Heat Related Tomato Ripening Issues

Yellow shoulders, a common heat related ripening disorder

The mild weather that has blessed our gardens with bountiful harvests so far this summer came to screeching halt this past week as temperatures soared into the triple digits. Any time temperatures get that high vegetables production will drop temporarily, especially in tomatoes. In addition, tomatoes that ripen during a heat wave are likely to develop heat related ripening disorders.

Tomatoes that mature during hot weather often ripen unevenly, especially at the top or shoulders of the fruit, as seen in this photo (right, photo by Paul Bachi, University of Kentucky Research and Education Center, Bugwood.org). 

Other heat related tomato problems include reduced flavor, blossom drop, blossom end rot, sunscald, and the development of internal white tissue. Learn more about these problems and how to manage them by reading the whole article available here on the Pender Extension website: http://pender.ces.ncsu.edu/2012/07/heat-causes-ripening-problems-with-tomatoes/

Stay up to date on the latest fruit, herb, and vegetable gardening news by subscribing to the Food Gardener email news service. 

• To subscribe to the Food Gardener email news send an email to mj2@lists.ncsu.edu. Leave the subject line blank. In the body of the message put: subscribe foodgardener