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Vegetable Gardening

Tough skins on tomatoes

16 years ago

This year's plants are planted in containers, but last year's tomatoes were planted in the garden. Both years the skins seem a bit tough. I have had handfuls of yummy Sungolds with tough skins already this year. While the tomatoes so far have been awesome, I'd like to figure out why the skins are tough. Help? :)

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Comments (7)

billtex
16 years ago
i'M NOT SURE BUT COULD BE THE VARIETY. BILL W.
digdirt2
16 years ago
As Bill said, some varieties are bred to have thicker skins - for shipping protection is my guess. However, it seems that hotter temps and very dry air or inconsistent moisture levels in the soil can also contribute to the problem regardless of the variety. It's part of the plant's natural defense mechanisms. I have found it to be a sometime problem on Rutgers and Celebrity in the past.

Later fruit, assuming the weather co-operates, should be better but since plants in containers are prone to developing more problems than those in the ground, it stands to reason that they would be more easily and quickly affected. Mulching the plant helps and so does doing whatever you can to maintain a consistent moisture level. Good luck. ;)

Dave
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Helen, I've never heard of a tomato variety that had tough skins, or thin skins that stinkbugs couldn't penetrate and shoot in that poison that kills the cells under the skin leaving a white area and a yellow area on top of the skin. Momotaro is called Tough Boy in Japan, but that name is after a folk hero in Japan and doesn't refer to tough skins. However I did Google it and quite a few sites say tough skins which makes it more tolerant to cracking. I've grown lots of varieties that had hard skins, the pre-1800 variety Roi Humberti comes to mind, and I have't the faintest idea if it was resistant to stinkbugs b'c having stinkbug problems is not an every year problem for my tomatoes. So why not try it and plant two thin skinned varieties on either side of it and see what you get as to stinkbug problems. Carolyn
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So heat and lack of water can't explain the tough skin on my tomatoes. Yes, it can. As homegardenpa said the issue isn't a matter of not receiving water. The issue is was the water level in the soil maintained at a consistent level throughout the day? It is the consistency of the soil moisture that is important, not how many times you may have watered each day. And in containers, especially smaller ones as you have mentioned you are using in other posts, it simply can't be maintained at a consistent level. Regardless of the air temps, the larger the container the slower the moisture level fluctuates. The smaller the container the quicker it dries out. Especially when temps top 90 degrees. Sure you can water everyday at 9 am and make the soil really wet, probably too wet. But that moisture evaporates throughout the day. Especially if the plants aren't heavily mulched. So the soil moisture level isn't the same at 1pm as it was when you watered at 9am. It is even less at 6 pm etc. Yet all that day the tissue and skin of the fruit was still developing while it had less and less moisture to draw on. While large self watering containers, monitored carefully to keep water in them can work, the only proven way to maintain consistent soil moisture levels in containers is with large containers, heavy mulching, and a drip irrigation system set on a very slow drip feed on an auto timer. Otherwise all you can do is take a moisture meter out hourly and check the soil and adjust the moisture level accordingly and that simply isn't practical. Dave
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Susie I would be really curious as to exactly what variety of cherry tomato you had success with in a 5 gallon. It would have to be one of the dwarf or container types I think as most cherry varieties are 8' tall and 5 ' wide at least and are notorious for doing poorly in any container less than 15 -20 gallons. At any rate no regular sized tomato plant is going to do well in 5 gallons much less thrive without meticulous daily care. The root ball of an EG is easily 3' in diameter so it quickly becomes rootbound in such a small container. That means there is minimal soil left in there to retain water and provide consistent soil moisture levels. You don't indicate your zone or location so I have no idea about your weather but even in the northern zones such a plant would likely need watering multiple times a day. Some can make it work by using a drip irrigation system on an auto timer so the plant receives a low, steady dose of water almost constantly That frequency of watering almost guarantees minimal nutrients in the bucket for the plant as they will have washed out daily. Then when one adds to those problems with high dose N fertilizers and high dose P-K supplements the plant becomes root bound even more quickly. Sorry but the growing conditions you provided are the cause of the problems with your plant and would be for most any plant. I strongly encourage you to do some more research on the Container Gardening forum, specifically on sizes of containers needed, for next year. Dave
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Comments (2)
Hot and dry will definetly make the skins thicker. A little more water may help a bit but overwatering will cause the skin to split - so go easy. Keep the watering consistant and make sure it's absorbed into the soil (good drainage) and you may see an improvement on future harvest. Best regards.
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Violet_Z6
16 years ago
Agreed. Variety.
ruthieg__tx
16 years ago
I know this is not answering your question but....My Mother always...I mean always ....peeled tomatoes...I say if your variety tastes "awesome" and is good in your location...peel those babies....
barrie2m_(6a, central PA)
16 years ago
Tough shins are usually inversely related to cracking, yet I'm growing Sun Sugar this year instead of Sungold because I tended to have more cracked fruit with Sungold. It's hard to have the best of both worlds.

The skin needs to be thick enough to protect its contents. I agree that many newer hybrids are thicker skinned for shipping qualities but if they crack on the vine like many yellow pear tomatoes tend to do then they are of little use also.
korney19
16 years ago
Tough skins is sometimes associated with hi (and dry) temperatures. What kind of weather have you had?
dragynmyrlin
16 years ago
I am also growing sunsugar but also sweet million and they both have tough skins. The temp in ct has been unusually cool while we have had plenty of rain. Never had this problem. Grew sunsugar last year and they were the best tomatoes ever, which is why I grew them this year. Not pleasant to want to spit the skins out as you eat your salad!

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