3 Ways to Protect Cool Weather Crops From Hot Weather

Cool weather crops like it cool. But if you are experiencing a heat wave, those plants not like it for very long. In this episode I will share with you 3 ways to keep your plants cool during hot weather so you can harvest them longer and keep them fresher.

[ProctorsGamble]

A month ago it was this:
5 Ways to Protect Plants From Frost and Freezing Weather
Crazy times we live in!

[thatlittlehuman]

Perfect timing for this video considering the west coast is seeing temps in the 100s now.

[CaseDadToo]

Just watched this. I hope it is helpful for us here. I got home today and the temp out side at 3pm had cooled down to 111deg! This kind of thing happens regularly in the High Desert area of Southern California for weeks at a time. It’ll cool down to the 60s at night but be back above 100 for 3 weeks till we get a cold spell and things drop to the mid 90s for a week, then back in the oven. Nice thing about the high desert is that things cool down at night, where the low deserts stay 80s to 90s at night like in Arizona. To make matters even more interesting for gardening up here, it snows randomly in the later winter months making it difficult to raise crops during the winter also. Idea for Joshua Trees and Juniper bushes I guess, because they just love it.:)

[trishthehomesteader]

Thanks Luke!💜
I may not have to worry about the shade cloth if I can't keep the chickens out of the garden. They rushed the gate this morning.🤨 I think they had it planned. 🤔

[dawnmorning]

1. Water in early morning. 2. Shade cloth. 3. Bedsheets. Happy growing everyone.

[chrissy]

Luke over here upset about 91 degrees 😂😂 - I’m in Las Vegas and it’s a high of 109 today. Trying desperately to just keep my tomatoes from shriveling up to nothing.

Shade cloth is our best friend in the desert.

[jeffereyhopkins]

You are so right about the heat. I had to quit a job last year because my boss at the park I worked at insisted that we work in the heat with no breaks or water because we were behind picking weeds out of the flower beds due to being off for the covid crisis. The residents of the city were complaining so even though she was sitting in her air conditioned office, we had to work in 109 degree heat factor. I almost had heat exhaustion. She was reported to OSHA but did do nothing because her bosses backed her up.

[kat]

I use 20-30% shade cloth in AZ for my tomatoes. They may like a lot of sun but full AZ sun during the summer is a different thing. We're ranging between 7-13% humidity with temperatures in the 100s every day. I have quite a few tomato plants thriving underneath a huge honey locust tree. I may need to buy a 50% shade cloth once it gets into the 110s. I also have a few tomato seedlings that were taken from tomatoes grown in Baja as well as some Wild Texas cherry tomatoes. They are supposed to thrive in hot and arid climates. I'm also thinking about trying some Egyptian spinach to see if I like it more than Malabar. I can only grow spinach during the winter and kale January through March.

[marilynackerman]

north florida here...I lost my spinach plants a few weeks ago. Sure was delicious in salad while it lasted. Next year I will be prepared and informed. Thanks. This is the first year I did some serious gardening and it all because of you. My lettuce is being grown on my screened porch in big buckets and I love the convenience of snipping the lettuce and in a few days, there it is back again. Again Thanks...

[JK_]

I actually tried something that you brought up some time ago: planting a row of peas and letting them provide shade for crops planted on either side of them. I did this with peas and broccoli and so far this is my first time having actual broccoli heads forming and not going straight to bolt the moment they peek out from the center of the plant. Been getting tons of snap peas, too!

Only thing that i have to keep fighting now are those darned cabbage butterflies. 🙄

[jgrady]

We're getting another heat wave right now in Ohio- so your timing is perfect. The weather has been so extreme this Spring it seems like plants don't know whether to grow, freeze, wilt, or bake. Thanks for the tips

[katrina]

Good timing, we have a heat advisory for the next 3 days.

[furkidsever]

Yup what a battle: freezer to oven! Popped into my head at 2am to use Ipec water line (and to curl) run thru a couple "T"'s in PVC pipe in cement block to form a halo over the garden tower on the patio to covver it. It also makes great hoops to cover w/ plastic or netting. They tick into shorter pvc pieces set in cement. Little plastic "C" clips hold the cover in place. Battle the wind as well .. double layer of burlap seems to help ... didn't see shade cloth with grommets ... like that idea!

[danarzechula]

Just what I needed as this year we seem to have skipped spring altogether

[cindys.w.]

Same with our spinach in TN got a few cuttings made a few meals and then it bolted. I cut out the center and cleaned them up in hopes to get some side growth for another picking from them.

[MM-fryh]

I just bought shade cloth and thought maybe I bought the wrong thing. You put my mind at ease that I did ok. Thank you for showing how to use it.

[Smaime]

I’m in MN and we’re looking at breaking our record for the longest streak of 90°+ days before mid-June (6 days). 🥵 I am a fan of this weather but some of my plants are not, so this is a well-timed video! My spinach has gone to seed as well, but I’ll probably try planting another batch in late summer.

[carolann]

I set up a 3 sprinklers to gently shower my container garden. I have a timer on it set for early morning and early evening for about 10 minutes. All my plants are also mulched so that helps too. So far no issues. I do need to get shade cloth though. I am in Michigan and yesterday it was just in mid 80s...today, expecting almost 90.

[pamt]

Luke, there is no way I can water in the morning, because I leave for work @6:30 AM, it's not an option. Watering is done in the evening after work and we do fine. It used to discourage me to hear I need to water in the AM, And enjoy a cup of coffee and inspect the garden. Everyone doesn't have that option. Wish seasoned gardeners would "give more options/advice" to watering and planting for folks with a different schedule. Especially for new gardeners. I planted tomatoes @6:00 PM after work and they are doing good.

[shakengrain]

Welcome to "normal" in the South zone 8. Spring cool weather crops bolt to seed almost every single year. And first fall frost can be anywhere from Oct to Dec, so difficult to plan fall crop also. Good information, thank you.