And a butterfly....and a regular fly. There's something I don't see very often. A butterfly apparently eating or drinking from a split open tomato. The tomatoes are looking pretty bad this time of year.
Tired Tomato
Yea, but your butterfly and fly look real happy :) Nice shot of a 'maters demise ;)
Dea
That is a nice photo.
One reason for tomato fruit splitting is overwatering. When excessive heat causes the leaves to wilt we anxious gardeners feel that the plants may be thirsty and so give them extra water. The liquid travels to the fruits and if there isn't room for it the fruits will split. Good mulching around the base of the plants will keep the soil as much as 10 degrees cooler and help the plants reduce wilting.
Another suggestion is to start cuttings from your plants for fall growth. There may not be enough time left this season in zone 6, but you can cut some new growth from tired plants, root them quickly in water, or with rooting compound in potting soil, and get a late crop from vigorous plants.
I can thank the rain for the overwatering :) These haven't been watered for months - ever since they got established in late spring. Can't remember if the in-law's mulched them or not...I think there might have been a little straw around the base.
Love the photo! I managed to get 6 quarts of juice from my equally ugly tomatoes.