Q.Tomato Problems
Every year I have problems with my tomatoes. Many of them look perfect from the outside, but have a hard green layer under the surface. I have read your article on why red tomatoes can be green inside, and I do all the things it says I should do. But I’m still left with the feeling it doesn’t provide the real answer. I’ve appended some photos which I hope will help you pinpoint the problem. I might add that this year I thought I might have avoided the problem, but as time went by it came back again. I live in Golden Bay, at the top of the South Island of New Zealand.
Kind regards,
Hagen Jurke
I think you are experiencing damage from a Stink Bug or a leaf-footed bug.
Leaf-footed bugs have a needle-like sucking mouthpart that they insert into the fruit and suck the plant juices.
The puncture causes the soft area that you have on your fruit, a toxin is injected into the fruit. When you peel back the skin you see that the discoloration goes beyond the skin.
The tissue can feel spongy or corky.
You can cut away this damage and eat the tomatoes.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/insects/stink-bug-control.htm
