Any ideas on this would be greatly appreciated as I am losing all of my tomatoes.

There's no need to throw away the tomatoes -- just cut away the affected parts.

It sounds as if you are having a bit of catfacing and/or stitching going on.

Both are attributable to environmental influences (such as cold, wet, and/or humid conditions) which can hinder complete pollination.

Oh, and some possible fused blooms as well. Again, due to environmental influences.

every tomato I grow looks as though someone tied a string around the center of it. Its thin in the middle and fat and round on two sides. The shape is more of a bone than a round tomato.

You've given an excellent description of what's called Puffiness. If you cut open the affected fruits you should find that they are pretty much empty.

There are several factors that can cause it, and it's not a disease, strictly environmentally induced and it can also occur if fruit hormones such as blossom set are used.

Why don't you Google Tomato Puffiness and see if you can find some pictures and descriptions.

Carolyn

Thank you for all of your help everyone. It actually looks liek it is Catfacing. the fruit inside is fine and allthough I dont use any fertilizers or hormones, only good homne grown composte. It seems as though the cold nights and Hot days have played a part. Thank you so much for solving this mystery for me.

Thank you for all of your help everyone

Just curious if you saw a picture of Puffiness b'c your description of ALL your fruits looking like a bone would not necessarily describe catfacing to be seen on every fruit, as you describe, since catfacing normally occurs early in the season when temps are too cool for normal pollination and the result is partial pollination which then leads to catfacing, primarily with the first fruits of the season.

Puffiness occurs with fully pollenized fruits which are affected environmentally.

Whichever it is many of us have had the same problem although I've never had ALL fruits on a plant be catfaced and seldom have I seen puffiness , but have diagnosed it with others who have had it and shown pictures or described it here.

Carolyn, who also grows in a zone 5 area as you do, and hopes you don't have the same problem next year.

Hey Carolyn,
Yes I actually did look at some pictures of Puffiness and the outside of the fruit with Puffiness is normally fine. The insides are generally rotten. What I am experiencing is the reverse. The outsides have deformities but the insides are fine. The weather in Chicago has been all over the place lately with temperature and humidity running the gammut. My season is almost over so I am just hoping for a better season next year.