I’m sure you’ll agree with me that no other tomatoes can compare to home-grown tomatoes. They are juicy and sweet. Their taste is unrivalled. Just butter your bread, slice a tomato on it and you have a great cheap meal. However, sometimes tomatoes can be unsightly. They often burst. Do you know why this happens and what to do about it?

Why do tomatoes burst?

Tomatoes can crack on the vine because of irregular watering or too much water. During periods of drought or heavy rainfall, they crack more than at other times. This is because the insides can grow faster and the skins burst. Both types of cracking can introduce pests and promote rot, but concentric cracking is sometimes less severe.

If the crack is superficial and does not expose the inside of the tomato, you can leave it on the vine to ripen, but keep an eye on it. Young, green tomatoes that crack are more likely to rot before they ripen.

How to minimise cracking

Grow crack-resistant varieties. Some tomatoes are bred to resist cracking. You can usually find this information in the plant description. A few popular resistant varieties include Black Cherry, Sungold, Yellow Pear, Pruden’s Purple, Rutgers, Box Car Willie and San Marzano.

It is also important to keep the soil moist by applying a layer of mulch. Keep in mind, however, that overwatering should be avoided. It is a good idea to limit watering during the ripening process. Then pick the tomatoes when they start to change colour. They can ripen on your kitchen counter. However, picking early will reduce the risk of cracking.

━━ ( Source: Josephine Baran /  Unsplash+ )

What else can help

It may surprise you, but a very simple thing can also help with cracking. Eggshells. This is because tomatoes are sensitive to calcium deficiency. In fact, if the plant lacks calcium, it usually shows up on the fruit. They may become darker in one part and gradually rot. In addition, the shells can also help to prevent tomatoes from cracking.

  • The benefit is long-term, not immediate.
  • The shells should be used regularly.
  • The shells act as a natural fertiliser.

How to use the shells

It is not difficult, you just need to let the shells dry first and then grind or break them into a very fine powder. This can be worked into the soil before you plant your tomatoes. The powder can be added to the roots of the plant. However, bear in mind that additional nutrient supply is also necessary.

The shells alone are not enough

Shells are not a magic elixir that will do the rest of the work for you. You still need to take proper care of your tomatoes, especially watering and, if necessary, fertilising with other nutrients.

What to do with a large crop of tomatoes?

Have you managed to grow so many tomatoes that you don’t know what to do with them? Then I have a great tip for you. I used to can whole tomatoes. But two years in a row, they went bad. I don’t know why. I washed everything and did it right. Since then , I’ve been making pasta sauce straight from fresh tomatoes, including the spices. It’s more labor intensive at first, but within a year I appreciate that I just take a jar and the sauce is ready.