I recently found out that tomato pollen can become sterile when temperatures exceed 90°F. Since it's currently about 93°F where I am, I'm concerned that I might have planted my tomatoes too late this season. I have some healthy Better Boy tomato plants that are growing plenty of leaves but not a lot of flowers just yet. I'm wondering if they can still produce fruit if I keep them healthy as the temperatures start to cool down in the fall. Any advice or experiences to share?
3 Answers
If you keep your tomatoes well-watered, you should be alright. Around here, things started shifting back to producing fruit as the days got shorter in August. Even if it's hot now, just keep an eye on watering them deeply and consistently, and they should bounce back in the cooler months! You might want to use some shade cloth to protect them from the intense heat, too.
The heat can slow production down, but as long as you keep your plants healthy, they should start fruiting once it cools off again. I’ve had my cherry tomatoes going strong all summer until the frosts hit, so it’s definitely possible!
Wow, those are some impressive plants you have! It gives hope for the season!
As your tomatoes are an indeterminate variety, they should keep producing flowers all season long. So even if it's hot now, as long as you take care of them, you’ll likely see some fruiting in the fall too!
Yeah, Better Boys are indeed indeterminate. Sounds like you've got a good chance!
In Texas, it'll usually cool off around September, and I think you might still have time to get a decent harvest before frost hits around mid-November.