Maters beautiful on outside, but inedible

bayou_breeze · October 19, 2006

My bucket-maters did good again this year, but my father had a problem I'm hoping somebody can help with. After several years of poor production, he decided to put the odds in his favor this year by planting a large mater crop in both beds & containers, with different varieties, planting times, soil mixtures, and fertilizers. He figured he'd at least hit on the right combination that way.

He had a good crop of maters, but most of them weren't edible, except for some of the first to ripen. They looked great on the outside, but once that nice red peeling was removed, the insides were mostly a hard, thick, greenish-white wall, with only the very middle of the tomato being red and juicy. It didn't matter how long they were allowed to ripen, the results were the same.

The only pest he noticed were some stink bugs, but he said they didn't get out of hand. He watered regularly throughout the growing season.

[I have pics I can email if anybody is interested.]

Any suggestions on what might cause this? Thanks in advance.

shelleybean · October 19, 2006

It's funny you mentioned stink bugs because as I read the paragraph before that one, my first thought was indeed stink bug damage. You can usually see those light blotches on the exterior though. I'll be interested to see how others respond. Right now, I'm still thinking stink bugs.

Worth1 · October 19, 2006

It could be stink bugs, but it sounds like you’ve been growing store bought tomatoes.

Something has definitely stopped the process of development in the things for sure.
What kind of tomatoes did you or your pappy grow?
When did you put them out I take it you may be from Louisiana could sun scaled be the culprit?

Worth

dcarch · October 19, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by bayou_breeze

----------------------
[I have pics I can email if anybody is interested.]

Any suggestions on what might cause this? Thanks in advance.

I encourage you to figure out how to post pictures here. It's easy. Go to Photo Gallery, instructions there.

dcarch

bayou_breeze · October 19, 2006

Michele~
The stink bugs were my first guess, also. I had a major battle with the little critters again this year, so I'm familiar with the little "white spots" you're referring to. However, even with the stink bug attacks, almost every one of my maters was tender and juicy.

In contrast, my father's maters had very few indications that stink bugs had been enjoying their mater-juice right off the vine.

bayou_breeze · October 19, 2006

Worth~

I got a good laugh out of the "store bought tomatoes" reference. However, even those from the store are -somewhat- edible. Not the ones my father grew!!

You're right, I'm from Louisiana, but my father lives in Mississippi. He had his maters growing in many different "sun patterns" so I don't think scald was the culprit.

bayou_breeze · October 19, 2006

dcarch~

Unless I've missed something while reading the FAQ's and Photo Gallery instructions, my pics would have to be available on a server to be able to post them, right? Since they are only on my PC, the only way I know to send them would be via email.

Worth1 · October 19, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by bayou_breeze

dcarch~

Unless I've missed something while reading the FAQ's and Photo Gallery instructions, my pics would have to be available on a server to be able to post them, right? Since they are only on my PC, the only way I know to send them would be via email.

We all have our pictures on the pc but I’ll be if I can tell you how I did it.
Someone give some help here so as I don’t mess up and tell the wrong thing.

Worth

feldon30 · October 19, 2006

You can get a free account at Photobucket and upload your photos there and use them.

I'm really looking forward to us upgrading forums so people can attach images without any computer knowledge.

Polar_Lace · October 19, 2006

Did they look like this, bayou_breeze?

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/images/1014104240

Suze · October 20, 2006

From your description, sounds like gray wall/blotchy ripening, which is a physiological disorder, and not a disease. Frequently, the exact cause(s) can be difficult to pin down.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q...=Google+Search

honu · October 22, 2006

Robin,
What is that? I saw that black thing before in my Cherokee Purple, and it was indeed inedible.

Polar_Lace · October 22, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by honu

Robin,
What is that? I saw that black thing before in my Cherokee Purple, and it was indeed inedible.

On this page: down on the page Ann. Click on the pics to enlarge them!
Physiological, Nutritional, and Other Disorders of Tomato Fruit

Figure 12. Fruit showing graywall in center pith area.

Quote:

Graywall (Blotchy Ripening)
Internally graywall is characterized by dark necrotic areas usually in the vascular tissue of the outer walls (Figures 10 and 11). The necrosis is sometimes present in the cross-walls and very infrequently in the center pith area of the fruit (Figure 12). Outward symptoms show up as grayish appearance caused by partial collapse of the wall tissue; hence the term graywall. It typically develops on green fruit prior to harvest but can develop later. Fruits affected are typically not marketable due to blotchy appearance as fruit ripens. Cause is not completely understood. There are variety differences in susceptibility. Graywall is more of a problem during cool and short days. High N may increase the problem and adequate K may reduce the problem.

bayou_breeze · October 23, 2006

Here are some pics my father took of his maters earlier this season. As you can see, not something you'd want to sink your teeth into.

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/DCP_1252.jpg
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/DCP_1253.jpg
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/DCP_1251.jpg
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/DCP_1250.jpg

honu · October 23, 2006

Robin & Suze, Thanks for the informative links.

October 19, 2006	#1
bayou_breeze Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Deep South Posts: 5	Maters beautiful on outside, but inedible My bucket-maters did good again this year, but my father had a problem I'm hoping somebody can help with. After several years of poor production, he decided to put the odds in his favor this year by planting a large mater crop in both beds & containers, with different varieties, planting times, soil mixtures, and fertilizers. He figured he'd at least hit on the right combination that way. He had a good crop of maters, but most of them weren't edible, except for some of the first to ripen. They looked great on the outside, but once that nice red peeling was removed, the insides were mostly a hard, thick, greenish-white wall, with only the very middle of the tomato being red and juicy. It didn't matter how long they were allowed to ripen, the results were the same. The only pest he noticed were some stink bugs, but he said they didn't get out of hand. He watered regularly throughout the growing season. [I have pics I can email if anybody is interested.] Any suggestions on what might cause this? Thanks in advance. __________________ [No trees were hurt during the sending of this email; however, a large number of electrons were seriously inconvenienced]

October 19, 2006	#2
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	It's funny you mentioned stink bugs because as I read the paragraph before that one, my first thought was indeed stink bug damage. You can usually see those light blotches on the exterior though. I'll be interested to see how others respond. Right now, I'm still thinking stink bugs. __________________ Michele

October 19, 2006	#5
bayou_breeze Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Deep South Posts: 5	Michele~ The stink bugs were my first guess, also. I had a major battle with the little critters again this year, so I'm familiar with the little "white spots" you're referring to. However, even with the stink bug attacks, almost every one of my maters was tender and juicy. In contrast, my father's maters had very few indications that stink bugs had been enjoying their mater-juice right off the vine. __________________ [No trees were hurt during the sending of this email; however, a large number of electrons were seriously inconvenienced]

October 19, 2006	#6
bayou_breeze Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Deep South Posts: 5	Worth~ I got a good laugh out of the "store bought tomatoes" reference. However, even those from the store are -somewhat- edible. Not the ones my father grew!! You're right, I'm from Louisiana, but my father lives in Mississippi. He had his maters growing in many different "sun patterns" so I don't think scald was the culprit. __________________ [No trees were hurt during the sending of this email; however, a large number of electrons were seriously inconvenienced]

October 19, 2006	#7
bayou_breeze Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Deep South Posts: 5	Re: Maters beautiful on outside, but inedible dcarch~ Unless I've missed something while reading the FAQ's and Photo Gallery instructions, my pics would have to be available on a server to be able to post them, right? Since they are only on my PC, the only way I know to send them would be via email. __________________ [No trees were hurt during the sending of this email; however, a large number of electrons were seriously inconvenienced]

October 19, 2006	#3
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	It could be stink bugs, but it sounds like you’ve been growing store bought tomatoes. Something has definitely stopped the process of development in the things for sure. What kind of tomatoes did you or your pappy grow? When did you put them out I take it you may be from Louisiana could sun scaled be the culprit? Worth

October 19, 2006	#9
feldon30 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 5,346	You can get a free account at Photobucket and upload your photos there and use them. I'm really looking forward to us upgrading forums so people can attach images without any computer knowledge. __________________ [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]

October 19, 2006	#10
Polar_Lace Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Z8b, Texas Posts: 657	Did they look like this, bayou_breeze? http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/images/1014104240 __________________ It's not how many seeds you sow. Nor how many plants you transplant. It's about how many of them can survive your treatment of them.

October 20, 2006	#11
Suze Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 3,027	From your description, sounds like gray wall/blotchy ripening, which is a physiological disorder, and not a disease. Frequently, the exact cause(s) can be difficult to pin down. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q...=Google+Search

October 22, 2006	#12
honu Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Hawaii Posts: 270	Robin, What is that? I saw that black thing before in my Cherokee Purple, and it was indeed inedible.

October 23, 2006	#14
bayou_breeze Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Deep South Posts: 5	Here are some pics my father took of his maters earlier this season. As you can see, not something you'd want to sink your teeth into. http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/DCP_1252.jpg http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/DCP_1253.jpg http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/DCP_1251.jpg http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/DCP_1250.jpg __________________ [No trees were hurt during the sending of this email; however, a large number of electrons were seriously inconvenienced]