Raleigh. 101 degrees. Heat Index 116. Just plain silly....

**nctomatoman** · July 12, 2011

If last year was hot, this year is hotter. Most of June was over 90 (all time record set). July is following suit. I have no idea how plants can deal with this stuff...I sure can't (did my gardening between 9-11 today, and my T shirt must have weighed 5 pounds after I was done).

Yet, somehow, my tomato crop is better than in many years - getting the plants set out 3 weeks prior to last year seems to have made all the difference.

We canned our first 5 quarts of tomatoes today (trying something new this year - not peeling - just quartering, saving seeds, and putting what's left into the quart jars with salt and lemon juice). The peels don't bother us in the least and it makes the job much quicker and more pleasant!

Our quarts today probably have bits of 40-50 different tomatoes!

gtnate · July 12, 2011

Glad to hear that you are getting good production in that heat!

In my neck of the woods, the weather has been miserable as well, but for the opposite reason. Over the next 10 days, the average high is 69 degrees. It was like this last year, with a cloudy and unseasonably cold Spring and Summer.

I'm really hoping that the August temperatures pick up a little, and that we have an Indian summer so that I can at least get a little production out of my tomato vines.

Skaggydog · July 12, 2011

Weather gets better every year where I'm at, thanks to this Global Warming. I hardly have to shade my tomatoes this year thanks to a little overcast and a few clouds now and then. Up until a few years ago there was NEVER any rain in the summer here. The moisture and winds from the Warming are messing things up all over the world, but there are a few places actually doing better for it. I'm liking it now but I've got a feeling it's going to get real bad for everyone in a lot of ways sooner then we think.

rnewste · July 12, 2011

Nate,

I am a thousand miles South of you in (sunny) San Jose, and this is our forecast for tomorrow:

Hourly Forecast
6 am

59°F
Feels Like
59°F 9 am

63°F
Feels Like
63°F 12 pm

68°F
Feels Like
68°F 3 pm

71°F
Feels Like
71°F 6 pm

68°F
Feels Like
68°F 9 pm

61°F
Feels Like
61°F

Raybo

Stepheninky · July 12, 2011

We have had 115F heat index the last two days and 78 dew point it has been miserable. Like you (my tomatoes were planted very late so not any ripe ones) but they are still setting fruit some how and the plants look healthier than normal for the high temps. Usually I get some yellowing of lower branches in extreme heat but so far not this year. The plants are very healthy looking.

It finally just started rain outside so maybe tomorrow will not be as bad.

tjg911 · July 12, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by nctomatoman

If last year was hot, this year is hotter. Most of June was over 90 (all time record set). July is following suit.

that's odd i thought your weather was cooler than normal this summer?

so far this summer it has been warm but not very hot and not very humid, very pleasant weather vs the typical crap in july. as of today we have had just 7 days that have been 90+, normal for the entire season is 19. last summer on this date we already suffered thru 14 days, last summer was almost as hot as h-e-l-l we had 34 days 90+. summers are pretty hot and humid here as you know.

i couldn't/wouldn't live south of where i am just because of summer. i can take the cold of winter without blinking an eye, 10 degrees is pleasant to me but days like today, over 90 and very humid the heat index was 96 i believe, i detest. i stayed inside all day not even going out to water the garden. right now it has cooled off nicely hartford is reporting 83 (which seems much warmer than it feels) with 47% humidity but here in northwest ct it feels like 65-68 with humidity of 47% and a nice breeze of about 5-10 mph, very very nice compared to 6 hours ago or 24 hours ago.

tom

cdbva · July 12, 2011

We had a high of 96, which is not surprising at this time of year. However, tonight I went to my plot at 8:00 pm just to tie up a few branches and make sure all the tomatoes were still there (they weren't; two had been half eaten by an unknown varmint). It was still 88 degrees. Ugh. That is unusual.

My reading glasses kept sliding down my nose and since my hands were both involved in scissors, ties and tomato branches, it was slow going.

And hot.

Even more unusual is that now, at 11:15, it's still 88 degrees. Very odd.

Christine

**nctomatoman** · July 12, 2011

Tom, I think 23 of 30 days in June was above 90 - all time record. What's been different (until recently) is that the nights were "cooling" into the upper 60s. But no longer - it is 1130 PM, temp is 89 degrees, heat index of 97! Dogs didn't get the walk tonight...they got to sniff around in our front natural area to take care of business!

It is pretty certain this summer will break the all time record of 90 degree plus days for this area.

tjg911 · July 13, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by nctomatoman

Tom, I think 23 of 30 days in June was above 90 - all time record. What's been different (until recently) is that the nights were "cooling" into the upper 60s. But no longer - it is 1130 PM, temp is 89 degrees, heat index of 97! Dogs didn't get the walk tonight...they got to sniff around in our front natural area to take care of business!

It is pretty certain this summer will break the all time record of 90 degree plus days for this area.

that's brutal heat craig.

it is so dramatically different right now than at 5 pm it's like a completely different week! it is extremely pleasant right now not a bit of humidity i'd guess it's dropped to a dew point of below 50 right now and that's real dry for this time of year and at night. the rest of this week is supposed to be low 80's maybe 70's in this part of ct with low humidity, i'll take every one of those i can get in july!

it's hotter and more humid there than here, you know what the weather's like in southern new england. i guess your only option is to move north or deal with it and i doubt you want to come back up here. i just couldn't deal with the heat and humidity you get as early as you do and have it last as long as it does. maybe move to a higher elevation in nc?

frankly i'd like to move north to new hampshire but i question if i'd get enough warmth in the summer to grow the heat loving plants i want. i suppose it'd depend upon the climate in the area i'd be in, too many variables i doubt i'd ever move unless i gave up gardening and i don't see that. it's a toss up, cooler summer days mean colder summer nights. thankfully the bad summer is just july and august, things really cool off after labor day tho still warm just not oppressive. this is why i couldn't live any further south than here.

sending cool and dry thoughts your way!

tom

Sherry_AK · July 13, 2011

Tom, you really need to move to Alaska! Come be my neighbor ... you'd love it here.

Sherry

Full Moon · July 13, 2011

Quote:

Yet, somehow, my tomato crop is better than in many years - getting the plants set out 3 weeks prior to last year seems to have made all the difference.

I'm very happy for you Craig. I think I read that last year was a shocker for you.

Quote:

We canned our first 5 quarts of tomatoes today

You're canning! I'm not even close to eat my first tomato and you are canning!!!!

That'll teach me to move to Canada

Enjoy reading your tasting reports very much, my level of anticipation rises everytime I read a new one.

July 13, 2011

It's been over 100 every day in July here. We missed a few hot days by spending some time in the cool mountains of Colorado, but you have to come home someday and it is still hot.

Early in the spring the heat really bothers me. As the summer progresses, I become accustomed to the heat and can work all day in it. I just wear t-shirts and head bands which stay cool due to evaporation of sweat. I usually pull the headband off when I go in the house or get in the car. I'm always surprised how cold the headband feels due to the rapid evaporation of sweat. The only time I really hurt is when I come into the air conditioned house. My body suddenly realizes how hot it is and I start feeling drained of energy. After a little time, my body cools and the air conditioning feels good. I don't like working in the high heat, but I can usually find ways to make it bearable and actually feel physically better outside than inside. It was 105 degrees the other day and I thought it felt pretty good so long as I could do things like repair the lawn mower in the shade. If I stepped from the shade into the blazing sun light, it felt like stepping into the fire.

While my tomatoes are hibernating in the hot sun, they are blooming. I have seen a few small fruit that have set in the heat. I don't know how the fruit is able to set since the days are over 100 degrees and the nights only drop to 85 degrees.

Ted

cornbreadlouie · July 13, 2011

What's the general consensus on peeling tomatoes before having your way with them?

Last year when I made sauce I just left them on and a quick blast from the blender took care of them. There were little curled up peel bits but it didn't detract from the taste/texture. I figure, like apples, a lot of nutritional value is lost by removing the peels.... Has there ever been a study done on that?

Red Dirt Farmer · July 13, 2011

Hi: 101°F
Lo: 79°F

Hi: 104°F
Lo: 80°F

Hi: 103°F
Lo: 79°F

This has been going on since late June. My plants also look good but seem to be growing slow (maters and peppers). Pollination has been a problem so I have sprayed blossoms with setting hormone. This is supposed to only work in cooler weather but I am disparate. I have a few small green tomatoes that don’t seem to be getting any bigger then a golf ball, although they should be larger. I guess is the plant is diverting its growing juice to itself because of the heat induced stress. My only hope is to keep them healthy until the cooler fall weather.
Ken

Tania · July 14, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by gtnate

Glad to hear that you are getting good production in that heat!

In my neck of the woods, the weather has been miserable as well, but for the opposite reason. Over the next 10 days, the average high is 69 degrees. It was like this last year, with a cloudy and unseasonably cold Spring and Summer.

I'm really hoping that the August temperatures pick up a little, and that we have an Indian summer so that I can at least get a little production out of my tomato vines.

Cold, rainy and miserable here in Vancouver Canada

More cool rain is forecasted.

Craig, please send us some of your heat!!!

July 12, 2011	#5
Stepheninky Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Kentucky Posts: 682	We have had 115F heat index the last two days and 78 dew point it has been miserable. Like you (my tomatoes were planted very late so not any ripe ones) but they are still setting fruit some how and the plants look healthier than normal for the high temps. Usually I get some yellowing of lower branches in extreme heat but so far not this year. The plants are very healthy looking. It finally just started rain outside so maybe tomorrow will not be as bad. __________________ tomatoprojects.blogspot.com

July 12, 2011	#7
cdbva Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Falls Church, VA Posts: 538	We had a high of 96, which is not surprising at this time of year. However, tonight I went to my plot at 8:00 pm just to tie up a few branches and make sure all the tomatoes were still there (they weren't; two had been half eaten by an unknown varmint). It was still 88 degrees. Ugh. That is unusual. My reading glasses kept sliding down my nose and since my hands were both involved in scissors, ties and tomato branches, it was slow going. And hot. Even more unusual is that now, at 11:15, it's still 88 degrees. Very odd. Christine Last edited by cdbva; July 12, 2011 at 11:35 PM. Reason: Move sentence where it belongs

July 12, 2011	#8
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	Tom, I think 23 of 30 days in June was above 90 - all time record. What's been different (until recently) is that the nights were "cooling" into the upper 60s. But no longer - it is 1130 PM, temp is 89 degrees, heat index of 97! Dogs didn't get the walk tonight...they got to sniff around in our front natural area to take care of business! It is pretty certain this summer will break the all time record of 90 degree plus days for this area. __________________ Craig

July 13, 2011	#14
Red Dirt Farmer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2010 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 42	Hi: 101°F Lo: 79°F Hi: 104°F Lo: 80°F Hi: 103°F Lo: 79°F Hi: 103°F Lo: 79°F Hi: 103°F Lo: 79°F Hi: 103°F Lo: 79°F Hi: 103°F Lo: 79°F This has been going on since late June. My plants also look good but seem to be growing slow (maters and peppers). Pollination has been a problem so I have sprayed blossoms with setting hormone. This is supposed to only work in cooler weather but I am disparate. I have a few small green tomatoes that don’t seem to be getting any bigger then a golf ball, although they should be larger. I guess is the plant is diverting its growing juice to itself because of the heat induced stress. My only hope is to keep them healthy until the cooler fall weather. Ken Last edited by Red Dirt Farmer; July 13, 2011 at 04:48 PM. Reason: Format

July 12, 2011	#2
gtnate Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Maryland Posts: 88	Glad to hear that you are getting good production in that heat! In my neck of the woods, the weather has been miserable as well, but for the opposite reason. Over the next 10 days, the average high is 69 degrees. It was like this last year, with a cloudy and unseasonably cold Spring and Summer. I'm really hoping that the August temperatures pick up a little, and that we have an Indian summer so that I can at least get a little production out of my tomato vines.

July 12, 2011	#3
Skaggydog Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Southern California Posts: 131	Weather gets better every year where I'm at, thanks to this Global Warming. I hardly have to shade my tomatoes this year thanks to a little overcast and a few clouds now and then. Up until a few years ago there was NEVER any rain in the summer here. The moisture and winds from the Warming are messing things up all over the world, but there are a few places actually doing better for it. I'm liking it now but I've got a feeling it's going to get real bad for everyone in a lot of ways sooner then we think.

July 12, 2011	#4
rnewste Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Campbell, CA Posts: 4,064	Nate, I am a thousand miles South of you in (sunny) San Jose, and this is our forecast for tomorrow: Hourly Forecast 6 am 59°F Feels Like 59°F 9 am 63°F Feels Like 63°F 12 pm 68°F Feels Like 68°F 3 pm 71°F Feels Like 71°F 6 pm 68°F Feels Like 68°F 9 pm 61°F Feels Like 61°F Raybo

July 13, 2011	#10
Sherry_AK Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Alaska Zone 3/4 Posts: 1,857	Tom, you really need to move to Alaska! Come be my neighbor ... you'd love it here. Sherry

July 13, 2011	#12
tedln Guest Posts: n/a	It's been over 100 every day in July here. We missed a few hot days by spending some time in the cool mountains of Colorado, but you have to come home someday and it is still hot. Early in the spring the heat really bothers me. As the summer progresses, I become accustomed to the heat and can work all day in it. I just wear t-shirts and head bands which stay cool due to evaporation of sweat. I usually pull the headband off when I go in the house or get in the car. I'm always surprised how cold the headband feels due to the rapid evaporation of sweat. The only time I really hurt is when I come into the air conditioned house. My body suddenly realizes how hot it is and I start feeling drained of energy. After a little time, my body cools and the air conditioning feels good. I don't like working in the high heat, but I can usually find ways to make it bearable and actually feel physically better outside than inside. It was 105 degrees the other day and I thought it felt pretty good so long as I could do things like repair the lawn mower in the shade. If I stepped from the shade into the blazing sun light, it felt like stepping into the fire. While my tomatoes are hibernating in the hot sun, they are blooming. I have seen a few small fruit that have set in the heat. I don't know how the fruit is able to set since the days are over 100 degrees and the nights only drop to 85 degrees. Ted

July 13, 2011	#13
cornbreadlouie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: SF bay area... north bay Posts: 242	What's the general consensus on peeling tomatoes before having your way with them? Last year when I made sauce I just left them on and a quick blast from the blender took care of them. There were little curled up peel bits but it didn't detract from the taste/texture. I figure, like apples, a lot of nutritional value is lost by removing the peels.... Has there ever been a study done on that?