Tomatoes developing rot patches as they ripen

[rosered]

Hello all

I have had a Google around and am still not sure what is wrong with my tomatoes so hoping someone might be able to help.

This is the first time I have grown tomatoes and I was given the plants by someone who wasn't sure what type they are. They are growing in pots in my greenhouse.

The bigger tomatoes are all catfaced (not sure why, I know there can be many causes) but the plant looks OK to me. Other than the catfacing deformity the green tomatoes look alright as far as I can tell. However, as soon as one starts to ripen and go red, brown patches of rot appear on the red areas of the tomato. There hasn't been any rot at all on the green tomatoes or green parts of partly-ripe tomatoes.

The patches seem quite dry and slightly sunken. They are on the sides not at the blossom end.

I have attached pictures of one with a rot patch, two that are green showing the catfacing, and one of the whole plant (it's a bit hard to see much on it. I can do a close up if that would help).

I don't know if the problem is related to the catfacing or is something else but it has happened on every tomato that has ripened on that plant so far. (None have ripened yet on the other plants). I think probably the pot is a bit small now but I don't have any bigger ones at the moment and the plant seems OK apart from the rot. I don't want to go and get a new pot if the rot is caused by something else.



Thanks for any help you can provide

[Two_Sheds]

I've never heard of catfacing before, so thanks for making today a school day !

"Cold temperatures and contact with hormone-type herbicide sprays are commonly believed to be responsible for catface.
Large fruited tomatoes are more susceptible to catface than small fruited tomatoes. In addition some varieties are particularly prone to catface and should be avoided"

Disorders of tomato : Vegetables : Yard and Garden : University of Minnesota Extension

[Two_Sheds]

brown patches of rot appear on the red areas of the tomato. ... on the sides not at the blossom end.

Alternaria Fruit Rot ?

[ButternutSquash]

How about Anthracnose or a similar mould?

[rosered]

I was just looking at Anthracnose and it looks the closest I've seen but on the pictures, the Anthracnose infection patches are sunken around the brown spot (just the inner part of the sunken spot is brown) but on mine the sunken bit is all brown - if that makes sense! I think it's fungal but not sure what can be done other than chuck away. It's frustrating because the plant and green toms look fine other than the catfacing.


Sent from my iPhone using Grow Your Own Forum

[Thelma Sanders]

I can't help with the rot, sorry................

but the large multiblooms, that most beefsteak tomatoes produce, result in catfaced fruit........... and isn't a problem that you need to sort out

[rosered]

Thanks Thelma, that's good to know.

I may end up just picking the green tomatoes and using them for something that uses green tomatoes before they go bad if they seem OK inside.

[Ananke]

I've never heard of cafacing either, I've seen it on some of my own tomatoes over the years but didn't think much of it. I like learning something new

[NatalieCooke]

I was told some of my Tom's were catfaced. I couldn't find much information on this forum about it tho.