Removing catfaced tomatoes early

[Tomatovator]

This year I managed to find space for 19 plants instead of 12. As a result I was able to try a lot of new varieties. Of these several seem to be producing some severely catfaced fruits. I did plant early due to a very warm May but I'm sure it was some cold evening temps that lead to the catfacing. I've been removing the really bad ones thinking that the other fully formed fruits on the same cluster would get more energy from the plant and therefore get bigger. Does anyone else out there remove the catfaced fruits early? I just don't see why I should let them grow when they are obviously going to be awful (for me) to look at and there are plenty of non-catfaced fruits on the vines.

[feldon30]

I am also thinking of pulling catfaced tomatoes next year. So much of the tomato is lost due to scar tissue that very often you don't get to eat even half of the mass of the tomato. So I'm probably going to yank them next year.

[nctomatoman]

Since catfaced fruit are fine for seed saving, what I usually to is to assess the number of other fruit on the plant - I've actually never removed any developing fruit (since disease can hit at any time, today's cluster of healthy fruit can be tomorrow's never to develop cluster on a dying plant). There is no downside to removing the fruit - so it is just your choice.

[feldon30]

Good point about saving seed. But sometimes catfaced tomatoes can be very woody and lots of scar tissue and contain very few seeds.

Then again, I am willing to spend time dissecting a tomato to save the seeds without just squishing it. I remove the core on top, then take a knife and go around the bottom with the blade pointing outwards so that I can get a bunch of seeds to come out without squeezing too hard. Alternately, I slice the tomato and fish out the seeds with a knife. Yes, it's time-consuming.

[Warren]

for those who don't know.....me.....what is catfaced

[harleysilo]

Quick qoogle search reveals this....

Cat Face
The cause of this disorder is not fully understood, but it appears related to extreme heat or cold, drought, or contact with hormone-type weed killer.
Fruits are extremely malformed and scarred on the blossom (bottom) end. There may be irregular swollen or sunken areas and bands of scar tissue. Fruit may also be cracked or split.
To help alleviate the problem, grow locally recommended varieties.






I imagine some of you have a better pic than this...

http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/vegprob...d_catface.html

[dcarch]

Originally Posted by harleysilo

Quick qoogle search reveals this....
------------To help alleviate the problem, grow locally recommended varieties.

Catface is not a problem for most growers; I have never gotten more then one or two per plant. It's fun to see how gruesome they can get, if you do get some.

I don’t see limiting to growing locally recommended varieties on account of catface.

dcarch

[feldon30]

We plant huge plants as early as possible in the season. As a result, they are capable of setting fruit within a few days of being transplanted. Temperatures at that time can hover in the low 40's, which greatly encourages catfaced tomatoes and double blooms.

[Tomstrees]

I'm wondering if cold weather (50's last night) will give me any catfacers as I'm just starting to get fruitset -
Doesn't matter really; if I get em ? I call em seed stock and salsa ...

I def. let em hang ~

Tom