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It's been a challenging year for tomatoes and cucumbers
Prolonged heat slowed tomato ripening and cut fruit set in cucumbers, pumpkins, squash and melons, while gardeners were urged to manage stress and donate extras.
- Prolonged high temperatures are stressing garden crops this year, causing tomatoes to pause ripening and vine crops like cucumbers to fail to set fruit. Optimal growth occurs in the upper 70s to mid-80s Fahrenheit, but excessive heat has stalled development.
- Extreme temperatures reduce pollinator activity and pollen viability, while prolonged heat upsets the balance of male and female flowers on vine crops. Often only male flowers are produced, meaning few fruits form even when blossoms are abundant.
- Intense sun and heat also cause sunscald on tomatoes, creating circular, whitish patches on exposed fruit that eventually deteriorates to brownish black. Ripening for many tomatoes has slowed significantly compared to normal conditions.
- Gardeners can reduce plant stress by keeping soil evenly moist and using mulch to moderate soil temperatures. Avoiding repeated wilting and subsequent flooding helps protect crops, though weather ultimately remains beyond their control.
- Ten years ago, North Dakota State University Extension Master Gardeners in Fargo launched the Veggies for the Pantry program. Master Gardeners staff nine collection sites on Mondays to help gardeners donate excess produce to the Emergency Food Pantry and Dorothy Day Food Pantry.
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18 Articles
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Total News Sources18
Leaning Left0Leaning Right8Center8Last UpdatedBias Distribution50% Center, 50% Right
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources are Center, 50% of the sources lean Right
50% Right
C 50%
R 50%
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