Thank you, this is great info!
I stumbled across it while looking for a tomato issue that they give mention to for July and also have a link to a page with fuller info.
Environmental (Abiotic) Problems of Tomatoes
(I don’t think I’ve ever seen a url that long that wasn’t because of a bunch of tracking code added on the end. (6 folders deep on server))
I have blotchy ripening with yellow spots and also have internal whitening, in my case, a white ring not far under the skin. A similar form is under ripening on the shoulders along with the white inside.
One cause is low potassium which I doubt is the case here since I used goat manure which is mild and the highest of the NPK is K. Other causes are all weather related, too dry, too wet, too hot, too humid.
Got 2 out of 8 tomatoes that are fine. Solid red inside and out. My soil was saturated for a while even though it’s under a tunnel roof. It seeped in sideways. Then before I mulched, my bare soil was 98 degrees and direct sown bean/melon/cuke seeds wouldn’t germinate. Mulching fixed that.
Sparse foliage allowing too much sun OR overcrowded foliage can cause issues too. I need to do a little pruning because I planted them too close together but I’m pretty sure the problem is/was heat, humidity, too much cloud cover with all the rain, and at one time, saturated soil and after that, hot temps with 98 degree soil.
The weather has gotten a bit more normal which probably gave me the two good tomatoes. Prune them up a little and hope is doesn’t get weird again and with indeterminate, I should still get a bunch of normal maters.
My taste test and opinion of Rutger’s changed with a solid red fruit. Still thick skinned but not as tough and all else was better. Still seems better as a sauce tomato but determinate makes more sense for that. Then again, 3-4 processing sessions might be more desirable than one huge session. Once a Month Cooking.
Solutions to Environmental (Abiotic) Problems of Tomatoes? Make sure potassium is good in this case but in general, “buy resistant varieties” but there are no official/scientific names like Fusarium Wilt etc so you have to look for things like “can handle the heat”.
Might start looking at regional varieties like Arkansas Traveler, Amish Paste, Ozark Pink. Could look at MO Extension for varieties but then you end up with 100% commercial F1 varieties with names like H723-A.