , big boys & early girl tomatos with good results

:thumbsup: Solid choices for most conditions. Insure plenty of compost in the soil and plenty of water. A soil analysis will help.

 

[kenmac]

:thumbsup: Solid choices for most conditions. Insure plenty of compost in the soil and plenty of water. A soil analysis will help.

I usually only have to add calcium to my soil around the tomato plants

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Check the plants root system for Nematodes.

Lime will take care of the nematodes; just don't use too much.

 

[NativeSon]

I like Celebrity & Carnival tomato plants. They are nematode & heat resistant. The wife is Italian so I always plant some Romas for her.

I've gone to the lazy gardeners method of gardening. I cover the ground with Black fabric mulch, then plant my tomatos. The black mulch helps the ground to get warmer(root growth). Then as the weather turns warmer I cover the mulch with straw or hay and this really does a job holding the water in the soil. It also prevents weeds so there is a lot less work with hoe.

Now if it would just dry out a little I could get started planting.

Oh, and I use "Good ole East Texas Organic Fertilizer"......horse manure---that I've already paid for. Really gives the tomatos a great flavor.

Charlie