Southeastern growers - is the heat and humidity halting ripeness?

[WilburMartin]

My tomato productivity has ground to a halt - I have successfully eaten 5 from a bush hybrid, and 10 from a Creole, but nothing else seems to be growing anything. My Patio bush has one cherry sized green, and my Creole has about 10 4-6oz. tomatoes, but it seems like they have been green for about a month - nothing is blushing. My cucumber has yielded one (out of two tremendous vining plants), and my eggplant are producing like crazy.

Is my MS heat and humidity stopping the fruits from turning? I have lots of buds, and a ton of flowers - but no fruit! Is this just something I am going to have to endure?

[Tracydr]

I had this happen in AZ several times. It was usually a pretty wicked heat wave when it happened. The tomatoes would stay green or even turn sort of ripe but never ripen if they hadn't gotten to a blush stage. If they had blushed I took them in the house as they would just rot.
I've read the enzymes required for ripening are deactivated above a certain temperature.

[kchd..]

I think it depends on the variety. I have a few that continue to set fruit even in this hot weather: Edelrot, Black Zebra, Green Zebra, and a couple others (I'd have to go walk out there and look). Others have completely shut down. I've not grown Creole, so can't comment on it or the other varieties you're growing.

[ScottinAtlanta]

When it gets really hot, step up on the watering, and keep giggling the plants.

[Adriana]

I'm 72 miles north of Atlanta - was out of the country from 6/24-6/28 and had zero fruit set during that time. Apparently it was unseasonably hot, way too hot for pollenation. In the last 3 weeks i've had a ton of fruit set and lots more flowers with heavy bumblebee action. Mid to late August is going to be my big harvest.

We're 19-15 °F cooler than Atlanta so I suspect Atlanta plants are stuck or done due to the heat.

[kurt]

Originally Posted by Adriana

I'm 72 miles north of Atlanta - was out of the country from 6/24-6/28 and had zero fruit set during that time. Apparently it was unseasonably hot, way too hot for pollenation. In the last 3 weeks i've had a ton of fruit set and lots more flowers with heavy bumblebee action. Mid to late August is going to be my big harvest.

We're 19-15 °F cooler than Atlanta so I suspect Atlanta plants are stuck or done due to the heat.

I agree with the above also.Even if you have vigorous large plants that just happen to "grow" into a heat wave
humidity and heat will clump pollens on some plants as to prevent fruit set.Even the action of the wings of pollinators will/can not loosen the the pollen.So Q-tips,manual vibration,the electric tooth brush,the new pollination machines will help in these conditions.I know some folks who save pollens from the machines and manually innoculate for cross pollenization and regular.It does stay viable for a time.LATE EDITING:Note that the original post IMO is referring to determinates,now cherry maters which I grow a lot of since they will have more blooms,ripen differently,evenly and longer might start a different discussion.

[b54red]

Of course fruit production slows considerably in the intense heat but mainly due to blooms falling off from both too little water and lack of pollination. Ripening is a funny thing because with most varieties high heat only speeds up the ripening but with some it will slow it down. Putting down a heavy mulch along with keeping the plants well watered and adequately fertilized will up production and even ripening. I grow fruit all summer long despite the heat but don't expect massive production nor massive fruit size during these trying times. Just keeping the diseases at bay and the pests from taking over can be a demanding chore not to mention keeping an adequate amount of moisture constant so the plants don't suffer too much stress on the hottest days and drop all their blooms.

Despite the high heat some of my plants continue to set an adequate amount of fruit but others do not fare so well. It is important to know which plants do the best during the summer heat and after years of experimenting I have found some reliable ones but I continue to try others and see if they will perform during the late summer heat. I plant my tomatoes on staggered dates. I set out the more heat sensitive varieties like the large pink beefsteaks first and at later dates set out varieties that perform better than most during the hottest times. By doing this I maximize production on some of the more stingy plants like Brandywine Sudduth's. This system also allows me to have younger plants coming into their most productive stage during the hottest part of the summer. The young healty plants seem to set far more fruit on those first few trusses than the older plants and they have a better chance to live on through the fall.

Bill

[garyjr]

Originally Posted by WilburMartin

My tomato productivity has ground to a halt - I have successfully eaten 5 from a bush hybrid, and 10 from a Creole, but nothing else seems to be growing anything. My Patio bush has one cherry sized green, and my Creole has about 10 4-6oz. tomatoes, but it seems like they have been green for about a month - nothing is blushing. My cucumber has yielded one (out of two tremendous vining plants), and my eggplant are producing like crazy.

Is my MS heat and humidity stopping the fruits from turning? I have lots of buds, and a ton of flowers - but no fruit! Is this just something I am going to have to endure?

Wilbur, I am curious what variety your bush hybrid is. I am growing Bushsteak and it has been a heavy setter with very large fruit, but slow to blush. I ate my first Delicious on July 2nd, but the bushsteaks not until about July 9th. They are all turning well now even in 95 plus heat and heat index over 100. I am not sure turning is influenced by heat, but certainly pollination is.

[JerryHaskins]

I am in Mississippi, too (mid-state) and I am still getting tomatoes. Things slow down a lots in July and August though.

I water every few days.

And for the most part, tomatoes are smaller late in the season.

[WilburMartin]

Originally Posted by b54red

Of course fruit production slows considerably in the intense heat but mainly due to blooms falling off from both too little water and lack of pollination. Ripening is a funny thing because with most varieties high heat only speeds up the ripening but with some it will slow it down. Putting down a heavy mulch along with keeping the plants well watered and adequately fertilized will up production and even ripening. I grow fruit all summer long despite the heat but don't expect massive production nor massive fruit size during these trying times. Just keeping the diseases at bay and the pests from taking over can be a demanding chore not to mention keeping an adequate amount of moisture constant so the plants don't suffer too much stress on the hottest days and drop all their blooms.

Despite the high heat some of my plants continue to set an adequate amount of fruit but others do not fare so well. It is important to know which plants do the best during the summer heat and after years of experimenting I have found some reliable ones but I continue to try others and see if they will perform during the late summer heat. I plant my tomatoes on staggered dates. I set out the more heat sensitive varieties like the large pink beefsteaks first and at later dates set out varieties that perform better than most during the hottest times. By doing this I maximize production on some of the more stingy plants like Brandywine Sudduth's. This system also allows me to have younger plants coming into their most productive stage during the hottest part of the summer. The young healty plants seem to set far more fruit on those first few trusses than the older plants and they have a better chance to live on through the fall.

Bill

Yeah - I did the staggering thing - Mortgage Lifter and Pink Brandywine (Burpee seed) are just now budding/blooming. I have Sweet Carneros Pink and Pink Berkley Tie Dye are just now about a foot tall that should be in good shape to produce some tomatoes in September and beyond (hopefully if they stay healthy).

[WilburMartin]

Originally Posted by garyjr

Wilbur, I am curious what variety your bush hybrid is. I am growing Bushsteak and it has been a heavy setter with very large fruit, but slow to blush. I ate my first Delicious on July 2nd, but the bushsteaks not until about July 9th. They are all turning well now even in 95 plus heat and heat index over 100. I am not sure turning is influenced by heat, but certainly pollination is.

I have a Bonnie "Patio" bush that has produced a small setting - mostly due to having it beaten up and partially decimated by wind and rain early on - finally back on track with gobs of blooms. I feel certain the plant will produce with some better weather and some cooler temperatures.

I also have a Bonnie "Better Bush" plant - looks lush and just starting to bud and bloom - I feel certain that will produce, too - just gotta be patient.

I have a Bonnie "Creole" - and there is some controversy regarding whether this is a hybrid or an heirloom - apparently LSU says they do not have any of the stock, but Bonnie and other sellers certainly sell the plant and seeds with the language stating that the seeds were developed by LSU and heat/humidity resistant. I got about 12 from this plant in early June - 4-6 oz. and super tasty. It set about 3 weeks ago that have been growing and have surpassed the first picking in size. A bit of superficial cracking along the shoulders of many of those tomatoes because mother nature was a bit heavy in the rain dept and a bit erratic in early July here.

[WilburMartin]

Originally Posted by JerryHaskins

I am in Mississippi, too (mid-state) and I am still getting tomatoes. Things slow down a lots in July and August though.

I water every few days.

And for the most part, tomatoes are smaller late in the season.

I am sure I will get more from my hybrids, but I am growing some heirlooms from seed for the first time, and I really hope those set a few fruit. I would hate to have put in so much time and energy into planting them for them to wither and die from some fungal malady. I am growing all in containers - I use a wheelchair for mobility, so all the bending over the plant in the ground with tilling, soil amendment, etc. is not very practical.

Do you grow any heirloom tomatoes? Any types better or worse for you? I have 3 Pink Brandywine and 3 Mortgage Lifter plants (Burpee seed) that are growing like mad - good buds, blooms, but I suspect the heat may be hindering the fruit setting. I have 2 Pink Berkeley Tie Dye and 2 Sweet Carneros Pink that are just about 1 foot tall - hopefully they will be good to set some fruit in September.