Late Season Dropping/Splitting

[Setec Astronomy]

This is the time of year when I don't seem to be able to keep up with the splitting tomatoes.

Is this just fatigue on my part, that after the August rush I just have too many tomatoes? Or my imagination? Or just the rainy weather?

Or is this a real phenomenon that others experience, brought on by some combination of shorter days, colder temps, less leaves due to disease?

It just seems it's much worse this time of year.

[habitat-gardener]

I'm getting more splitting tomatoes, and we haven't had rain since April. I water about every 7-10 days.
Some of the cherry tomatoes have been splitting all summer.

[JRinPA]

Yeah I think the stems get weaker this time of year as the plant health declines. And the less frequent garden visits to tomatoes that never really get ripe like they did a month ago. For me they end up left behind and then start to go bad before ever really getting ripe looking.

Plus, this past week, four days of wet will cause a lot of ugly splits and added water weight tomatoes. They take one look in the mirror, get super depressed, and take the big jump. Goodbye cruel world!

[bower]

It's so annoying. Here you have an overlarge, sad old vine with just one or two fruit, you're patiently tending on it for that last perfect ripe tomato, and then the plant decides to lob it at the ground. And if I'm not careful, I step on it too.