How to protect plants from extreme heat

How to Protect Your Garden During a Heat Wave

Even well-established plants and shrubs can be set back during a heat wave.

Searing temperatures often catch gardeners by surprise, causing struggling transplants to wilt just when they should be starting their summer growth spurt. No matter how hot the summer, there are some simple measures gardeners can take to counter the heat and keep a garden growing.

Most common vegetable crops and native shrubs can withstand periodic heat waves without losing vigor. However, the shallow surface roots cannot withstand the stress of extreme heat which dries and cakes the soil in the top few inches. By paying attention to the condition of the soil, a gardener can offset the effects of a heat wave on growing plants.

1. Apply mulch, preferably a reflective mulch such as dry grass clippings.

The first line of defense against hot weather and the windy conditions that can dry surface soil is to apply a liberal layer of mulch around the plants. This protects the soil from direct sun exposure, keeping it moist at the surface. Mulch also reduces evaporation of water from the soil which reduces the need for watering.

There are many different mulch materials which gardeners can use. During a heat wave, light colored mulches will reflect the sunlight and help maintain cooler surface soil conditions. In our yard, we keep a patch of unmown grass set aside to grow tall for a ready source of mulch.

These young pepper and squash plants are mulched with dried grass clippings.

Freshly cut grass clippings are best left a few days on the lawn before raking if they are to be used for mulch. In a few sunny days the fresh green clippings will turn a light brown and are then ideally suited for use as mulch.

In past years when we used fresh green grass clipping as a mulch for our tomatoes, which were just beginning to flower, the high level of nitrogen in the green grass stimulated vegetative growth and suppressed flowering. We ended up with giant tomato plants which produced only lightly compared to previous years.

Related: Mulch Your Garden to Beat the Heat

Bark mulch is commonly used for shrub beds, as it prevents weed growth while also shading the soil and helping to conserve water. But gardeners should be aware that bark mulch can contain weed seeds which may introduce an invasive species to the shrub bed.

A local landscaper recently remarked that about 50% of his clients have had their shrubs inundated with horsetail, a persistent weed which is difficult to eradicate. If you are buying bark mulch, be sure to ask about its source and if there have been complaints about weed seeds in the mulch.

2. Water your garden and shrubs early in the morning.

A heat wave can dry surface soil quickly, which dehydrates shallow roots. Water is also lost through leaves in hot weather, so your plants will need a thorough watering. This should be done early in the morning, especially if you use a sprinkler to water, since most water from a sprinkler is lost to wind and evaporation during the hot times of the day.

Watering in the morning also prevents heat scald, which can damage leaves that are watered while the sun is directly overhead. In extreme hot weather, seed and nursery beds may need a second watering later in the day–along with smaller raised beds and containers.

During a heat wave, the need for water conservation is heightened. Hand watering has the advantage of delivering just the right amount of water for each crop. It is also a more efficient method of watering compared to sprinklers, since only the targeted crops are watered.

Soaker hoses are ideal since they can be used anytime during the day, because plant leaves are not wetted. Soaker hoses can be placed beneath the mulch to access the soil directly while hidden from view.

Watering in the morning is also a great defence against slugs, since conditions are drier overnight. Fungal diseases are also discouraged. It’s also more pleasant for you to water in the early morning while it’s still cool in the garden.

Related: Drip Irrigation vs. Soaker Hoses – Which is Better for Your Garden?

3. Use shade cloth or protective row covers.

Shade cloth offers partial and temporary protection from the sun for garden plants, and it is available at garden centers in a variety of sizes, shade factors and configurations. ‘Shade factors’ refer to the degree of blocked sunlight, and can range from 25% – 90%. Sensitive plants like salad greens may require a 50 – 60% shade factor, while more heat tolerant plants like squash and beans may benefit from a 30% shade cloth.

A shade cloth is temporary but care should be taken to position it to block sunlight while not reducing aeration. Plants do not need to be enclosed in shade cloth; usually positioning it on only one side or above the plant will suffice.
Care should also be taken to ensure that the cloth structure can withstand wind and won’t harm the plants by falling on them.

Homemade shade cloth can be made using fish net with strips of cloth woven through, and strung up temporarily over vulnerable crops. Row covers provide similar benefits of shade cloth provided there is plenty of ventilation, but are not available in shade factors.

4. Locate new transplants within the cover of taller neighbors.

A heat wave is hardest on transplants. The root systems of young starter plants are shallow and more susceptible to drying conditions in the top few inches of the soil. Ideally, you could wait until the heat wave has passed before setting out transplants. But if you have transplants which need to be set out, look for partial shading opportunities provided by taller more mature plants.

You don’t want to locate the transplants in an area of permanent shade, so look for bare spots in the garden alongside plants which are nearing maturity and will soon be pulled. This way, the sun will be available to the transplants when they are better established.

Broccoli transplants are partially shaded by asparagus stalks.

In the picture above, broccoli transplants have been set out alongside the tall fern-like stalks of mature asparagus plants. The ferns provide partial shade for the young seedlings, but not enough shade to interfere with plant growth once the starters become established. The fern stalks also provide a wind screen for the fragile transplants as an added bonus.

Related: Edible Perennials – Build Your Own Food Forest

5. Keep lawns at least three inches tall.

It stands to reason that taller grass casts longer shadows. And the added shading from leaving your grass taller than usual will benefit the soil by helping to retain moisture. A minimum depth for getting a shade benefit is three inches, and some groundskeepers set mowers as high as six inches during heat waves or drought conditions.

Avoid applying fertilizers to your lawn or garden during a heat wave, since the roots’ ability to absorb nutrients is diminished. Wait until the weather cools down before adding fertilizers to garden crops and the lawn.

And while you’re thinking of ways to protect your garden during a heat wave, don’t forget to set out some water for the birds!

Gardening during changing times

Heat waves usually are of short enough duration that gardeners can manage to produce successful crops. Prolonged heat waves, of course, are more challenging and crops may be stunted or crop yields reduced.

Unfortunately, the long-term outlook for our climate indicates that in upcoming years we gardeners will need to hone our hot weather gardening skills. The measures described above will likely be common knowledge in the years to come.

Editor’s note: This article has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

How to Protect Your Garden During a Heat Wave - 16

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About the Author

Greg Seaman
Originally from Long Island, NY, Greg Seaman founded Eartheasy in 2000 out of concern for the environment and a desire to help others live more sustainably. As Editor, Greg combines his upbringing in the cities of New York, Boston and San Francisco with the contrast of 40 years of living ‘off-grid’ to give us a balanced perspective on sustainable living. Greg spends his free time gardening, working on his home and building a wooden sailboat with hand tools.

6 Ways to Protect Garden Plants in a Heat Wave ~ Homestead and Chill

“96 degrees in the shade… real hot!” Where are my Third World reggae fans at? Even if you aren’t familiar with the song, I think you all know what a heat wave is. Unseasonably warm weather and extreme temperature swings can cause a lot of stress and potential damage to your garden. Even plants that prefer warm weather aren’t big fans of sudden and drastic change. However, plants are far more resilient than we often give them credit for! With a few preventative and protective measures, you can easily help your garden survive a heat wave with minimal impact.

Read along to learn six ways to protect plants during a heat wave. We’ll talk about steps to take when you see unusually hot temperatures in the weather forecast, along with best practices to proactively employ in your garden year-round – to make plants more tolerant to heat stress and drought in general.

What temperature is “too hot” for plants?

Various types of plants respond differently to a range of heat. Vegetables such as lettuce, radishes, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, and other leafy greens or members of the brassica family generally prefer cooler soil temperatures (in the 50 and 60s). These cool-season crops may temporarily wilt or begin to bolt in temperatures over 75°F. When a plant bolts, it prematurely forms a flower spike and then goes to seed. When temperatures hit over 90°F, these guys will likely fry and die. Learn how to prevent cool-season crops from bolting here.

Meanwhile, summer garden crops like tomatoes, peppers, and beans will thrive in that 75 to 90°F range! That’s their jam. Yet even heat-loving crops may become cranky, less productive, or damaged in excessively hot temperatures. For example, tomatoes may experience flower drop and issues with fruit development when daytime temperatures are regularly over 95°F, especially combined with high humidity and sustained warm temperatures overnight. Similarly, zucchini and squash plants may slow production when it’s over 85°F for an extended period of time.

No matter the variety, young plants are more prone to heat stress and damage than mature ones. Their tender nature and small, shallow root systems makes them far less heat-hardy, so keep a close eye on seedlings! Move any seedlings that are still in containers indoors or into the shade during heat waves if possible. Also, avoid transplanting new plants outdoors right before or during a heat wave.

The effects of strong sun: sunburned tomatoes and bell peppers. Providing shade and protecting fruit with foliage can help prevent this. Photo courtesy of Utah State University

Quick fixes versus long-term adaptations to heat

Thankfully, the issues with pollination, production, or wilting that some plants experience during short-lived heat waves usually results in only a temporary setback. They simply slow down a bit, like we all do when it’s uncomfortably warm. Use the tips below to protect your garden during a heat wave, and the plants should bounce back once the weather cools off and returns to normal.

On the other hand, gardeners in areas with expected and prolonged excessive high temperatures may need to implement longer-term solutions to combat the heat. For instance, folks living in Arizona, the deep South, Las Vegas, or Hawaii may adjust their garden seasons and avoid growing tomatoes or squash during the hottest summer months altogether, and grow them during the spring and fall seasons instead. Other long-term adaptations include careful selection of plant varieties, planting certain crops in partial shade, using in-ground beds rather than containers (which more easily dry out and succumb to temperature swings) or erecting shade structures that will stay up for several months.

Shade cloth is a fantastic season extender to grow heat-sensitive and tender plants into late spring and summer, and also comes in handy during heat waves! This awesome shade cloth kit is from Gardener’s Supply.

6 Ways to Protect Plants During a Heat Wave

The following six tips can help your garden survive during a heat wave. Wondering when to act? A good rule of thumb is that if it’s suddenly going to be 10 to 15+ degrees warmer than it has been and usually is, or if the weather networks issue an “excessive heat warning” for your area, implement a few of the steps below to help your garden survive the heat wave. It may not be reasonable or necessary to apply every single protective measure listed, so feel free to pick and choose as you see fit!

1) Water deeply and routinely (all season long)

Start now! This is a tip to preemptively protect your garden from heat waves, and to develop healthy, strong root systems – which is alway a good thing! When you routinely water your garden throughout the growing season, provide plants with long and slow water that will saturate deep within the soil. That is better than watering for quick bouts and more often, or only wetting the top few inches of soil.

The more moist the soil is deep within your garden bed, the more it encourages roots to grow deeply too. Did you know most plants can grow roots underground equally as long as the plant is tall above ground? That means a tomato plant can grow roots over 4 feet deep, peppers and eggplant around 2 feet deep, squash over 1 foot deep, and so on.

Having deep roots enables plants to access more nutrients and water, and makes them more resilient to drought and varying soil temperatures. Plus, deeply damp soil maintains more steady temperatures and is less likely to dry out. So, set your plants up for success with routine deep watering from the start!

Given all the unique variables in every garden or climate, it’s hard to say exactly how much to water and how often. However, all plants benefit from a consistent watering schedule, be it twice per week or four days per week. A good goal is frequently enough to maintain the soil modestly damp at all times, but not soggy and never fully dried out. When you water deep, you can water less often.

Read more tips and information about DIY, non-toxic and efficient garden irrigation options here. Or, come learn how to set up automated drip irrigation for raised garden beds here.

Our new raised bed drip irrigation system makes watering a breeze! Each unique garden will have different watering needs depending on the climate, plants, and watering system used. We usually run this system for about an hour twice per week, but sometimes longer or more often during a heat wave.

2) Water before a heat wave – but resist the urge to overwater

Give your garden a good deep drink of water either the evening or morning before a heat wave is due to hit. Providing water well before the peak heat of the day will give them ample time to soak up the water, and also keep you out of the sun too!

However, resist the urge to continue to pour water onto your plants all day long. Plants may wilt under high heat and strong sun, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they need more water. Even here where temperatures rarely reach the 80s, our summer zucchini and collard greens can look pretty sad and limp in the middle of an average warm afternoon – but they always perk back up that night! Yet if they look droopy in the morning? Then they may be thirsty.

Before offering more water, check the moisture content of your soil by probing an inch or two below the soil surface. If it feels moist or if you just watered in the last day or two, it probably doesn’t need more water yet.

Wilting squash plants on a hot summer day. Image from Peaceful Valley (one of the many places we love to buy seeds), where they do a great job at explaining why this doesn’t always mean plants need more water!

3) Avoid wetting plant leaves

Avoid overhead watering and wetting your plant leaves during hot sunny conditions. You know how humans can still get a decent sunburn (if not worse) in foggy conditions? Moisture amplifies the sun like a magnifying glass! Similarly, lingering water droplets on plant leaves in direct sunlight can magnify the intensity and heat of the sun, and increase the chance of sunburn or scorching the leaves. As a best practice, we always try to water the soil around the base of the plant rather than the plant itself, but especially so during heat waves.

Water your soil, not your plants! We like to make sure the soil between plants gets water too, not only immediately around the base of each plant.

4) Don’t skip the mulch!

Did you know that plants are more irked and influenced by temperature swings in their root zone and soil than they are by ambient air temperatures? For instance, a plant can usually survive and rebound after getting a bit frosty or fried above ground, but are far less forgiving if their roots are distressed. So, be sure to mulch your garden to offer a protective layer for the soil and roots!

Mulching is always a fantastic idea (a must, if you ask me!) and especially important to protect plants in heat waves. Mulch is a layer of material that goes on top of exposed soil, which helps to buffer against temperature extremes and promotes more steady soil temperatures overall. It also reduces evaporation and runoff, protects the living soil food web, prevents soil from drying out, and reduces your need for water!

Apply about 2 inches of organic mulch material (even more for light mulch like straw) on the soil surface around the base of plants or over the whole garden bed. Examples of organic mulch include straw, small bark or wood chips, shredded leaves, pine needles, and aged compost (our favorite). Some gardeners use a layer of newspaper, cardboard, or plastic sheeting. Pop over to this article to read more about the pros and cons of 8 different types of garden mulch, or this guide on mulching best practices.

5) Provide shade

Shade is an incredibly effective tool to keep things cool and protect plants during a heat wave. By reducing the intensity of the sunlight and heat beating down on plants, the soil stays cooler, retains moisture, and generally reduces the impact of excessive heat. Even more, shade can prevent sun scalding or sunburning of fruit, commonly seen as whitish yellow patches on tomatoes or peppers. The damage caused to the skin often causes the fruit to prematurely rot. Blocking the hottest afternoon sun is particularly important.

There are a number of ways to create shade in the garden: by draping bed sheets or specialized shade cloth over hoops, stakes, or other supports, using large patio or beach umbrellas, or even erecting large shade canopies over an entire garden area rather than individual beds or plants. Really, anything that will block the sun but still allow good air flow will work! If the shade structure will be up for an extended period of time, it’s best to get shade material that allows some sunlight through (partial UV protection). For a shorter period of time (a day or two), you could completely block the sun using a solid pop-up canopy. Or, make use of shade that already exists in your space – like by moving potted plants into shadier locations.

sAn example from our garden: using shade cloth on wire hoops over beds of leafy greens and young brassicas.

Shade cloth material (black, green, or white) can be set higher over tall plants with the support of stakes, archways, arbors, or poles – as shown in a previous photo from Gardener’s Supply. Curious to learn more? Read our guide to using hoops and row covers here. It digs into more detail about shade cloth FAQ such as shade cloth colors, various UV ratings, and more.Keeping bok choy cool on a random 90 degree spring day. We love our wire hoops from Gardener’s Supply for shade cloth, but primarily use them to support insect netting to protect plants from pests and birds!

6) Promote overall good plant health

The final way to help your garden survive a heat wave is to grow the healthiest plants possible! Like the first tip regarding routine deep water, this is something you can work on all season long. Stressed or compromised plants are more sensitive to the heat, just as some older people or those with health issues may be (no judgement – I get sick in the heat too!). Also just like humans, plants have immune systems that help them respond and rebound to various environmental stressors, including pests, disease, drought, frost, heat, toxicity, and more.

In our garden, we encourage the most robust and hardy plants possible with organic inputs such as worm castings, mycorrhizae, homemade aloe vera fertilizer, well-aged compost and/or compost tea. All of these goodies feed the living soil food web, enable plants to better utilize nutrients, and improves their resilience to pest pressure, heat, and more. That’s not to say our plants don’t still struggle with miscellaneous ailments from time to time… but these things sure do help!

Cheers to happy, healthy, productive gardens – and the gardeners that tend them!

And that is how to protect plants during a heat wave.

Alright friends, I hope this leaves you with plenty of ideas and methods to help your garden survive the next heat wave that rolls in! As you can see, there are several things you can do now and always in preparation – and a few tools or materials you may want to keep on hand too. Please let me know if you have any questions in the comments below. Or, if there are any great ideas that I forgot to mention. Stay cool and comfortable out there!

Don’t miss these related articles:

Using Hoops and Row Covers: Pest Control, Frost Protection & Shade
7 Ways to Protect Plants from Frost Damage
Garden Mulch 101: When, Why and How to Mulch Your Garden
What is Bolting? How to Prevent Plants from Bolting or Going to Seed
The Benefits of Using Mycorrhizae in the Garden

How to protect your garden from extreme heat? Photo - Botanichka

No matter how hot the summer is, gardeners can take a few simple steps to resist the heat and keep plants growing. Plants always benefit from some protection from these high temperatures. Here are some easy steps to help your garden thrive all summer long.

How to protect your garden from extreme heat?

Abundant watering

One of the biggest threats to plants during the hottest months is lack of water. Plants lose moisture through their leaves, and in hot weather, the surface of the soil dries out quickly, causing shallow roots to become thirsty.

You can protect your plants from excessive water loss by watering them long and slowly so that the water soaks as deep as possible. By doing so, you encourage your plants to develop deeper roots that will help them find nutrients and water during hot days.

Daily watering in small portions, which results in wetting only the upper layers of the soil, on the contrary, provokes the roots to be short and find moisture near the surface of the soil.

In addition, moist soil keeps the soil temperature cooler. In hot weather, your goal should be soil that is always damp to the touch, but not wet or completely dry.

You can protect your plants from excessive water loss by watering them long and slow so that the water is as deep as possible.

Water early in the morning

Morning watering (the sooner the better) will help your plants prepare for the long hours of scorching sun. The wee hours are when temperatures and wind speeds tend to be at their lowest, meaning you won't lose too much water to evaporation.

If you delay watering until the sun is high above your head, you risk not only wasting water, but also burning the leaves of plants, as water droplets act like magnifying glasses in the sun.

The best way to give your plants water in the early morning is to use a drip irrigation system. In this case, the tapes will supply water directly to the roots (where it is most needed), and deep watering will be provided. Plants appreciate a precise watering schedule, which is just what drip irrigation can provide.

Watering in the morning is also a preventive measure for slugs, as conditions are drier at night than they like.

Use shade fabrics

If you want to reduce the intensity of strong sunlight, you need to provide some shade for the plants. Shade fabric provides partial sun protection for garden plants and is available at garden centers in a variety of sizes and densities. The "shading factor" refers to the degree to which sunlight is blocked and can range from 25% to 90%. Sensitive plants such as lettuce and herbs may need a shading factor of 50-60%, while more resistant plants (zucchini, tomatoes, peppers) may benefit from 30% shading.

Care must be taken that the shading fabric blocks sunlight without reducing aeration. Plants do not need to be completely covered with shading cloth, it is enough to place it only on one side or above the plant.

If you want to reduce the intensity of strong sunlight, you need to create a small shade for the plants. Shading fabric provides partial sun protection for garden plants and is available at garden centers in a variety of sizes and densities

Grow the right plants

Some plants just can't thrive when temperatures rise above 20 degrees. By growing plants that are more tolerant of warm climates, you can save yourself the worry of why radishes and lettuce shoot or why tomatoes no longer bear fruit.

Although plants such as tomatoes, peppers, squash and beans are considered important summer vegetables, they actually grow best in spring and autumn in hot climates. They slow down growth and experience stress when the temperature rises above 30 degrees.

You don't have to completely give up growing your favorite plants during the summer, just choose local varieties or those that do well in your area. If you love salad greens, opt for arugula, New Zealand spinach, and mizuna in the summer. Of the vegetables, corn, okra and eggplant are the most heat resistant.

The most heat tolerant vegetables are corn, okra, and eggplant

Mulch the soil

The main tactic to protect against hot weather and wind that can dry out the soil surface is to apply a generous layer of mulch around the plants. This protects the soil from direct sunlight, keeping it moist. Mulch also reduces the evaporation of water from the soil, which reduces the need for watering.

There are many different mulch materials that gardeners can use. During hot weather, light-colored mulch will reflect sunlight, such as cut dry grass.

Freshly cut grass is best left on the lawn for a few days before being raked. After a few sunny days, it turns light brown and is ideal for use as a mulch.

Bare soil dries out much faster than soil covered with a canopy of flowers, herbs, and vegetables, so if you have room in your garden, you can plant something else there.

The main tactic to protect against hot weather and wind, which can dry out the soil surface, is to apply a generous layer of mulch around plants.

Plant plants under the shelter of tall neighbors. The root system of young plants is shallow and more susceptible to dry soil conditions. Ideally, you could wait until the heat has passed before planting seedlings for fall harvest or seedlings in a container. But if you have transplanted plants, look for partial shade opportunities provided by taller plants that are approaching maturity and may soon be removed.

This way the sun will be available for the new vegetables when they are better established.

Keep the soil healthy

An extremely healthy plant will survive a hot day better than a stressed one. Make sure the soil has essential nutrients that give your plants everything they need and help them recover faster from the heat.

At each change of season, add a layer of compost and organic manure, fertilize regularly with "green" grass manure, add mycorrhiza and beneficial bacteria.

At each change of season, add a layer of compost and organic manure, fertilize regularly with "green" grass manure, add mycorrhiza and beneficial bacteria

Keep lawns at least 10 centimeters high

The taller the grass, the longer it casts shadows, and the extra shade will benefit the soil by helping to retain moisture.

Do not fertilize your lawn and garden during hot weather as the ability of the roots to absorb nutrients is reduced during this time. Wait for the heat to subside before fertilizing garden crops and lawns.

Dear readers, I hope these tips will help your plants not only survive, but thrive during the long summer months. Don't forget to take care of yourself with sunscreen hats and plenty of fluids. And don't forget to put some water for the birds too.

tips to help plants in July and August

In general, of course, it is better not to save the garden, but to prepare for the heat in advance. Usually weather forecasters give a long-term forecast for the summer in the spring. And if they assume that the summer will be sultry, it is better to play it safe and sow heat-resistant varieties of vegetables. There are many of them, so you can choose according to your taste.

tomatoes Pink Flamingo, Heavyweight of Siberia, Wonder of the Earth

Peppers

Anastasia, Bogdan, Veronika, Red Giant, Lyudmila, Marinkin tongue

Cucumbers

Alekseich, Golubchik, Crankshaw, Swims, Our Masha, Nightingale, Tournament, Phoenix Plussi 9007

Cabbage

Ataman, Kazachok, Mlada, Transfer (early), Grazia, Prima, Revenge (mid-season), Valentina, Quartet, Maryana, Olympus, Orbita, Charodey (late)

Carrot

Artek, Boltex, Krasavka , Yaskrava

Watering

In hot weather, plants evaporate much more moisture - thus they cool down. Therefore, they need to be watered more often.

Tomatoes. They are watered once a week, 5 liters per bush, but only until the moment when the fruits begin to sing, do not water the tomatoes at this time so that they do not crack. And it is necessary to water strictly under the root (2).

Peppers and eggplants. They need watering much more often: every 3-4 days, 3-4 liters per bush.

Cucumbers. They also need to be watered often - after each harvest, that is, every 3-4 days, 2.5 liters per 1 sq. m. In strong heat, refreshing watering on the leaves is useful for them - every other day or even every day, 0.5 liters per 1 sq. m.

Zucchini and squash. They need to be watered once a week, 4 liters per bush.

White cabbage. In hot weather, it needs much more moisture than in cool weather: once a week, 6-10 liters per 1 sq. m. Plus, a refreshing shower on the leaves - 0. 5 liters per 1 square. m. Cauliflower is also watered in the same way.

Carrots and beets. In normal years, they can get by with rain, but in heat and drought they need to be watered every 2 weeks - 5 liters per 1 sq. km. m.

Radishes, lettuce, watercress. They require watering every 2 to 3 days at 5 liters per square meter. m.

It is better to water all plants early in the morning with warm water.

Mulching

In hot weather, bare ground can reach up to 80°C during the day.

Can you imagine how the plants feel there? In addition, in the heat, moisture evaporates very quickly from the soil surface. And in order to keep it there as long as possible, the beds must be mulched. And it is better to use light-colored mulch, such as sawdust of hardwood trees or straw - they will not only help reduce evaporation, but will also reflect the sun's rays, which means that the soil will not overheat.

Photo: pixabay.

com

To save the garden from the heat, it is even better to take hay (you can use fresh grass - it will dry out on its own in a few days in the garden). Hay, among other things, is also good because, when decomposed, a facultative anaerobic (3) soil bacterium actively propagates in it - hay bacillus, which secretes a natural antibiotic subtillin, and it inhibits the growth of pathogenic fungi, such as phytophthora, and pathogens of powdery and downy mildew .

Clay treatment

This method is actively used in the southern countries with a very hot climate, but it is also perfect for the middle zone in hot summers.

The essence of it is this. A suspension is prepared from white clay (kaolin): 0.5 clay per 5 liters of water. 1 cup of brewed starch in liquid form is added to it (1 tablespoon per 200 ml of water) - it helps the clay not precipitate and stick better to the leaves. Everything is mixed well and the vegetables are sprayed with this suspension. But not completely, but only from the south side. And also the soil, if it is not mulched.

White clay forms a light coating on the leaves, which reflects the sun's rays well and prevents the plants from overheating. Studies have shown that in hot weather the temperature of leaves treated with kaolin is 5-6 °C lower.

A moisture evaporation from soil treated with suspension is reduced by 20 - 30%.

Shading beds

This method is suitable for tomatoes and cucumbers, which are tied to trellises or wire (rope) stretched between posts along the edges. On top of these wires, you can loosely put dry thin branches of trees, reeds, last year's sunflower or corn stalks so that they form a light penumbra. And even in a light shade, as you know, the temperature in the heat is always lower.

Photo: pixabay.com

Another option to save the garden from the heat is to cover the plants with non-woven material, the very same with which we save seedlings in the beds from frost in May. Over tomatoes and cucumbers, you can put this material directly on top of the wire or rope and secure it with clothespins so that it does not blow away in the wind. Over low vegetables, you can put arcs and cover over them. The non-woven material transmits light well, but it is always cooler under it than in the open sun. And if you press it tightly along the perimeter to the soil, for example, with bricks, then it will also become an excellent protection against pests: caterpillars and cruciferous fleas.

Ventilation of greenhouses

In greenhouses in hot weather, the temperature rises very much. The easiest option to lower the temperature is to ventilate the greenhouses. Open all doors and windows for at least a day, but on very hot days, overnight is also best.