[Vivian]

Hi everyone, this is my first time on this forum but I have had some really good help from the poultry forums in the past so hopefully someone here can be as helpful.  I have grown lots of tomatoes in my greenhouse and they are healthy looking, big (most of them) and in various stages of ripeness.  My problem is that when I cook them the centre has a hard core and even the ones that fall of the vine because they are so ripe still has this hard piece inside.  The plants themselves look healthy - no yellowing of leaves etc.  Does anyone know what causes this please.

[mumofstig]

I don't know the cause either, but all i can say is that alot of mine have been the same this year......I think it's due to the weather................... I blame everything strange on the weather.......stops me worrying about things

[Ice]

Does the inside look normal or hollow?

[Vivian]

hi  the inside looks normal with the exception of the top centre which is yellow

[tode]

Hi Vivian,
Do your tomatoes look a bit like this?:


If so it's called Greenback: the top (yellow) bit stays quite hard, and there's often a very fibrous core.
I had quite a bit of it in the GH when it was very hot. Caused by too high a temperature, I think.  The yellow bit won't ever ripen, even on window-sill.

[Faz]

You'll just have to chop them bits out this year, but next year you could consider shading the inside of your greenhouse during the height of  summer.

Personally i have never bothered, just live with a bit of toughness in some of the toms.

[Vivian]

Hi Tode,  thanks for the photo.  I'm afraid mine doesn't look like that.  It sounds the same problem inside but my tomatoes are cherry red and plump - an ideal advertisement for growing your own until you cut into them. 

[tode]

I think it's the same thing: that was the only pic I could find: its a bit of an extreme case !
Mine had just an orange disk round the stalk, but toms that hadn't suffered so much were red, and just a bit hard round the stalk.
Can't think what else it could be. What sort were they ?

[Vivian]

Hi Faz  interesting - my tomatoes although they do not get loads of sun all day as trees have been planted in the wrong situ, the greenhouse has been refurbished.  Instead of glass we have used I think its called polycarbon - the stuff you use on a conservatory roof.  That said, there has been plenty of ventilation and here in Cumbria the weather has been quite wet and cloudy for most of the summer.

[tode]

Try putting a min/max thermometer in among your toms: may surprise you.
Mine got up to 48° before I took action !
Fried toms on the vine 

[Vivian]

Hi not sure what they were.  I bought them in Morrisons supermarket and they don't have a name.  Maybe that is part of the problem.  Next year I will buy something like Moneymaker.  Thanks for reply.

[mumofstig]

Please don't buy 'something like moneymaker' I think it's completely tasteless

[lovemyveg]

If it is a cherry tomato that you are after try Cherrola, they have been excellent - in and out of the greenhouse - I have been picking them since July and there are still loads left.