“I thought my tomatoes were just thirsty”: why the flowers were falling off without ever forming a single fruit above 32°C
Those brown, curling tomato flowers dropping from healthy vines aren’t a sign of drought—they’re a symptom of heat damage to pollen that occurred weeks earlier. When temperatures exceed 32°C, tomato pollen loses its viability, triggering the plant to abort flowers before energy is wasted. Shade cloth and consistent watering can make the difference.