What is up with this tomato???

[curly_kate]

This is a Kelloggs Breakfast tomato, and is the weirdest one so far. They have all been very weirdly shaped, with bumps and lumps everywhere. I am also growing brandywines, and having the same issue with those. Any ideas what causes this? I'm not particular about the appearance because they still taste delicious, but I'm curious what gives here.

 

[digitS']

This one is from a year or so ago, Kate:

And, one year I grew this:

Steve

 

[mamato3]

We had 1 grow like that this yr had a long point part growing of it. Kid broke it of before i got a pic of it. My hubby made the joke "you know thats a boy plant" lol. That was our first odd shape one

 

[hoodat]

The term for uneven growth like that is catfacing. In some heirloom varieties it's just the way they grow but if a variety is supposed to be round and does that it's usually caused by something interrupting the growth at an early stage. When growth resumes some parts of the tomato grow faster than other parts, causing it to come out uneven.

 

[curly_kate]

Hmmm, it has been ridiculously hot, and also we have been having these downpours in the afternoon that last 30 min or so. So conditions have been kinda weird.

 

[digitS']

Weirdness will do it, Kate.

My picture of the fruit with the blue background is a Red Star. I'd be just delighted to grow that variety.

It turned out to be early enuf for my climate, the plants were healthy and productive and the flavor would just explode when you popped one in your mouth! (Yes, they are little guys and you can stuff a whole one in your mouth. )

It wasn't the weird shapes of the fruits that discouraged me from ever growing it again. Red Star was just too inclined to split and that so often leads to early decay.

I like to have attractive tomatoes but a perfect globe looks a little odd to me also. Good looks is only a part of the story. Splitting, I just can't tolerate and variety selection is very important to avoid splitting. Of course, trying to even out the weirdness with consistent soil moisture might be even more important but we can't control all the variables.

There are some varieties that I just will not have around. That Borneo Pongo had to be run off with a stick!

Steve