Anybody got thick skins this year?

edweather · July 27, 2012

I need a little thicker skin sometimes, but not on my tomatoes. Anybody else have this problem this year? I'm thinking possibly due to the unusually long hot, and dry, spell of weather, it's a tomatoes' way of defending itself. Any thoughts?? My Moravsky Division skins are almost unedible, but it's only the first time I've grown them. My CP skins are also thick, which makes me think there might trend here. Ed.

TightenUp · July 27, 2012

the tomatoes ive gotten from the farmers markets have been flat out disgusting this season

Douglas14 · July 27, 2012

A lady I work with, said the same thing about her mother's tomatoes(and beans for that matter).
I guess I've been concentrating on the taste of the tomatoes, that I haven't noticed the skins so much. I'll keep the skins in mind in the future.

lurley · July 27, 2012

Yes, and definitely from the weather

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk 2

Dewayne mater · July 27, 2012

It is heat and sun that do it. Happens every year in my neck of the woods. By mid July and sooner in a hot year, thick skin, and smaller tomatoes.

Dewayne mater

lakelady · July 27, 2012

I noticed very thick skins on the sungolds, but since I'd never grown them before I thought it was just the way they were. tough

zipcode · July 27, 2012

Moravsky does have rather thick skins. But I agree, hot weather will contribute to that.

tam91 · July 27, 2012

My Gary 'O Sena had a very thick skin, but I haven't had that variety before. It was delicious however.

zabby17 · July 31, 2012

Ed,

YES!

I had no idea weather could do that. I wondered what the heck was going on.

I just had my first real "haul" today---defined as a basketful, or more than I could easily carry in in my two hands. Till now it's been just a trickle of Stupice, Kimberley, and some cherries, but after being away for five days I brought in about two dozen tomatoes representing probably eight or ten kinds.

I was in a hurry so didn't take particular note of what kind was what, just started slicing a bunch of 'em up for lunch, and grabbing some chunks to eat as I went.

At least half of them surprised me with very thick skins!

It's possible the thick stuff was all from one or two varieties, but there wasn't, I don't think, anything in my basket that I havent' grown before, and I'd never noticed any of them having particularly thick skin in the past. I can think of one red cherry that did---it made it good for pickling but not much else.

I don't usually peel my 'maters unless making salsa, but I think I may be doing a lot more of it this season.

Z, glad you mentioned this because I thought I was going crazy!

Mudman · July 31, 2012

Yep, same here, thick skins and sunscald, something I have never had to worry about here before.

habitat_gardener · August 1, 2012

Jetsetter has a very thick skin. It's so thick that I've been removing it. I thought it was the variety, not the weather, since it doesn't rain here in the summer.

BigBrownDogHouse · August 3, 2012

Gigantique was the first big beefsteak we pulled out of the garden last week....coming in at just a fraction over a pound.

My wife is the number one fresh tomato eater in the family and as she sliced it up and the family had a sample, I noticed she pulled a lot of skin off the tomato.

I then remembered seeing this thread and I asked her if that was the reason she cut off a lot of the skin. Indeed it was!

We did have a Steak Sandwich hybrid last night that didn't have the problem though. Different tomato, different side of the house.....it was a fantastic tomato, super sweet and super juicy.

zabby17 · August 3, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigBrownDogHouse

We did have a Steak Sandwich hybrid last night that didn't have the problem though. Different tomato, different side of the house.....it was a fantastic tomato, super sweet and super juicy.

I'm sure not all of mine were displaying thick skins, either. I'm glad of this thread because I never would have though of the weather or probably even of paying much attention. But I'll try to take note of what varieties have thick skins this year and what don't....

Z

BigBrownDogHouse · August 3, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by zabby17

I'm sure not all of mine were displaying thick skins, either. I'm glad of this thread because I never would have though of the weather or probably even of paying much attention. But I'll try to take note of what varieties have thick skins this year and what don't....

Z

Mine are really starting to turn and this upcoming week will give a good sampling. I have quite a few I could pick this moment.
After getting anxious and reading everyone else enjoying their tomatoes, I'm finally in the club this year.

I do know my Amy's(golf ball size) were their usual DELICIOUS also! We've had those for a few weeks now too.

I'll be able to tell if it is because of constant direct sun in this heat or maybe all the heirloom beefsteaks are that way this year. Maybe some of my shaded tomatoes won't be as thick-walled.

Time and tasting will tell!

It's a tough job but someone has to do it.

Cole_Robbie · August 3, 2012

My container tomatoes got thick skin as soon as the weather got hot. I didn't have that problem with my tomatoes in soil, though. I think all the grass and weeds growing around my plants must have shaded the fruit. It certainly helped with sun scald. Next year, if we have another blazing hot summer, I plan on experimenting with shade cloth.

July 27, 2012	#1
edweather Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Southeast GA, USDA 9a, HZ9, Sunset Z28 Posts: 396	Anybody got thick skins this year? I need a little thicker skin sometimes, but not on my tomatoes. Anybody else have this problem this year? I'm thinking possibly due to the unusually long hot, and dry, spell of weather, it's a tomatoes' way of defending itself. Any thoughts?? My Moravsky Division skins are almost unedible, but it's only the first time I've grown them. My CP skins are also thick, which makes me think there might trend here. Ed. __________________ You'll be surprised what you'll never have to do, if you put it off long enough.

July 27, 2012	#2
TightenUp Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Jersey Posts: 1,183	the tomatoes ive gotten from the farmers markets have been flat out disgusting this season __________________

July 27, 2012	#3
Douglas14 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: Minnesota Posts: 602	A lady I work with, said the same thing about her mother's tomatoes(and beans for that matter). I guess I've been concentrating on the taste of the tomatoes, that I haven't noticed the skins so much. I'll keep the skins in mind in the future. Last edited by Douglas14; July 27, 2012 at 08:01 PM.

July 27, 2012	#6
lakelady Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: northern NJ zone 6b Posts: 1,862	I noticed very thick skins on the sungolds, but since I'd never grown them before I thought it was just the way they were. tough __________________ Antoniette

July 27, 2012	#8
tam91 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Crystal Lake IL Posts: 2,484	My Gary 'O Sena had a very thick skin, but I haven't had that variety before. It was delicious however. __________________ Tracy

July 27, 2012	#4
lurley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 741	Yes, and definitely from the weather Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk 2

July 27, 2012	#5
Dewayne mater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2008 Location: DFW, Texas Posts: 1,212	It is heat and sun that do it. Happens every year in my neck of the woods. By mid July and sooner in a hot year, thick skin, and smaller tomatoes. Dewayne mater

July 27, 2012	#7
zipcode Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Romania/Germany , z 4-6 Posts: 1,582	Moravsky does have rather thick skins. But I agree, hot weather will contribute to that.

July 31, 2012	#9
zabby17 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Ontario Posts: 211	Ed, YES! I had no idea weather could do that. I wondered what the heck was going on. I just had my first real "haul" today---defined as a basketful, or more than I could easily carry in in my two hands. Till now it's been just a trickle of Stupice, Kimberley, and some cherries, but after being away for five days I brought in about two dozen tomatoes representing probably eight or ten kinds. I was in a hurry so didn't take particular note of what kind was what, just started slicing a bunch of 'em up for lunch, and grabbing some chunks to eat as I went. At least half of them surprised me with very thick skins! It's possible the thick stuff was all from one or two varieties, but there wasn't, I don't think, anything in my basket that I havent' grown before, and I'd never noticed any of them having particularly thick skin in the past. I can think of one red cherry that did---it made it good for pickling but not much else. I don't usually peel my 'maters unless making salsa, but I think I may be doing a lot more of it this season. Z, glad you mentioned this because I thought I was going crazy!

July 31, 2012	#10
Mudman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: NW Wisconsin Posts: 910	Yep, same here, thick skins and sunscald, something I have never had to worry about here before. __________________ Mike

August 1, 2012	#11
habitat_gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: California Central Valley Posts: 2,543	Jetsetter has a very thick skin. It's so thick that I've been removing it. I thought it was the variety, not the weather, since it doesn't rain here in the summer.

August 3, 2012	#12
BigBrownDogHouse Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Northern Illinois ZONE 5a...wait now 5b Posts: 906	Gigantique was the first big beefsteak we pulled out of the garden last week....coming in at just a fraction over a pound. My wife is the number one fresh tomato eater in the family and as she sliced it up and the family had a sample, I noticed she pulled a lot of skin off the tomato. I then remembered seeing this thread and I asked her if that was the reason she cut off a lot of the skin. Indeed it was! We did have a Steak Sandwich hybrid last night that didn't have the problem though. Different tomato, different side of the house.....it was a fantastic tomato, super sweet and super juicy. __________________ Brian

August 3, 2012	#15
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	My container tomatoes got thick skin as soon as the weather got hot. I didn't have that problem with my tomatoes in soil, though. I think all the grass and weeds growing around my plants must have shaded the fruit. It certainly helped with sun scald. Next year, if we have another blazing hot summer, I plan on experimenting with shade cloth.