That's a shame, hopefully it won't be too bad and the heat will break for you soon. Is there anything one can do, apart from keeping things watered, to prevent blossom drop in hot weather? Around here I don't think we've broken 80F yet this year, but highs are forecast to hit the high 80s to low 90s by Sunday and stay that way for much of next week, so I'm kind of worried. Would moving plants into the shade be a good idea, or make no difference?

Been in the upper 90's to low 100's since June, been keeping them in a spot near the edge of the outer branches near our tree out front so they catch a break with broken shade on and off through out the day and been watering early morning before I head out to work as they need water. Seems to have help with limiting blossom drop. Do the ones in the above ground box get any shade during the day? The ones on the deck may want to shade cloth them, beats trying to move under a tree as big and heavy those would be to move. Or wait it out til it cools down.

habajolika: I built a shade cover with some landscapers cloth which is 100% non-transparent so my peppers for the last two 100 degree days got little to no direct sun. But the damage had already been done, I am afraid. The heat will break tonight and back down to 80's for the next several days so I took it off just now. We have just had the worst stretch of extreme heat with no rain I can ever remember in my 50 years. Early in the heat wave, they did fantastic. They were putting on bulk and throwing out blossoms left and right and they were setting fruit at about a 95% rate. Then about 4 or 5 days ago, I noticed the first couple blossoms on the ground. Now I am afraid I will have a small first harvest and hopefully they will get going again in a couple weeks or sooner and I can get a big harvest at the end of the summer.

Don555: My plants loved the 80's and low 90's. I would let them take it all in if I were you. At least a week or so worth. Once they are talking 95+ then you might want to provide shade as that is about all you can do. But my guess is that if you have been as cool as you say, you will see them take off after 4 or 5 days in the upper 80's and lower 90's. We just have had too many super hot days in a row. And to all you Florida, Texas, Arizona people out there, I know it is probably December weather for you but our normal high this time of year is 80.

My plants were loving the weather up until about 4 or 5 days ago.

Bruce

Bruce, OK thanks, I won't worry then as they aren't forecasting temps anything like what you've been having - 91 is the hottest in the forecast right now. For comparison, here's the high temps here to match yours, starting with June 23 and working forward to today, July 6:
79,75,75,72,72,75,73,79,70,77,66,61,70,79. Nightime lows were between 50 and 59.

Don

I agree with Bruce - I would expect a growth spurt as the heat moves in.

My plants seem to be hanging on very well with the heat. When at my parents home over the 4th, our town hit 102!! That is CRAZY!! I am talking far northern WI, Ashland County. I swear those plants put on many inches in the couple of days we were gone. Will take a really good look at all the container grown tomatoes and peppers tomorrow when I have off. Hope yours recover quickly Bruce.