Setting fruit in 100 degree heat - four winners

[ScottinAtlanta]

One of the most important traits I am noting this summer is the ability to set fruit in intense heat. In the last two weeks, daily temps hit 94-100 degrees almost every day. Four tomatoes put on almost full trusses even during the intense heat:

Bradley
Super Sioux
Sungold Select

and surprisingly...

Ailsa Craig. Smaller round tomatoes, but good taste and they keep coming.

I watered the plants every 2-3 days - they are in raised beds, which lost water very fast as they heated up. I used the electric flosser routine a few times. Other than that, no particular care. These four tomatoes go on my annual plant list.

On the down side, I lost most of the Green Zebra and Black Krim this year to stunted growth and foliar diseases. The Cherokee Purples did very well earlier, but slowed down in the heat and are just starting to flower again. The Lime Green Salad stopped completely during the heat, but as soon as the heat dropped, they started flowering again. Prue did well earlier, but also slowed down as the heat rose.

My NOT Aunt Ginny's Purple (eBay seller, RL plant) is prolific - wish I knew what it is!

[ScottinAtlanta]

I should have added a question: What varieties set copious fruit for you in 90-100 degree heat? With the planet heating up, I think those are the varieties that will become increasingly popular.

[Father'sDaughter]

Originally Posted by ScottinAtlanta

Ailsa Craig. Smaller round tomatoes, but good taste and they keep coming.

Scott, thanks for that bit of info. I received Ailsa Craig as a bonus pack with my order from Tania's last winter, and since my son's name is Craig, I squeezed one plant into my garden plan. It's been setting quite a bit of fruit, but they're still all green. Now I'm really glad I made room for it!

[ScottinAtlanta]

Hey, I got mine the same way. Thanks, Tania.

[jerryinfla]

Thanks for the info, Scott. I'm trialing Bradley this Fall. As for success I've had in the heat, Heat Wave II Hybrid was the first to set fruit last Fall for me. The taste is nothing special though.

[ChrisK]

Scott,

Are you interested in Ailsa Craig with the tangerine mutation for next year?

TGRC accession: LA3183

http://tgrc.ucdavis.edu/Data/Acc/Acc...sionNum=LA3183

Happy to send you some, if so.

[ScottinAtlanta]

Chris, would love it. I wasn't particularly focussed on Ailsa Craig until I saw it perform in the intense heat, at which time my interest was amplified. The tangerine sounds lovely - I will pm you. Thanks!

[Cole_Robbie]

What were your highest nightime low temps in which you were setting fruit?

[JamesL]

Good post, Scott (and all) I enjoyed reading it!
Also interested in the answer to Cole Robbie's question.
Do you think nighttime temps played any role or were they also high?

[ScottinAtlanta]

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

What were your highest nightime low temps in which you were setting fruit?

The highest night temps in that period were low 80s, and the lowest were high 70s.

[Solanum315]

Originally Posted by ScottinAtlanta

I should have added a question: What varieties set copious fruit for you in 90-100 degree heat? With the planet heating up, I think those are the varieties that will become increasingly popular.

NY here so not quite the same heat but the past few weeks have seen a lot of 90+ days. Two of my plants couldn't care less. Ildi and VC-11.

[b54red]

This year the plants that have set the most in the really hot weather are Big Beef, Zogola, Neves Azorean Red, Kosovo, and Zogola. I have had moderate success with Brandywine Sudduth's, KBX, and JD's Special C Tex. I don't have many plants at the stage to set fruit right now and am in the process of setting out a lot of seedlings; but the losses are very high on the plants I have set out in the past week.

Last year Indian Stripe, Dana's Dusky Rose, Spudakee, JD's Special C Tex, Stump of the World, Dr. Wyches Yellow, Lescana, Zogola, and Cherokee Purple were all good in the high heat of late summer. I am hoping to get some to live through the set out and hopefully they will do as good this year and give me a nice supply of fresh tomatoes in late summer and fall.

[Sun City Linda]

I have Siux and Burbank continuing to set now although I am cooler than a lot of the Country at 90s and 65ish most nights still. Seedlings of Bradley, Bolseno, Pearson Improved as well as Black and Brown Boar coming up for Fall planting.

[riceke]

Hey Scott...I'm growing Mule Team(very hi production in this stinkin heat), Abe Lincoln (also producing well) and Arkansas Traveler (seems to like the heat). Last year I grew Big Beef Hyb and Bella Rosa that produced huge fruit in the heat as well but want to save my own seed this year. I didn't have luck with the purple types. They seemed to turn an orangish color and didn't gtaste well. (Black Plum, Seaman). What size are your Bradleys and how muany are you getting?

[ScottinAtlanta]

Thanks, everyone. I am putting together a "high heat" list for our gardeners in this area, and your posts are very helpful.

B54, Stump and Cherokee Purple both slowed down for me when the heat rose. Did yours keep flowering and setting fruit in 100 degree weather?

That is good news, Ken. Abe Lincoln is doing well in my mother's garden, as well. It seems to be quite heat tolerant. Another for my grow list. I am just setting out Mule Team seedlings now - thanks for the tip. I will watch it with interest.

My Bradley toms average about 8-10 ounces, and there are 5-8 per plant.