How to Save Tomato Plants from Heat

[taradal]

I got my tomato plants in quite late, this year, so now, even though I do have some set fruit, I have a LOT of blooms. The 10 day forecast is showing highs of 92 to 96 degrees. So, of course, that means blossom drop
I am considering pulling out extension cords and a couple of oscillating fans. Maybe through the heat of the day? Has anyone had any success trying to battle high temps?

[pepperhead212]

Usually, it has taken several days in a row over 95° to cause blossom drop on my plants, I'm hoping that this will not be one of those heat waves. I keep trying new varieties, to see if they are resistant to heat.

[Gary350]

Plants in full sun are much hotter than plants in the shade. Did you ever put your hand on the hood of your car setting in the sun and burn your hand. Build a awning over your plants with a blue tarp from Harbor Freight. Put the tarp up 6 ft high poles then tie corners to stakes like a tent to hold it up. Set up shade tarp parallel to the ground so your plants get morning sun the coolest part of the day then you want the tarp to shade your plants from about 11am until dark every day. This will keep plants 20 to 30 degrees cooler. If temperature is 95 degrees plants can be 125 degrees in full sun. Shade will not let plants get hotter than the air temperature this works very good for me. With tarp parallel to soil big wind will not blow it away but rain might turn it into a swimming pool so put steaks in center to hold it up.

[imafan26]

I get close to 90, we even set a record a few days ago. I grow heat and disease resistant plants. Most of them will hold on to blossoms if they get enough water and the heat is only a one day event. I found growing tomatoes in SIPS prevents wilting and BER. On very hot days I have a mister system that is set up around the plants and mists between 10 am and 3 pm on a timer. That does seem to help. I usually grow corn in my raised beds in summer so they do help shade the tomato container from the sun and that keeps the roots cool. The leaves can handle more sun than the roots. I know in some places people do relocate their tomatoes to the east side so that the building will shade them in the afternoon. I have not had to put shade cloth over my tomatoes but I know some people do that. The non heat resistant tomatoes like Early Girl do stop producing fruit once the temperature goes over 88 degrees consistently which is every day around here in Summer. The vines that survive will produce again once the weather cools.
I used a tent misting system that I bought on sale from Lowe's a few years ago. I used 47% shade cloth on a tent frame I made with pvc connectors and tent anchors in cement blocks. It is portable and I used the frame for gourd a few years but the weight of the gourds bent the poles unless I put reinforcement rods into the tent poles to give them extra support. I also had to make sure the tent was not set up near the house since the vines would try to climb onto the roof of my house.,
https://www.ecanopy.com/mist-tmmp-wt.ht ... gKaA_D_BwE

[Ksk]

I live at 6500 feet and we go from snow to hot summer in a few weeks. It was 100 here yesterday. To prevent blossom drop shake each plant vigorously each morning when you water. As tomatoes can self pollinate, hot weather usually means little or no breeze. These unpollinate blossoms will drop.Shaking helps set the fruit and lessens the dropped flowers. Once fruit is set, there will be less dropping of the blossoms/small fruit that will soon appear.

Next; get a good thermometer for the garden. As the temperature reaches into the mid 90s, set up a way to shade the plants during the hottest hours 1:00 - 5:00 is what we do. I use very large shade cloths I bought at Costco ($20.00). These are often called “shade sails” and they will get your plants out of the hottest hours of the day. They are loosely woven and will let some rain through and will protect plants from hail. Tarps can work as well but this loose weave filters the sun without blocking it.

I set up PVC tubes as a hoop frame and use large bulldog clips to secure the cloth. Take the cloth off or roll it up for the morning and evening like a window shade. Allow cross breeze by focusing mostly on the hottest sun that comes directly overhead. Two years ago I just put in metal stakes and clipped cloth to a fence as describe above. Thes cluge work as well. I went from 5 cherry tomatoes to hundreds.

I have had great results with this approach even up to 105 degrees!
This will also keep the direct sun off the area to help hold evaporation down. I also recommend 3-5 inches of straw or other mulch to lower soil temperatures and to keep tomatoes evenly moist to avoid splitting. Mulch can lower soil temps by 5-10 degrees.

Also: This approach will extend cool season veggies. I still have snow peas and cabbage and last year the cabbage went through to August. You can also use this shaded area to harden off your tender cuttings and seedlings for fall planting.
Happy eating!

[Ksk]

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