Where are all the tomatoes?

Thought I would share something with everyone today.
These record high temps are affecting everything from brown lawns to tomatoes.  I come from back East where this kind of heat is normal for the summer, so I am well aware of how it affect tomatoes. Since many people in the PNW plant varieties that are adapted to this climate (in NC we plant Early Girls and Oregon Springs, too but we plant them in early April and they are done by July...), so it may be a mystery as to why many people are not getting many  tomatoes yet. Here is a good explanation as to why.

"Even if you have set up conditions to be perfect and you might still be faced with tomato plants not setting fruit. Here’s why: high temperatures.
When temperatures rise above 85 to 90 degrees F (depending on humidity) during the day and 75 degrees F at night, pollen will become unviable. Humidity can also come into play. In the extreme humid regions of the U.S., pollen may become so sticky that it does not fall. On the other end of the spectrum, in the arid regions, pollen may become so dry that it does not stick to the female part of the flower. Many gardeners try to gently shake the plant to encourage pollination, but a lot of times it is just not going to work.

If you’re faced with tomato plants not setting fruit, the best thing to do is to keep the plants healthy. The plants will start to produce again when the weather becomes favorable. Note, though, that heirloom tomatoes can be even fussier about temperatures than most hybrid tomatoes, and in some areas will wait until late summer or early fall to start setting fruit.

There are tomato varieties that will set more fruit than most in the heat (although extreme heat will inhibit most all of these plants from setting fruit)."