{"id":1742,"date":"2026-06-17T14:39:05","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T14:39:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=1742"},"modified":"2026-06-17T14:39:05","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T14:39:05","slug":"is-it-the-extreme-heat-or-drought-killing-your-nc-tomato-plants-probably-both","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=1742","title":{"rendered":"Is it the extreme heat or drought killing your NC tomato plants? Probably both"},"content":{"rendered":"

AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.<\/p>\n

Read our AI Policy.<\/a><\/p>\n

It\u2019s not just you. The tomato plants are struggling this year.<\/p>\n

North Carolina\u2019s combination of extreme heat, hitting triple digits<\/a> in early June, and long-term drought<\/a> creates a \u201cworst-case scenario\u201d for tomatoes, an already tricky plant for some home gardeners.<\/p>\n

Read more Pregnant woman, one other victim injured after knife attack, CMPD says<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cEverybody loves tomatoes,\u201d said Ashley Troth, horticulture extension agent at Durham County Cooperative Extension, in an interview with The News & Observer. \u201cThey are the No. 1 thing that we get questions about. Everybody wants to grow tomatoes, but we always say tomatoes are kind of a varsity-level sport. They\u2019re more complicated. They\u2019re harder to grow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tomatoes are usually in the ground by mid-to-late April with the goal of eating tomato sandwiches by the Fourth of July.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn North Carolina, realistically, tomatoes do not die of old age,\u201d Troth said. \u201cThey die of disease and, sometime in August, it gets so hot, and your tomatoes get so disease-ridden that you get tired of looking at them and, by late August, you rip them out in a huff, and you\u2019re ready for your cool season garden.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re growing tomatoes, you already know.<\/p>\n

\u201cPoorly. Very poorly. On life support,\u201d Troth said. \u201cIt\u2019s really a combination of drought and heat, right? In some ways this is a worst-case scenario for tomatoes, and for many of our summer veggies.\u201d<\/p>\n

With the high temperatures, it doesn\u2019t matter how well you manage your water there will be times when the plants can\u2019t keep up with the heat, said Emmanuel Torres, an assistant professor of horticultural sciences and extension specialist.<\/p>\n

Tomatoes are a tough summer crop to grow even during good weather. They\u2019re suspectible to pests and diseases, including the dreaded black and brown spots of blossom rot, and the plants can be temperamental.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you start seeing temperatures, even like above 85 degrees, tomatoes can start having trouble pollinating fruit properly,\u201d Troth said. \u201cIf the fruit starts forming, it can have trouble ripening. If you have a full day that\u2019s 90 degrees, you\u2019re going to have trouble with the pollen dying.\u201d<\/p>\n

Plants that were producing tomatoes in July can stop in August when the temperatures soar and, if they survive, can keep producing tomatoes in September.<\/p>\n

But this isn\u2019t August. And September\u2019s promise of milder temperatures is months away.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re in June, and we\u2019re in a historic drought,\u201d Troth said. \u201cI still water my tomatoes. I am hopeful. I love a tomato. I\u2019ve had this love-hate relationship with them my whole life. So I\u2019m willing to continue on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more New agreement met to continue public transit routes in Cabarrus County<\/a><\/p>\n

Tomatoes are annuals. Since they die regardless, aren\u2019t usually a priority during the drought, she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re going to die at the end of the year no matter what happens,\u201d she said. \u201cSo if you\u2019re somewhat worried about water conservation or maybe your tomatoes are looking a little sickly anyway or maybe you\u2019re just over it because you also don\u2019t want to be out hand watering in 95 degree weather, I think you\u2019re well within your right to say \u2018I am looking forward to my cool weather garden\u2019 or \u2018I am going to let these plants go and die.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s crop may be a wash, but there are things you can do to help future harvests.<\/p>\n

Cover the soil with mulch to help keep the limited water from evaporating quickly, Torres said.<\/p>\n

Understanding the basics of water irrigation, including how much water your plant needs and how much your soil can hold, can help gardeners use their water efficiently, he said. And some soil moisture sensors, which can range in price and accuracy, can be an option for some home gardeners.<\/p>\n

Consider heat-resistant varieties, he said, with Troth adding smaller varieties of tomatoes tend to do well.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re going to have more success with smaller variety tomatoes,\u201d she said. \u201cIf you want a nice big juicy slicer, if you are an experienced tomato grower, go for it. But otherwise I highly encourage you visiting your local farmers market and growing little cherry tomatoes at home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Are you tomato plants thriving in North Carolina? Share your secret at amroman@newsobserver.com.<\/a><\/p>\n

This story was originally published June 17, 2026 at 10:32 AM<\/span> with the headline “Is it the extreme heat or drought killing your NC tomato plants? Probably both.” <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

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North Carolina gardeners face extreme heat and drought that harm tomato pollination. Learn tips on watering, mulch and heat-resistant varieties to help future crops.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1741,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1742","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-read-todays-edition"],"yoast_head":"\nIs it the extreme heat or drought killing your NC tomato plants? 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