Hot Weather Is Slowing Tomato Growth In Minnesota Gardens

Are you a fan of fresh tomatoes? It's one of my favorite things to grow and pick up at the farmers' market on Saturday mornings. In my opinion, they taste better. Well, homegrown tomatoes in Minnesota might be a premium this summer, as the heat we are seeing now could cause issues later on.

Heat Could Affect Fresh Produce Grown Locally

I ran across a post from the University of MN Extension-Anoka County Master Gardeners social media page that gives some concern about the summer crop of tomatoes. According to the post, when we get hot weather like we have been having, it keeps pollinators away, as they don't like the hot weather either, meaning less potential fruit coming from our tomato plants, and possibly other garden vegetables.

While it's not a certainty that we will have fewer tomatoes due to the hot temperatures, there is a chance that it will affect some gardens across Minnesota.

If we see several days in the 90s, don't panic if flowers drop or fruit production slows. Tomatoes often pause during extreme heat and resume setting fruit once daytime highs return to the 70s or 80s and nighttime temperatures cool down.

Other Things To Watch With Your Tomato Plants

The post also went on to let gardeners know that some plants will start to show leaf roll with the hot temperatures, but the good news about leaf roll is that it isn't a disease, but a reaction to the extreme heat.

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Early blight is also common this time of year for tomato plants. If you start to see signs of it, remove the affected leaves, stop watering the plant from above, and look to trim lower branches to increase airflow around the rest of the plant.

The final thing you'll want to be on the lookout for is the Tomato Hornworm. These giant green caterpillars can strip a plant almost overnight. Look for them early in the day and towards sunset, as they are easier to spot. The good news is they aren't super common here in Central Minnesota, but they can pop up from time to time.