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Gardener shares what to do to keep your tomatoes from splitting before harvest: 'I didn't know'

"I picked some yesterday and wondered what was happening."

"I picked some yesterday and wondered what was happening."

Photo Credit: Instagram

If you're annoyed that your tomatoes are splitting, there's a way you can prevent this from happening to ensure you're getting tasty, juicy tomatoes all the time. 

The scoop

Jess Gough (@happy_smallholding) posted a video to show you how to prevent this from happening. 

The reason your tomatoes are splitting is because they are getting too much water. In the fall, they don't need much water. 

"If you are growing your tomatoes indoors, this just means you need to go a little easier on the watering can," Jess said.

She adds that if you feel like watering them, you can pick the ripe and almost ripe tomatoes since they will continue to ripen once they are picked.

She also encourages her followers to check the weather forecast if the tomatoes are growing outside. If it's going to rain, pick the ripe and almost ripe tomatoes. 

How it's working

Jess noted that you can still eat those split tomatoes, but they "just won't keep as well, and the flavor isn't quite as intense due to the higher water content." She added that you should check for mold before eating them. 

Growing your own food is not only tasty, but it also has many health benefits. According to All That Grows, growing your own food helps you maintain a healthy diet, and it also ensures no chemicals are being used in your food. Tending to your garden can help you burn calories as well. A study showed that gardening can reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's. With all these health benefits, you can also save money

Another study showed that gardeners get 1.4 more grams of fiber in their daily diet. Additionally, a 2020 study found that community gardening is good for your mental health. 

In addition to these health benefits, gardening is also good for the environment. According to the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, growing your own food reduces plastic waste since you won't be buying as many groceries wrapped with plastic. It also reduces the polluting gases produced by trucks transporting the food. 

Growing your own food is an excellent investment you can make for yourself and your family. Getting started can cost $70, but you can produce $600 worth of food a year. 

What people are saying

Instagram users were grateful for the tip. 

"I didn't know you could overwater them at this time of year," one user commented.

Another had encountered this same issue, saying, "I picked some yesterday and wondered what was happening."

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