Tough Skins on Tomatoes

[Kathy]

I picked a few 'good' tomatoes & for lunch I had a Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato sandwich.

The flavor is excellent but the skins are very tough. Is that due to such a hot summer or what? I've been watering regularly and it's not just one variety-I picked some Homesteads, Lemon Boys, Arkansas Travelers and two Early Girls.

I think the rest that I picked, I'll skin before slicing-the skins are that tough. The steak knife had trouble cutting through the skins, they're not only tough but rather thick.

So garden guru's, what could be the cause of my thick & chewy tomato skins.

[kyosa]

I believe it's mostly the heat. Although there's also the possibility of some sort of soil deficiency like a shortage of a trace mineral or something like that. Do others in the area (except that low-life theiving neighbor) report anything similar? My bet's on the heat.

[Kathy]

Buddy said his tomato plants are not setting much fruit. His plants are very healthy looking but he's right, there's maybe 5-7 tomatoes on each plant.
Usually, but this time of year the plants are in full production & neither of us have gotten more than a couple dozen.

Today was Really hot and I checked the forecast-today was milder than it's going to get over the next week.
Temps kissing 100 next week.

[momo]

Ours are a little tough too. Maybe it's due to being so dry.

[Kathy]

That's what I thought too, that somehow the weather was playing a big part in this.

For sauces they're going to be great since I peel them before cooking, I've never peeled one for a sandwich before-this should be interesting. ;D

[kyosa]

<< I've never peeled one for a sandwich before-this should be interesting. >>

I'm sure you know this but just in case... Do you blanch them and then 'slip' their skins off? Drop them in boiling water for a minute, then drop in cold water. Skins slip off and the tomato doesn't heat up too much.

[Deleted]

I am not sure if my tomatoes have thicker skins or not...they seem to be normal and I have been eating them like crazy! My tomato plants are loaded with 'maters! Some of them have over 30 tomatoes on one plant....yep, I counted and so did some of the neighbors who did not believe me when I told them that my 'maters were doing great, other than some splitting from the heat.

It seems that my 'maters are doing the best for miles around. There is a lot of the 'cat face' disease in this area and people are pulling off the affected ones and tossing them. Most of the neighbors have plants that are tall, but without any blooms or fruit.....could it be the fact that I keep bees? This year there are not any bees to be found in the neighbor's gardens....my garden, well the whole place, is covered with my bees.

I know that I use organic methods for my garden and that means no chemicals, insecticides, or anything else....other than horse, or bunny manure is in that garden. I do not want to kill any of my bees! (who else can say that they have 'millions' of little pets and that most of them are 'girls'?)

TH

[Kathy]

I have a lot of fruit on the pepper plants just like you do the tomatoes. There were so many in fact I had pepper plants falling over due to the weight.
I had one Golden Bell with 8 full size peppers on it plus smaller ones.

The Hungarians are unbelievable, just loaded and still blossoming.
I have everything for salsa except enough tomatoes.

[nan]

To peel tomatoes you can also rub the dull side of the knife blade over the outside...and the skin will peel off much easier. That way you don't have to heat water. It isn't as easy as blanching them first....but it is easier if you are just peeling one.

My tomatoes...not many...but the few I have...are tough too. It doesn't seem to matter about the water, because we have had LOTS of rain....but maybe it is the heat? Or...maybe it is the heat AND the humidity combo? It has been really hot and humid here lately! If it is the absence of something....mine are growing in terrible soil...so they are absent of just about everything but water....LOL!