Tomatoes for extreme heat?

[nellie923]

I have all but given up on full size tomoatoes, since the last few summers have given us temps in excess of 104 (without heat index). Last year I tried shading my plants in the very hottest part of the day, but the tomatoes never did recover or produce much. Are there any full-size varieties that can take the heat?

 

[YumYum]

There are some varieties that take heat better than others but I don't know how much. Floradade is one but it is a smaller tomato.

 

[nellie923]

Last year I had good luck with Sungold and Sweet 100, but those are cherry size. Arkansas Traveler is supposed to take some heat, but global warming may be stressing all the old standbys

 

[YumYum]

@Chuck grows Arkansas Travelers. He is in Texas.
@Meadowlark lives in Texas but I'm not sure what kind of tomatoes.

 

[Meadowlark]

The Heatmaster is probably the most effective heat tolerant tomato I use. I also like the Arkansas Traveler but believe the Heatmaster provides more heat tolerance. The Super Sweet 100s are also heat tolerant but a great cherry tomato.

Afternoon shade helps a lot... and mine get it starting in June but the last couple of summers have just been off the charts on heat and no full-size tomato producing plants will set fruit from July until about mid-September. The plants will survive but just won't produce until nighttime temps start down.

 

[redback]

40C is very hot. For how long does it last?
Putting shade cloth over the trellis is about the only way because I don't know of any tomato that can take those temps for long.
Make sure the roots are heavily mulched. 4" of straw or compost is needed. Don't prune the laterals after the first flowering stem. The fruit are vulnerable to sunburn so keep as many leaves on the plant as possible.
A seaweed spray on leaves and the soil is supposed to strengthen the plant cells and produce a tougher plant.
Good luck and a change of weather is needed.

 

[Chuck]

@Chuck grows Arkansas Travelers. He is in Texas.
@Meadowlark lives in Texas but I'm not sure what kind of tomatoes.

I grow Heatmasters too but I find their skin is a little to thick for my taste. Still a great tomato though.

 

[skinyea]

saving this thread for when I move to florida in a few years

 

[roadrunner]

Supposedly, Everglade tomatoes are heat tolerant. I've been meaning to get some seeds, but haven't yet, so I can't say one way or the other.