Problems on tomatoes: identify, treat, and prevent them

Healthy tomato fruit are smooth. Skins are firm and have consistent color. In contrast, problems on tomatoes show themselves with spots or lesions on skin, other abnormal exterior markings, or inconsistent plant growth. As you monitor your plants daily, look carefully on all areas of the fruit. Look for these red flags on a particular areas of tomato fruit to quickly identify problems

Top and shoulder

Stem end

Blossom end

Entire fruit

Steps to take to prevent problems on tomato fruit

Are There Problems on Your Tomato Plant’s Fruit?

Is there a problem with your tomato fruit? Explain what the problem looks like. Share what tomato variety you’re growing and when you first noticed the problem. While you’re at it, describe your growing conditions, the weather, and how much water your plants have had. Any details you can share will help us help you with the problem on your tomatoes!

What Other Visitors Have Said

Tomato Fruit Drop
Q. I have grown my tomato plants in the greenhouse, planting them during good weather. Then, temperatures dropped to 43 F for more then a month until heating ...

Cracks and mold on the top of my tomatos Not rated yet
A. I'm writing about the tomatoes we grew in a small garden in the Indianapolis, IN area this season. They were "Better Boy" tomatoes. When they first ...

Why is my tomato plant not bearing fruit? Not rated yet
Q. I have had a tomato plant for about 6 months, and it's growing so big and green. Currently, it's filled with flowers, but they just dry up and fall ...

Why yellow shoulders & cracked stem end? Not rated yet
Q. It's the summer of 2011, the place central Indiana. I've got 600 plants (12 varieties). The season started too wet, then too dry, then too hot (100 ...

Mealy tomatoes instead of juicy ones Not rated yet
Q. What makes tomatoes have a mealy texture?

A. Often, the first tomatoes of the season or tomatoes grown in containers may have a mealy texture....

Why are my romas perfect on the outside, but have a dark rot in the middle? Not rated yet
Q. Why are my Romas perfect on the outside, but when cut into the seed core is black with rot?

A. There's at least two possible reasons your tomatoes ...

Brown Spots on Brandywine Tomatoes Not rated yet
Q. My Brandywine tomatoes have brown spots which have sink holes in some of them. What can this be?

A. There are several possible reasons why your ...

Why do the tops of my tomatoes have raised bumps? Not rated yet
Q. My tomatoes have bumps on the top that grow into each other. The bumps even form smiley faces. Some fruit has growths that look like small horns protruding ...

Tomato started to rot as it ripened Not rated yet
Q. The first tomato in my crop to ripen was rotted. When I picked it, half was gooey and brown. There were two or three tiny white larvae-looking creatures ...

Holes in our tomatoes: what is causing this? Not rated yet
Q. We live in Western Arkansas and are growing a variety of tomatoes. We have noticed that a good portion of the fruit have a hole here or there. We've ...

My tomatoes are wrinkly, and they aren't getting bigger?? Not rated yet
Q. Why are some of my tomatoes turning all wrinkly? They were fine a couple days ago. Also, the are beef tomatoes, but they aren't getting any bigger....

What causes cracks in the tops of the tomatoes? Not rated yet
Q. My tomatoes have cracks on the top where the stems are. Does a calcium deficiency cause this problem?

A. Tomato cracks (sometimes called “growth ...

Open split on my tomato Not rated yet
Dear Tomato Dirt,
I picked my first red tomato off the vine. It has a split from stem to middle of tomato. The split if about a quarter inch wide ...

Blossom ends got soft Not rated yet
Q. Seems like overnight the blossom ends of most tomatoes on one plant got soft, not discolored though. We've been having crazy weather last week was ...