Tomato catfishing: how to diagnose, treat and prevent it
One of the deepest pleasures of home-grown tomatoes is that we can grow a wide variety of tomatoes with unique colors, flavors, shapes, and sizes. We are no longer limited to the mostly bland, spherical, red toms found in the store. We can explore many types of colors from bright yellow to deep purple from small to large. But, once in a while, we grow a tomato that has turned from unique to ugly. What happened? This may be the case when the cat encounters the tomato. Let’s find out exactly what it is and how to avoid this false tomato phenomenon.
What is CatFacing?
Catfaced is different from some fruit and flower problems that tomatoes face. If the tomato ripens with deep indentations, rough scars, blisters, random ripening, and sometimes limited areas it is called cat face. The reasons the cat faces are still a mystery. This is not the end of the world, it only affects some tomatoes in general. But it is often found in the largest tomatoes of the crop. You are eagerly waiting for it as it matures and turns red. You pick it up and flip it over, unfortunately, it's stuck with injuries. Disaster!
Why is Catfacing a Problem?
Like I said, not the end of the world. Catfaced tomatoes are still edible. But it may welcome some mold, mildew, or insect pests into its weird bookmarks and folds, which can be appetizing. Catfaced tomatoes are challenging to process and delicate to carve, with random ripening, some fungal bits, and bug-eaten parts. As we plan the adventure of growing tomatoes, delicious, ripe tomato slices will spill water in our mouths!
What kind of tomatoes are most prone to catfishing?
My understanding is that the chances of catfacing occurring in hereditary tomatoes are high. This is also true in my experience. The bigger the tomato, the more potential defects, so the bigger the heirloom the more vulnerable it will be by catfacing.
How does catfacing occur?
Although cultural practices and growing conditions can contribute to the size of the cat face, the cat face can be shown during the flowering stage of the tomato. Occasionally a tomato flower is attached to one another.
The most important single trick to avoid catfacing
I would have liked to have known this trick many years ago, which is why I am sharing this with you. Remove the attached flowers. I am asking. Remove expensive tomato blossoms? Are you crazy! I do not, I swear! You will thank me. Finding them is easy once you know them. They are usually the first and most terminal (farthest) flower in the cluster in my experience. Removing these flowers allows the plant to focus most of its energy on producing fruit from single unattached flowers rather than on ripe fruit. As a tomato grower, once a few days or once a week, you will find yourself wandering through your tomato patch. The small work that goes with it will become a pleasure. Mine, tying up lost branches, pinching out unwanted suckers, removing down or yellowing leaves, and pinching combined flowers. You may be experimenting with your beauty anyway. A great opportunity to share love and attention on their way.
Other Ways to Reduce Catfacing
Avoid excess nitrogen
I have seen messages telling me to avoid excess nitrogen. This is an excellent practice for tomato cultivation. Lots of nitrogen can cause green, leaf growth. But your tomato roots like phosphorus and fortify with a little magnesium and a little potassium with calcium. A well-balanced organic diet can be a great start. Well-balanced nutrition can also help with other flowering and fruit problems.
Avoid random irrigation
Other reports talk about avoiding random irrigation. Also, a wonderful workout. Tomatoes prefer balanced watering. Regular watering can reduce fruit bursting and reduce some fruit growth problems.
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