5 things You Can Do to Beat the Summer Heat in Your Garden: How to Help Tomato Plants Manage High Temperatures

When temperature get into the mid to upper 90’s and 100’s, most plants become stressed by the heat and shut down in some way. They do this to manage the high temperatures. One or two days of elevated temperatures is not typically a point of concern. However, when elevated temperatures are coming to a garden for more than four days at a time, a gardener should address this common problem.

There are several things you can do to help your plants manage and beat the summer heat. I will be focusing on tomatoes but this holds true for most summer crops. These steps can help plants continue to produce and limit the amount of damage that occurs from prolonged high temperatures. 

Number One:

Increase watering to every other day. When temperatures get into the upper 90’s and 100′, watering every day maybe needed. For containers, with large plants, water them every day when temperatures are in the 90’s or higher. Container plant may even need to be watered twice a day. Lack of water is the number one cause for the yellowing and die off on lower tomato leaves. 

I water my tomatoes plants for 10=15 seconds at the base for a deep soaking and around the base of the plant to water in the extended surface roots.

Number Two:
The summer heat often damages leaves. Give the plants a light drink of any water soluble fertilizer. They will appreciated the nitrogen to help with future leaf growth. Use organic fertilizers at full dose but cut chemical fertilizers to 1/2 dose. The latter tends to go over board with nitrogen. Tomato plants often lose lower leaves to yellow and browning. This is a normal response to high temperatures and water issues. You don’t have to worry about excess nitrogen with a light feeding.

Number Three:
Mulch the base of your plants with 1-2 inches of grass clipping from untreated lawns or use other types of mulch. This helps keeps the soil temperature cooler and it conserves water. Many plants, like tomatoes, are sensitive to soil temperatures and use that information to manage drought conditions. They will shut down production when soil temperatures remain elevated. Mulching also protects surface roots from drying out and dying off.

Number Four:
Pick all ripe tomatoes and nearly ripe tomatoes and let them finish indoors. Removing fruit from plants helps them manage the heat. Remove cucumber, peppers, tomatoes, beans, and other mature or nearly mature fruit. The plants will not have to worry about supporting maturing fruit and can use resources elsewhere.

Number Five:
Shade cloth is a summer heat game changer. I recommend 50% shade cloth as a general guide or 70% shade cloth for gardens that regularly see temperatures in the 100’s. Shade cloth cools the plant and the soil. It can greatly reduces soil temperature by up to 15 degrees. It works exactly as felt when we step into the shade on a hot day. The plants can survive fine under shade for a couple of weeks. Enough light gets through. It helps the plants stay cooler, continue producing, and it conserves water

These are 5 things you can do to greatly reduce damage cause by prolonged high temperatures. Just about every garden plant will benefit from the application of these suggestions.

“Good Luck in Your Gardens”
Cheers!
Gary (The Rusted Garden)