Low of 44F this morning. Yes, this is July. No, not Siberia, or Alaska. Tomatoes prefer 55F-75F at night. Peppers will not set fruit if temperatures drop into the low 40sF. And eggplants? Pollen production is curtailed when temps fall below 55F. But we can eat peas in July!
Some Vegetables Balk at Cool Nights.
July 13, 2009 – Posted in: Garden Tweets, VegetablesAbout the Author
What differentiates a bulb from a perennial plant is that the nourishment for the flower is stored within the bulb itself.…There is something miraculous about the way that a little grenade of dried up tissue can explode into a complete flower.
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Check this article about cold weather variety tomatoes:
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/story.php?S_No=312&storyType=garden
There are also hot weather varieties:
‘Sunmaster’ – Very heat-tolerant. It will set pollen when the weather is as hot as 87-96° F (31-36° C). It Also has resistance to verticillium, fusarium 1 and 2, and alternaria. Determinate. 72-74 Days.
Solar Fire
VFFF and very heat-tolerant variety developed by the University of Florida for setting fruit in high temperatures. Medium to large-sized tomatoes are produced very heavily on plants that are resistant to three races of fusarium wilt, gray leaf spot, and show tolerance to cracking. Determinate. 72 days.
Here in Utah (I’m at 5, 000 ft), the nights stay cool into June. So this year I decided to put walls o water around my peppers, and cover them every night they were forcasting anything lower than 50. This may have worked better if we had not ALSO gotten an unusual 4 ” of rain in June, resulting in my peppers pouting all month, and July, too. THey are just starting to come out of it now, and look like I may get a few peppers. mrk. keep trying, I guess.
.-= Muum´s last blog ..Zucchini is better than Eggplant, y’know =-.
Peas in July? Here in Minnesota we’re still harvesting *baby peas* in August!
Just picked the first tomatoes a week ago. Peppers and eggplants are, well… just a bit bigger than the peas.
I lust for a greenhouse.
.-= SmartDogs´s last blog ..Tuesday Tidbits =-.
I have Bhut Jolokia peppers here in Wisconsin, haven’t grown an inch since planting. Last year they did very well. Too cold I guess. Nights have been in lower 50s or upper 40s. Tomato plants fine and lots of blossoms but not much fruit set. Heavy dew every night and days often don’t reach 70. Perfect conditions for fungus. Looks like some of the tomatos have early blight. I have read that tomato pollin becomes sterile in low temps. Not sure if that is true. Cucumbers are just starting to blossom, hope they like cool temps. Any suggestions that might help?
For the northern pepper lover try Aji Límo (Lemon Hot). Aji Límo are noted for their distinctive flavors and tolerance of cold weather. Plus there hot! even in cool weather.
You’re too funny! 🙂
Plant Lady
.-= Plant Lady´s last blog ..Growing Challenge July 15 2009 Update =-.
It’s been just as cool here. The tomatoes aren’t happy, but my husband is thrilled, and I’m happy that for once we’re not having humidity and drought, and that the lawn remains gorgeous and lush. Just glad I don’t grow veggies: they need more heat!
.-= Country Gardener´s last blog ..Over the hump – our garden tour went well =-.
Terriblly cold in Catskill, NY 49* last night and only high of 72* today.
Serrano and Scotch Bonnet peppers doing nothing. Amazingly I am on my fourthharvest from my lettuce beds with minimal bolting!
.-= greg draiss´s last blog ..Home Hydroponics July 15th Adams Poughkeepsie =-.
Our lettuce is doing great, too. Lettuce and peas! Strawberries weren’t worth the trip to the U-Pick place. You win some, you lose some. I just know I thrive in this kind of weather, so I’m not complaining.
Kathy – how amazing that we have the SAME problem with such different weather situations! It’s too cold for your tomatoes to set fruit and it’s WAY too hot for mine to do it. Our lows aren’t getting below 80 most nights and the high’s this week are 103. Tomatoes won’t set above 70 at night or above 95 during the day.
Watermelons too seem to hate our cool evenings. 39 tonight.
And I didn’t know that about peppers. I better get a cloche (or whatever they’re called) and see if I can encourage them. Thanks.
.-= meadowlark´s last blog ..Die hard campergurl =-.