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| I've grown Sweet 100's every previous year except for this year, and quit growing them this year because I got tired of the tomatoes splitting, in some cases more than half. I've never had a problem with any other type of tomato splitting, only the sweet 100s. I understand that splitting is supposed to be a function of uneven watering, but I was wondering if any of the more experienced growers out there have a trick with the more "split prone" varieties to prevent splitting? Do I need to set a leaky jug in the root zone of the sweet 100 plants? Pick all the fruits at first blush instead of letting them ripen on the plant? Or do something else? I do like the taste, and the productivity, and would like to grow them again, if I can conquer the splitting issue. Thanks! |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Pick once they blush and let them ripen inside. I grew super sweet 100s, and they were also very split prone. |
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| They are known for being split prone. I find that Sweet Million is (bigger and) better. Linda |
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| Tricks to prevent it - if it is due to rain not much you can do about it but picking at color break as mentioned above reduces it substantially. Nothing is gained by leaving them on the vine once they reach color break and the potential for damage/loss is great. Dave |
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- Posted by ncrealestateguy 7b (finerhomesofcharlotte@gmail.com) on Mon, Jul 21, 14 at 22:13
| Sweet Millions do split less, but IMO do not taste as good. Just pick the Sweet 100s as often as you can. If half of them split, then next year plant two of them. I do not like to ripen from color break in the home. One of the main advantages of growing your own tomatoes is to get away from that commercially grown, store bought practice. |
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| I do not like to ripen from color break in the home. One of the main advantages of growing your own tomatoes is to get away from that commercially grown, store bought practice. There is no viable comparison whatsoever between the two methods so please don't imply they have anything in common. The many differences are discussed here and on various other web sources in great detail. Dave |
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| You can do a taste test of your own to find out if there is a real difference betwwen "On-The-Vine" and " On-The-Counter" ripening.Here is how: Take two almost identical fruits both at color break stage. I am not saying that there won't be a difference, because I do not have the evidence and have not investigated it myself. But I think that ripening certain fruits after a certain stage is an internal-to-the-fruit matter. During that time the fruit does not get any help from the plant. |
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| I've grown sweet 100s and had split problems as well. Between splitting, chipmunks, squirrels, birds, etc, if it has the slightest blush i tend to pick it and let it ripen inside. I've ripened my fair share of tomatoes inside and on the vine, and I can't tell a difference, with one exception. (For whatever reason, vine ripened sungolds are just soooo much better IMO). Every other variety ripens great inside....so plus one for that idea. |
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| Brett, Interesting comment about counter-ripened Sungolds! Last year I bought a Sungold that turned out to be an imposter, so a friend gave me a container of them to try. I let them ripen for several days and was disappointed in the taste. This year I have my own Sungold plant and the tomatoes taste pretty good! Linda |
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- Posted by rt_peasant 5 CO (My Page) on Thu, Jul 24, 14 at 15:23
| I had the same experience that Brett had with sungolds. Since reading on this site about picking at color break vs ripening on the vine, I've started picking large beefsteak varieties when they're 1/3 to 1/2 ripe, and I would agree that I can't see much difference in flavor between ripening on the counter vs ripening on the vine. But I tried doing the same with sungolds to avoid having them split, and there was a big difference in taste. Even sungolds that were close to fully ripe never achieved the same sweetness as fully vine-ripened sungolds. I haven't experimented with other cherry varieties, so I don't know if this behavior is unique to sungolds. |
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