Tomato Fruit Problems: BER, Cracking, Catfacing, Sunscald

title: "Tomato Fruit Problems: Blossom End Rot, Cracking, Catfacing, and Sunscald"

Tomato with blossom-end rot showing a large dark brown sunken leathery patch on the bottom of the fruit — Classic blossom-end rot on the bottom of a ripening tomato. Image: AI-generated reference.

By Thomas Joseph Published 2026-06-10 Updated 2026-06-13 Reviewed by Thomas Joseph 11 min read

Tomato fruit disorders are among the most common questions in home vegetable gardening, and they are regularly misdiagnosed. A tomato with a dark bottom gets treated with calcium spray when the cause is actually irregular watering. A cracked tomato gets assumed to be disease when it is purely a water-management issue. A catfaced tomato goes in the compost when most of it is perfectly edible.

This guide covers the four most common non-pathogenic tomato fruit disorders — blossom end rot, fruit cracking, catfacing, and sunscald — with diagnostic features for each and practical management guidance sourced from university Extension publications.

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At a glance: diagnostic comparison

Disorder	Where on fruit	Appearance	Primary cause
Blossom end rot	Bottom (blossom end)	Dark brown/black, leathery, sunken	Calcium deficit from irregular watering
Fruit cracking	Skin surface, radial or concentric	Splits in fruit skin	Rapid water uptake after dry period
Catfacing	Blossom end	Distorted, puckered, scarred, or zippering	Cold damage to flower during development
Sunscald	Any exposed surface	White/tan, papery, flattened, dry	Direct sun on fruit after defoliation

Reader questions

Questions from other readers about this guide. Ask your own — if it's a good question, the answer goes here for the next reader.

Is blossom end rot the same as blossom rot?

They refer to the same disorder. Per Missouri Botanical Garden, "blossom end rot" is the standard term. It is sometimes also called "blossom rot" or simply "BER." The dark leathery spot at the bottom (blossom end) of the fruit is caused by calcium deficiency in developing tissue, driven by irrigation inconsistency. It is not a disease.

Can I have blossom end rot and fruit cracking on the same plant?

Yes. Both are caused by irregular watering, so they often co-occur. A dry stretch followed by heavy rain can trigger blossom end rot in developing fruits and cracking in more mature fruits simultaneously. Per Penn State Extension, consistent soil moisture through mulching and drip irrigation prevents both.

My first tomatoes are catfaced but later ones are normal -- is this typical?

Yes, exactly typical. Per Rutgers NJAES, catfacing results from cold damage during early bloom when nighttime temperatures are below 55°F. The first flowers on a tomato planted in May often develop during marginal temperatures. By July, when nights are reliably above 55°F, catfacing stops. The same plant typically produces both catfaced early fruit and normal later fruit.

How do I tell sunscald from disease on fruit?

Per Penn State Extension, sunscald produces a dry, papery, white-to-tan patch on the sun-facing side of the fruit. It is flat and surface-level. Disease lesions (late blight, anthracnose) are typically darker, more irregular, and may have different colors (gray, brown, olive). Sunscald almost always follows visible defoliation that exposed the fruit. If the fruit was shaded last week and is now exposed, sunscald is the most likely explanation. > Recommended gear: Best Soaker Hose for Vegetable Gardens (2026) — our buyer's guide covering picks for every budget, ranked by Extension publication consensus and personal use.

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Tomato Fruit Problems: BER, Cracking, Catfacing, Sunscald

At a glance: diagnostic comparison

Tomato Fruit Problems: BER, Cracking, Catfacing, Sunscald

At a glance: diagnostic comparison

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