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Lebanon, Oregon

Have been trying to grow larger tomatoes for a couple of years. Every year as they grow, the tomato where it attaches to the stem (placenta?) separates almost all the way around. Does this prevent the tomato from growing to its full potential? Why does this happen? Is this normal to other tomato growers? Nutrient deficiency? I know if my pumpkin did that it would be very bad!

3/12/2015 4:51:11 PM

Allentown, PA

Hi Rebel,

Are you saying the stem where the tomato is attached separates thus causing the tomato to stop growing??

Are you providing support for the tomato to keep it's weight from causing separation from the stem??

If this is the cause please see my 2013 diary here and look at how I and others support a tomato to keep it from causing this exact situation to occur.

If I'm wrong please elaperate further concerning your issue.

Thanks. :O)

3/12/2015 6:35:22 PM

Lebanon, Oregon

First, nice diary and tomato's! No, I have not supported my tomato's but will this year. On my diary from this year you can see the brown between the tomato and stem. Maybe I am not to assume it is a "separation" of stem and tomato? This brown area is similar to your 7-27 post from your 3 lb 2.2oz. Whether this is normal or not, I don't know. Are nutrients going from the stem, through this brown area, to the tomato?

3/12/2015 6:55:05 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Looks like I better start thinking about starting my tomatoes.

3/12/2015 7:04:03 PM

Allentown, PA

OK I looked at the photo from my 7/27/13 entry and that's a Brutus Magnum that just happened to grow like that away from the stem. The brown area is simply ""scarring"" if you will from where the opening was at the time when it was fertilized. The brown area that you see was where the receptacle was at the time of fertilization. Once fertilization occurs we have no control as to how it will grow.

In my opinion this is what you are seeing on the tomatoes that you have grown.

That holds no bearing on how large it will become barring the size of the mega bloom the tomato came from.

Make sense??

3/12/2015 7:22:43 PM

Lebanon, Oregon

Thank you!

3/12/2015 7:24:28 PM

Allentown, PA

You are welcome!!!!! :O)

3/12/2015 8:08:33 PM

Princeton Kentucky

I love the message boards. Forgive me piggybacking on your post but this I feel is exactly whats going on with one I have growing right now. I think I may have gottin greedy on fertz myself and there was a growth spurt causing this very same thing. I may be wrong. Would appreciate input if anyone desires to do so. Thanks for your Post Garden Rebel. You can see it here, http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=234084

3/12/2015 8:27:54 PM

Allentown, PA

Pumpkingoober,

I see a good tomato in your photograph. I do see what Rebel pointed out from my diary concerning one of my tomatoes doing the same thing.

The one thing that will almost always occur is cracking. Some won't but many do including my 4.46 LB Big Zac from 2013 as well as my 4.01 Mega Marv also from the same year.

In my opinion your applying the knowledge you have of pumpkin growing towards tomato growing.

That's a good thing when it comes to soil building, fertilizing etc, but the two have nothing in common when it comes to the actual product itself.

I know you can blast a pumpkin with fert's and see that pumpkin split a stem or a side and the season's over. For a tomato I have never seen in my 16 years of growing tomatoes and three years of growing giants a crack being so severe as to ruin the tomato other than perhaps the look of it to some people.

If you overfeed a tomato plant what you'll get is leaf curl and perhaps some leaf burn but your not going to see a tomato blow because of copious amounts of fertilizer like a pumpkin will.

Go tomy diary here and take a look at the Brutus Magnum I grew in 2013. That's what yours is doing in my opinion. There's nothing wrong with the tomato, it just grew that way. http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=205096

Here's the Mega Marv I grew from the same year showing cracks from growth, again all perfectly normal.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/DiaryDiaryViewOne.asp?eid=204772

I hope that answered the question you had.

3/12/2015 9:32:19 PM

Wixom MI.

I noticed this on my tomato to. I have seen the stem split and pull away from the tomato without harming the tomato at all. But when the skin of the tomato splits open during the ripening stage, then the tomato can rot.

3/12/2015 10:14:12 PM

Allentown, PA

There are two types of cracking in tomatoes.

The first one is concentric cracking.(horizontal cracking) That's when the tomato develops circular, concentric cracks around the stem end.

The second one is radial cracking(vertical cracking) That's when the tomatoes cracks radiate from the stem end.

There are a few main reasons why cracking occurs.


The first one is periods of very fast tomato growth combined with high temperature and moisture levels.

The second one is initial fruit growth during a dry period followed by heavy rain or heavy watering during the ripening stage.

And the third one are wide differences in day and night temperatures. Horizontal cracking may be caused by abnormally cool or hot weather, or any disturbance to flower parts during blossoming.

3/13/2015 6:45:17 AM

50 Acres

If a tomato has these cracks, will it be culled at a weigh off , and considered DMG tks

3/13/2015 8:40:28 AM

Central NY

Dropping tomato will also cause cracks...(sorry paj , couldn't resist )

3/13/2015 9:33:40 AM

Allentown, PA

26 West,

No, if it's damaged however, like when I dropped my heaviest tomato last season then it would be considered exhibition only due to heavy damage.

Op (open pollinated) and heirloom Tomatoes by their very nature will crack the overwhelming majority of the time.

Hybrids like Big Zac Not so much but will depending on environmental factors I outlined in the previous response.

Due to these tendencies and unless the tomato is simply damaged by human hands it will be valid for official weighoff and official online entry.

For an example of vertical cracks on a tomato from growth see my 2013 diary entry here;
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/DiaryDiaryViewOne.asp?eid=204772

3/13/2015 10:47:46 AM

Allentown, PA

Porkchop! LOL!!! I can laugh about it now!! I was so upset and bummed over it. LOL!!!

This season I'm keeping as much as possible upstairs!!! :O)

3/13/2015 10:48:54 AM

Allentown, PA

26 West,

Here is the valid link the other is missing characters.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=204772

3/13/2015 10:52:40 AM

Princeton Kentucky

PA_J, Checked out your pics, see what you mean, I now remember see those pics before!!. Appreciate all growers input!! Thanks again to Garden Rebel for bringing this Issue up!!

3/13/2015 11:35:14 AM

Kittanning,Pa

PA_J Can you get in touch with me and send me an email please.

3/13/2015 1:26:35 PM

Allentown, PA

Your welcome Pumpkingoober. :O)

3/13/2015 3:37:55 PM

Allentown, PA

Elamison, my e-mail is flight_19@yahoo.com. Send me a message.

3/13/2015 3:40:48 PM

Lebanon, Oregon

Thank you for your feedback. I learn a lot from your posts although experience is the best teacher. I aquired a couple of new seeds and will experiment with those along with the one's I have planted the last couple of years, comparing the two for stem separation. I will start some this week and post in the diary. I will plant about 8 for size, plus a couple of more for my wife to approach, pick and eat! Onward and good luck!

3/13/2015 6:33:54 PM

Allentown, PA

Your welcome Rebel, Good luck!!!

3/13/2015 7:20:17 PM