Tomato Catfacing Garden Guide
Our Store
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Annuals
- Perennials
- Herbs
- Bulbs
- Roses
- Trees, Shrubs, and Vines
- Garden Supplies
- Web Specials
- New Items
-
Garden Guides
-
Guides
- Apple Garden Guide
- Apple, Redlove Garden Guide
- Apricot, Nectarine, & Peach Garden Guide
- Aronia Garden Guide
- Asparagus Garden Guide
- Basil Garden Guide
- Beans Garden Guide
- Beets Garden Guide
- Blueberries Garden Guide
- Broccoli Garden Guide
- Cabbage Garden Guide
- Carrots Garden Guide
- Cauliflower Garden Guide
- Cherry Garden Guide
- Chestnut Trees Garden Guide
- Chives Garden Guide
- Corn Types Garden Guide
- Cucumber Garden Guide
- Currants & Gooseberries Garden Guide
- Dahlia Garden Guide
- Daylily Garden Guide
- Dill Garden Guide
- Eggplant Garden Guide
- Elderberry Garden Guide
- Fall Bulb Planting Garden Guide
- Goji Berry Garden Guide
- Goumi Berry Garden Guide
- Grape Garden Guide
- Hazelnuts Garden Guide
- Herb Growing Garden Guide
- Honeyberry / Haskap Garden Guide
- Iris Garden Guide
- Lavender Seed Germination Garden Guide
- Lettuce Garden Guide
- Lilies Garden Guide
- Lingonberry Garden Guide
- Mountain Ash Garden Guide
- Muskmelon Garden Guide
- Onion Disease Control Garden Guide
- Onion Fertilization Garden Guide
- Onion's Bolting Garden Guide
- Onions Garden Guide
- Onions - Multiplier Garden Guide
- Pawpaw Garden Guide
- Pears Garden Guide
- Plums Garden Guide
- Raspberry & Blackberry Garden Guide
- Rhubarb Garden Guide
- Rose Rootstocks Garden Guide
- Rose Spacing & Container Sizes Garden Guide
- Roses Planting Bareroot Garden Guide
- Roses Sweating Bareroots Garden Guide
- Russian Quince Garden Guide
- Stevia Garden Guide
- Strawberries Garden Guide
- Sweet Corn Garden Guide
- Sweet Corn Ear Disorders Garden Guide
- Sweet Corn Flavor & Yield Factor Garden Guide
- Sweet Corn Germination Issues Garden Guide
- Sweet Corn Maturity Stages Garden Guide
- Sweet Corn NCLB Garden Guide
- Tomatoes Garden Guide
- Tomato Blight Mgt Garden Guide
- Tomato Catfacing Garden Guide
- Tomato Cracking & BER Garden Guide
- Tomato Fruits with Hard Cores Garden Guide
- Tomato Leaf Curling Garden Guide
- Tomato Seed Starting & Planting Garden Guide
- Tuberous Begonia Garden Guide
- Ukrainian Almond Trees Garden Guide
- Wildflowers Seed Planting Garden Guide
-
Solutions
-
Guides
Catfacing on tomato fruit is a physiological disorder, not a disease.
General cause: Environmental factors
Catfacing is a malformation or surface deformity that can include cracking or what is referred to as "zippering" of fruit, but zippering can occur separately as a pollination deformity associated with conditions of high humidity or during colder temps of early spring. Deep scars caused by catfacing can lead to secondary bacterial infections or fungal mold on fruits.
Catfacing Common Causes
- Related to adverse conditions during fruit set or pollination.
- Cold temperatures at flowering.
- Major fluctuations of temperatures from night into day. (More prevalent in the early season)
- High levels of nitrogen.
- Excessive pruning.
- Thrip feeding damage, specifically on the flower pistil.
Catface Avoidance Measures
- Harden off tomato plants well before planting out.
- Avoid planting too early.
- Utilize low nitrogen fertilizers like Tomato Maker® (4-2-6) or Neptune's Harvest Tomato & Veg. formula (2-4-2).
- Prune suckers only up to the 2nd set of flower clusters.
- Keep plants healthy and free from pests with Safer® Tomato & Veg. Insect Spray.
