Anybody got thick skins this year? - Page 2

edweather · August 3, 2012

Now that I've had a wider sampling of my tomatoes, there are definitely thicker skins on some, and not so noticeable on others. That's not to say that the skins aren't thicker on all of them, just that they aren't unedible. The varieities that I notice it on are the ones where the skin is REALLY thick. I also grow in containers, which might be part of the issue. Last year my Black Cherries were splitting, and this year they aren't.....thicker skins? The BC's are delicious though, and the skins are thin enough to eat.

Lcottomsvcs · August 4, 2012

Yes, lots of thick skins, and sunscald!

kenny_j · August 4, 2012

Wow, and I thought it was just ME! I grew in grow bags for the first time this year, used the Tapla mix, and was constantly watering. Plants did not grow well, are very thick skinned way worse than in ground, which is heavily mulched, and few fruit set. I also did not fertilize properly from the get go. If I try again next yr, time release ferts, and a 3-1-1 mix, need more water retention.

Ken4230 · August 4, 2012

Sun Sugar is a first time grow for me this year. The first one I sampled reminded me of a Muscadine grape. I spit the skin out in one piece. Only after 3-4 days on the kitchen counter were they fit to eat. I ate about two dozen.

The skins were a lot thinner.

KBX has skin thick enough to pull off. It doesn't change the taste or texture of the tomato though. It's still an awesome tomato.

Jet Star
Big Beef
Crnkovic Yugo
German Johnson
EG Imp
Old German
German Giant....all seem to have normal skin thickness.

Ken

feldon30 · August 5, 2012

I've had the same problem in times when it's hot and dry. Increasing watering and mulch can help, but when the plants are truly unhappy, there's not much you can do.

OldenGnarley · August 6, 2012

my father told me , 'looking the way you do you are gonna need a thick skin...'

thanks for dredging that up...

tam91 · August 6, 2012

Some of mine had thick skins, but most don't. My in-ground garden seems extremely happy though, despite the drought. Bit of BER in the beginning, but perfect now.

zabby17 · August 7, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by edweather

Last year my Black Cherries were splitting, and this year they aren't.....thicker skins?

I would guess this is because of less rain. Several of my cherries split in wet weather. Sweet 100s are like weather reports this way---after a rain, I pick split ones for several days, then not until the next rain.

Z

Firstcrush · August 29, 2012

Same here! I thought it was a soil problem, as it was my tomatoes in the ground, but then a few of my different types of cherries are thick-skinned as well, so I got on TV to check it out. Thanks for the info!Also, most of mine are from saved seeds that didn't have this characteristic last year.
Donna

livinonfaith · August 30, 2012

I have to be honest, some if my favorite tomatoes this year had thick skins. There was so much rain that the tomatoes with thinner skins were splitting all over the place. I probably lost 3/4 of my De Barao Pink's to splitting.

The ones with thick skins not only didn't split nearly as often, they tended to keep a lot longer on the counter without deteriorating.

Fortunately, they were also fairly easy to peel, especially if you ran a little really hot water over them. I like to peel mine anyway, especially if I'm putting them on a sandwich, so that didn't bother me one bit.

I'll take thick skins any day if it helps me to get more tomatoes!

August 3, 2012	#16
edweather Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Southeast GA, USDA 9a, HZ9, Sunset Z28 Posts: 396	Now that I've had a wider sampling of my tomatoes, there are definitely thicker skins on some, and not so noticeable on others. That's not to say that the skins aren't thicker on all of them, just that they aren't unedible. The varieities that I notice it on are the ones where the skin is REALLY thick. I also grow in containers, which might be part of the issue. Last year my Black Cherries were splitting, and this year they aren't.....thicker skins? The BC's are delicious though, and the skins are thin enough to eat. __________________ You'll be surprised what you'll never have to do, if you put it off long enough.

August 4, 2012	#17
Lcottomsvcs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Southern Indiana Posts: 123	Yes, lots of thick skins, and sunscald! __________________ Gardening is not a rational act. Margaret Atwood

August 5, 2012	#20
feldon30 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 5,346	I've had the same problem in times when it's hot and dry. Increasing watering and mulch can help, but when the plants are truly unhappy, there's not much you can do. __________________ [SIZE="3"]I've relaunched my gardening website -- [B]TheUnconventionalTomato.com[/B][/SIZE] * [I][SIZE="1"]*I'm not allowed to post weblinks so you'll have to copy-paste it manually.[/SIZE][/I]

August 6, 2012	#22
tam91 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Crystal Lake IL Posts: 2,484	Some of mine had thick skins, but most don't. My in-ground garden seems extremely happy though, despite the drought. Bit of BER in the beginning, but perfect now. __________________ Tracy

August 4, 2012	#18
kenny_j Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: holly michigan Posts: 380	Wow, and I thought it was just ME! I grew in grow bags for the first time this year, used the Tapla mix, and was constantly watering. Plants did not grow well, are very thick skinned way worse than in ground, which is heavily mulched, and few fruit set. I also did not fertilize properly from the get go. If I try again next yr, time release ferts, and a 3-1-1 mix, need more water retention.

August 4, 2012	#19
Ken4230 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Western Ky Posts: 282	Sun Sugar is a first time grow for me this year. The first one I sampled reminded me of a Muscadine grape. I spit the skin out in one piece. Only after 3-4 days on the kitchen counter were they fit to eat. I ate about two dozen. The skins were a lot thinner. KBX has skin thick enough to pull off. It doesn't change the taste or texture of the tomato though. It's still an awesome tomato. Jet Star Big Beef Crnkovic Yugo German Johnson EG Imp Old German German Giant....all seem to have normal skin thickness. Ken

August 6, 2012	#21
OldenGnarley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 6	my father told me , 'looking the way you do you are gonna need a thick skin...' thanks for dredging that up...

August 29, 2012	#24
Firstcrush Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: San Francisco Bay Area, CA Posts: 20	Same here! I thought it was a soil problem, as it was my tomatoes in the ground, but then a few of my different types of cherries are thick-skinned as well, so I got on TV to check it out. Thanks for the info!Also, most of mine are from saved seeds that didn't have this characteristic last year. Donna

August 30, 2012	#25
livinonfaith Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina Posts: 1,332	I have to be honest, some if my favorite tomatoes this year had thick skins. There was so much rain that the tomatoes with thinner skins were splitting all over the place. I probably lost 3/4 of my De Barao Pink's to splitting. The ones with thick skins not only didn't split nearly as often, they tended to keep a lot longer on the counter without deteriorating. Fortunately, they were also fairly easy to peel, especially if you ran a little really hot water over them. I like to peel mine anyway, especially if I'm putting them on a sandwich, so that didn't bother me one bit. I'll take thick skins any day if it helps me to get more tomatoes!