OP tomatoes that don't crack & split?

Greatgardens · October 5, 2020

I have a thing about cracking and splitting. Are there OP varieties that are crack and/or split-resistant? I am thinking mostly about slicers/beefsteaks. From my experience, many smaller tomatoes don't have a lot of cracking, but they still may be susceptible to splitting. "Even watering" is a good objective, but one can't control the rain, and many varieties crack and split very badly in containers, especially earthtainers (with constant high moisture).

zeuspaul · October 5, 2020

I Like Carbon. A black full size tomato with little splitting or cracking. I grow and pick the tomatoes and my better half does all of the cooking. I bring in dozens of tomatoes from the garden and place them on the counter. The Carbons always disappear first and she asks for more even while the others remain.

AKmark · October 5, 2020

Crnkovic Yugoslavian is a marketable OP tomato. It still has thin skin, but seems to hold up better than most for us.

Barb_FL · October 5, 2020

This subject I find almost sad.

For me, Aunt Ginny Purple does the best without splitting and tomatoes look nice - almost like hybrid tomatoes.

GGWT was decent with the splitting too.

I never got much if any splitting from the Dwarf tomato project tomatoes.

I'm growing Carbon for the first time and also Cherokee Carbon (2nd time). CC didn't split last season but tomatoes were smaller than expected and redder than expected. I bought new seeds and trying again.

I sowed my Crnkovic Yugoslavian seeds from when I saved in 2017 and had great germination so will grow out a couple. I don't remember them splitting come to think of it.

Last year I grew Black from Tula - split until weather really cooled down (January).
Dana's Dusky Rose split a lot less; also

Polish and Stump of the World were pretty good for non-splitters.

JD - Special C Tex - was the worst of the splitters. Cherokee Purple I would try off and on - but always the same result.

Unless I miss one, I don't let my large tomatoes get totally vine riped (bird pecked). That has helped a lot with the splitting.

PaulF · October 5, 2020

Most of the tomatoes I grow are not susceptible to splitting and cracking unless there is an excess of water. Too much rain will make almost any tomato split or crack. For me many of the cherry tomatoes tend to crack and split more readily than larger varieties.

I am with Barb in picking tomatoes before they are fully ripe to cut down on the problem. If I see a crack beginning that tomato gets picked immediately.

zipcode · October 6, 2020

There is no big tomato, hybrid or OP as split resistant as Crnkovic. And I've gardened in tough conditions. The biggest advantage is no shoulder cracks, ever. If there are heavy rains it may get some of those burst type of splits, but still less than most tomatoes. Only one I grew that is almost crack proof is Roma, possibly other roma types for field growing as well (even those, if night temps are very low and rains for a few weeks, they will crack.).

Fusion_power · October 7, 2020

Somebody has to mention Burgess Crackproof. It is a 4 to 5 ounce tomato so not that large, but the plants are highly productive. As per the name, it does not crack. Eva Purple Ball is another that rarely cracks in my experience. I agree that Crnkovic Yugoslavian is reasonably crack free. Omar's Lebanese is mostly crack free for me as is Druzba.

Flip side, Black From Tula is an absolute split magnet. It gets concentric and sometimes spiral cracks even when watering is carefully controlled.

KarenO · October 7, 2020

I have no issues with cracking on any of my Hearts.
Sunken open stems on beefsteaks make them more prone in general. Look for tomatoes with small stems that are not sunken and you will also find less core along with less cracking.
KarenO

Greatgardens · October 8, 2020

Quote:

Originally Posted by KarenO

I have no issues with cracking on any of my Hearts.
Sunken open stems on beefsteaks make them more prone in general. Look for tomatoes with small stems that are not sunken and you will also find less core along with less cracking.
KarenO

Good to know -- I'll check them out.

I had never heard of Burgess Crackproof. I'll check this out, also.

Greatgardens · October 8, 2020

A couple of years ago, I asked Burpee this question, but not limited to OP varieties. Their horticulturist's answer was

Madame Marmande Hybrid - 72 day, 10 ounce fruit, French beefsteak type
Summer Girl Hybrid - 52 day, 5-6 ounce fruit, good yields
Tasti-Lee Hybrid - 75 day, 6-9 ounce fruit, but is a determinate plant
Thessaloniki - 66-80 day, 4-6 ounce fruit, Greek variety

Of these, Thessaloniki (the only OP) gets generally positive comments.

b54red · October 8, 2020

A couple of large beefsteaks that don't usually crack too much are Red Barn and Couilles de taureau but RB is one of the most susceptible to sun scald. Eva Purple Ball just doesn't crack. Crynkovic doesn't crack much. Hege German Pink is also not too bad to crack. Another that doesn't crack too bad is Dester but most of my favorite varieties will crack pretty badly when the temps are high and we get a lot of rain especially after a dry spell. The only black tomato that isn't prone to cracking much that I have grown is Gary O' Sena the rest of them are crack magnets.

Bill

October 5, 2020	#1
Greatgardens Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Indiana Posts: 1,124	OP tomatoes that don't crack & split? I have a thing about cracking and splitting. Are there OP varieties that are crack and/or split-resistant? I am thinking mostly about slicers/beefsteaks. From my experience, many smaller tomatoes don't have a lot of cracking, but they still may be susceptible to splitting. "Even watering" is a good objective, but one can't control the rain, and many varieties crack and split very badly in containers, especially earthtainers (with constant high moisture). Last edited by Greatgardens; October 5, 2020 at 09:23 AM.

October 5, 2020	#5
PaulF Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brownville, Ne Posts: 3,284	Most of the tomatoes I grow are not susceptible to splitting and cracking unless there is an excess of water. Too much rain will make almost any tomato split or crack. For me many of the cherry tomatoes tend to crack and split more readily than larger varieties. I am with Barb in picking tomatoes before they are fully ripe to cut down on the problem. If I see a crack beginning that tomato gets picked immediately. __________________ there's two things money can't buy; true love and home grown tomatoes.

October 5, 2020	#2
zeuspaul Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: North County, San Diego Posts: 418	I Like Carbon. A black full size tomato with little splitting or cracking. I grow and pick the tomatoes and my better half does all of the cooking. I bring in dozens of tomatoes from the garden and place them on the counter. The Carbons always disappear first and she asks for more even while the others remain.

October 5, 2020	#3
AKmark Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Wasilla Alaska Posts: 2,010	Crnkovic Yugoslavian is a marketable OP tomato. It still has thin skin, but seems to hold up better than most for us.

October 5, 2020	#4
Barb_FL Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Indialantic, Florida Posts: 2,000	This subject I find almost sad. For me, Aunt Ginny Purple does the best without splitting and tomatoes look nice - almost like hybrid tomatoes. GGWT was decent with the splitting too. I never got much if any splitting from the Dwarf tomato project tomatoes. I'm growing Carbon for the first time and also Cherokee Carbon (2nd time). CC didn't split last season but tomatoes were smaller than expected and redder than expected. I bought new seeds and trying again. I sowed my Crnkovic Yugoslavian seeds from when I saved in 2017 and had great germination so will grow out a couple. I don't remember them splitting come to think of it. Last year I grew Black from Tula - split until weather really cooled down (January). Dana's Dusky Rose split a lot less; also Polish and Stump of the World were pretty good for non-splitters. JD - Special C Tex - was the worst of the splitters. Cherokee Purple I would try off and on - but always the same result. Unless I miss one, I don't let my large tomatoes get totally vine riped (bird pecked). That has helped a lot with the splitting.

October 6, 2020	#6
zipcode Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Romania/Germany , z 4-6 Posts: 1,582	There is no big tomato, hybrid or OP as split resistant as Crnkovic. And I've gardened in tough conditions. The biggest advantage is no shoulder cracks, ever. If there are heavy rains it may get some of those burst type of splits, but still less than most tomatoes. Only one I grew that is almost crack proof is Roma, possibly other roma types for field growing as well (even those, if night temps are very low and rains for a few weeks, they will crack.).

October 7, 2020	#7
Fusion_power Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,250	Somebody has to mention Burgess Crackproof. It is a 4 to 5 ounce tomato so not that large, but the plants are highly productive. As per the name, it does not crack. Eva Purple Ball is another that rarely cracks in my experience. I agree that Crnkovic Yugoslavian is reasonably crack free. Omar's Lebanese is mostly crack free for me as is Druzba. Flip side, Black From Tula is an absolute split magnet. It gets concentric and sometimes spiral cracks even when watering is carefully controlled.

October 7, 2020	#8
KarenO Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Vancouver Island Posts: 5,922	I have no issues with cracking on any of my Hearts. Sunken open stems on beefsteaks make them more prone in general. Look for tomatoes with small stems that are not sunken and you will also find less core along with less cracking. KarenO

October 8, 2020	#10
Greatgardens Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Indiana Posts: 1,124	A couple of years ago, I asked Burpee this question, but not limited to OP varieties. Their horticulturist's answer was Madame Marmande Hybrid - 72 day, 10 ounce fruit, French beefsteak type Summer Girl Hybrid - 52 day, 5-6 ounce fruit, good yields Tasti-Lee Hybrid - 75 day, 6-9 ounce fruit, but is a determinate plant Thessaloniki - 66-80 day, 4-6 ounce fruit, Greek variety Of these, Thessaloniki (the only OP) gets generally positive comments.

October 8, 2020	#11
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	A couple of large beefsteaks that don't usually crack too much are Red Barn and Couilles de taureau but RB is one of the most susceptible to sun scald. Eva Purple Ball just doesn't crack. Crynkovic doesn't crack much. Hege German Pink is also not too bad to crack. Another that doesn't crack too bad is Dester but most of my favorite varieties will crack pretty badly when the temps are high and we get a lot of rain especially after a dry spell. The only black tomato that isn't prone to cracking much that I have grown is Gary O' Sena the rest of them are crack magnets. Bill