Why Do My Tomatoes Look Deformed?

Tomatoes will grow deformed due to environmental factors (such as water, temperature, or sunlight), genetic factors, pests, and diseases. Deformed tomatoes may have cracks or splitting, zippering, catfacing, uneven ripening, holes, or spots. Of course, there are ways to prevent some of these problems.

How do you keep tomatoes from being deformed?

Misshapen fruit
Tomato fruit will develop the best shape if the temperature is above the mid-60s. Lower temperatures cause ridged fruit (a bumpy shoulder) and catfacing (ugly bottom of fruit; see below). Planting a little later, when temperatures are higher, will avoid some of these problems.

What causes deformity in tomatoes?

Catfacing is a deformity that occurs during the formation of the flower and is on the blossom-end of the tomato. It can be caused by cold temperatures during flowering, high nitrogen fertilization, or improper pruning.

Is it okay to eat deformed tomatoes?

This keeps part of the fruit from developing while another part does. You end up with some amazingly odd-looking fruit, but it doesn’t detract from their taste. In fact, it happens most often with large heirloom tomatoes and they taste just as delicious.

Why are my tomatoes gnarly?

“Catfacing” is when fruits develop scarred, malformed or “gnarly” growth. Most often, it comes from too-cold temperatures when the young fruits were first developing. (Tomatoes don’t “set” fruit well at all below 55 degrees.) Again, some varieties are more prone to this growth malady than others.

What does catfacing on tomatoes look like?

A tomato is considered “catfaced” if the blossom scar is enlarged or perforated. Often times, the fruit becomes extremely misshapen, but fruit distortion is not necessary to classify it as catfaced.

Why are my tomatoes puckering?

Catfaced tomatoes appear puckered up—like a cat might if it just drank vinegar. The fruits have deep crevices but should not appear cracked. Solutions. Catfacing starts at blossom time, so if you unfortunately have cool weather your tomatoes will be catfaced.

What is a good source of calcium for tomato plants?

Natural sources of calcium include crushed eggshells and shell meal, the ground shells of marine animals. You can buy shell meal at nurseries or garden stores. Make homemade calcium for plants by mixing the shell meal or crushed eggshells directly into the soil about 6 or 7 inches deep before you plant your tomatoes.

What are the first signs of tomato blight?

Symptoms

• The initial symptom of blight is a rapidly spreading, watery rot of leaves which soon collapse, shrivel and turn brown.
• Brown lesions may also develop on the leaf stalks (petioles) and stems, again with white growth sometimes visible under wet or very humid conditions.

Should I remove catfacing tomatoes?

If you notice that your green tomatoes are catfaced, it is best to remove them because they will not ripen uniformly. However, if you don’t catch them early and they ripen, you can still use them as “ugly fruit” where looks don’t matter, such as for tomato sauce.

What can go wrong growing tomatoes?

Prematurely putting plants into the ground can cause blossom drop, where the blossoms fall off before the fruit even forms. Tomatoes may also become misshapen, puckered, or scarred at the blossom end if the weather gets too cool at night.

Why are my tomatoes growing pear shaped?

According to a study published in 2004 by plant biologist Steven Tanskley and Cornell University colleagues, a mutation of the ovate gene makes pear-shaped tomatoes grow longer at the top and more bulbous at the base, a trait they share with other fruits that have that shape, like eggplant.

What can go wrong while growing tomatoes?

Environmental issues, such as a lack of water, too much water, poor soil and too little light can also cause tomato plants to fail and die. Watering issues – When a tomato plant is under watered or over watered, it reacts the same way. It will develop yellow leaves and will look wilted.

What are the signs of over watering tomato plants?

Overwatered plants may have wilted or yellowed stems and leaves, or the leaves might develop bumps and blisters or fall off entirely if plants continue to get too much water. Another way to tell overwatered plants from underwatered ones, once the case is severe enough, is to check the roots.

How often should you water tomato plants?

Water newly planted tomatoes well to make sure soil is moist and ideal for growing. Early in the growing season, watering plants daily in the morning. As temperatures increase, you might need to water tomato plants twice a day. Garden tomatoes typically require 1-2 inches of water a week.

Can you water tomato plants too much?

Too Much Water
Watering your tomato plants properly is the key to tomato success. Too much water and the plants drown—too little could cause blossom end rot, when the tomatoes turn black on the bottoms. Inconsistent watering can also cause blossom end rot, split tomatoes, and stressed plants.

Why are my tomatoes growing lumpy?

A: Lumpy, distorted, oddly shaped tomatoes are generally referred to as “catfaced.” Oddly, it has nothing to do with cats. The deformity is typically caused by temperature conditions when the bloom is being pollinated. High temperatures as well as low temperatures can cause it.

What causes Megabloom?

Basically, a tomato megabloom is a bloom with more than one ovary caused by a glitch in the tomato’s genes. What should have been multiple separate flowers fused into one large bloom that carries two or more ovaries. Gardeners have reported megablooms that appear to be made up of four, five or even six fused flowers.

Can overwatering cause tomato leaves to curl?

As overwatered tomato plants mature and begin to set fruit, the topmost leaves curl inward and upward. The leaves themselves are firm, rigid or crumbly. Although this alarming condition seems to happen overnight, the symptoms don’t mean the sudden death of your harvest.

How often should you feed tomatoes?

Tomatoes should be first fertilized when you plant them in the garden. You can then wait until they set fruit to start fertilizing again. After the tomato plants start growing fruit, add light fertilizer once every one to two weeks until the first frost kills the plant.

How do you identify a tomato disease?

The first indication of disease in small plants is a drooping and wilting of lower leaves with a loss of green color followed by wilting and death of the plant. Often leaves on only one side of the stem turn golden yellow at first.