Shade Cloth Over Tomatoes - Page 2

slugworth · May 31, 2021

The plant itself is 11 month old.
june 26th will be it's 1 year birthday.

Milan HP · May 31, 2021

Thanks for your thanks, GoDawgs. My pleasure to help and sound "clever" at the same time.

However, I am afraid white paint may not be enough when the weather is really hot. I sometimes use polystyrene (doesn't have to be very thick) around the pots (or they could all be in a sort of box). And it should also shade the soil surface at all times.

I can only visualize your situation (modelling it on what we once experienced in 2018 here), but I don't really think shading the plants themselves is a bad idea. They do have some ways of protecting themselves but those may not be enough. Shading them will prevent very fast loss of water and of course cool them down.

Milan HP

JRinPA · May 31, 2021

I may do an overhead cover with AG19 this year for my tomatoes. It is nowhere near 50%, but I think it is enough for here. Probably won't get to it, but still considering it. All my tomatoes are in the same patch in two double rows, so it is feasible. My issue is high winds will want to rip it off when I'm not looking.

Last year I did the 20x4 raised bed out back with a similar cover. I used some string sliders to deploy and stow easily. It lasted until I missed a retraction and the wind got hold of it, ripping a corner of AG19. When I repaired it, it used more material in the hold down, so the cover was more taut, and the repair did not last long. The results though were positive. That shade over the lettuce, spinach, beets, carrots was good for them. And I thought at that time, it would probably be great for the tomatoes as well.

What I really need though is a motorized version with smartphone control. Or at least timed. I'd only want it deployed noon-4pm edt on calm days.

Whwoz · June 1, 2021

Have been considering this issue for a number of years, but with our cooler than average summers lately have not had to do anything about it. What I am considering doing is using pole beans to provide cover by basically growing them up each side of an arch and using the shaded ground in the middle to grow less heat tolerant plants.

GoDawgs · June 1, 2021

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whwoz

Have been considering this issue for a number of years, but with our cooler than average summers lately have not had to do anything about it. What I am considering doing is using pole beans to provide cover by basically growing them up each side of an arch and using the shaded ground in the middle to grow less heat tolerant plants.

That sounds like a great idea, Woz. A country gardener's version of the perfectly attended climbing rose arches in someone big estate, only way more useful!

MrBig46 · June 18, 2021

Vladimír

MrBig46 · June 18, 2021

For the next three days, the forecast is 32 ° C in the shade. This means that the temperature in the sun will be higher than 35 ° C and this will have a bad effect on the pollination of flowers. Almost all varieties bloom for me and even with twenty of them I have given bags on the flowers for the production of seeds. So I placed a green woven raschel shade on the roof and hung the curtain in front. I hope this helps.
Vladimír

hl2601 · June 18, 2021

Sounds like a great plan Vladimir! In Denver we are having a very hot stretch of consecutive days-99-100 degrees. I left the green house plastic on the top of my frame with the sides clipped up. It has absolutely helped keep the plants cooler for 2 weeks now without sacrificing growth or flowers. I wish you good luck!
Heide

habitat_gardener · June 18, 2021

It was 108F (42C) yesterday and today. No shade cloth over the tomatoes, but I did put nursery flats over the cages of some tomatoes that had started to have greenies to prevent sun scald.

GoDawgs · June 19, 2021

My rigged-up shade cloth and bucket shading seems to be working well as plants are setting tomatoes. There are a few that are a bit slack in formation, namely KBX but that one did the same last year in a different location. Maybe it will come on stronger later in the season.

We're looking to have the remnants of TS Claudette come through here the next three days. I will raise the shade cloth to reduce wind resistance.

June 18, 2021	#21
MrBig46 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Czech republic Posts: 2,528	Vladimír Last edited by MrBig46; June 18, 2021 at 10:20 AM.

May 31, 2021	#16
slugworth Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: connecticut,usa Posts: 1,150	The plant itself is 11 month old. june 26th will be it's 1 year birthday.

May 31, 2021	#17
Milan HP Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Ústí nad Labem in the north of the Czech Republic Posts: 332	Thanks for your thanks, GoDawgs. My pleasure to help and sound "clever" at the same time. However, I am afraid white paint may not be enough when the weather is really hot. I sometimes use polystyrene (doesn't have to be very thick) around the pots (or they could all be in a sort of box). And it should also shade the soil surface at all times. I can only visualize your situation (modelling it on what we once experienced in 2018 here), but I don't really think shading the plants themselves is a bad idea. They do have some ways of protecting themselves but those may not be enough. Shading them will prevent very fast loss of water and of course cool them down. Milan HP

May 31, 2021	#18
JRinPA Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: SE PA Posts: 964	I may do an overhead cover with AG19 this year for my tomatoes. It is nowhere near 50%, but I think it is enough for here. Probably won't get to it, but still considering it. All my tomatoes are in the same patch in two double rows, so it is feasible. My issue is high winds will want to rip it off when I'm not looking. Last year I did the 20x4 raised bed out back with a similar cover. I used some string sliders to deploy and stow easily. It lasted until I missed a retraction and the wind got hold of it, ripping a corner of AG19. When I repaired it, it used more material in the hold down, so the cover was more taut, and the repair did not last long. The results though were positive. That shade over the lettuce, spinach, beets, carrots was good for them. And I thought at that time, it would probably be great for the tomatoes as well. What I really need though is a motorized version with smartphone control. Or at least timed. I'd only want it deployed noon-4pm edt on calm days.

June 1, 2021	#19
Whwoz Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Victoria, Australia Posts: 870	Have been considering this issue for a number of years, but with our cooler than average summers lately have not had to do anything about it. What I am considering doing is using pole beans to provide cover by basically growing them up each side of an arch and using the shaded ground in the middle to grow less heat tolerant plants.

June 18, 2021	#23
hl2601 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Metro Denver Posts: 763	Sounds like a great plan Vladimir! In Denver we are having a very hot stretch of consecutive days-99-100 degrees. I left the green house plastic on the top of my frame with the sides clipped up. It has absolutely helped keep the plants cooler for 2 weeks now without sacrificing growth or flowers. I wish you good luck! Heide

June 18, 2021	#24
habitat_gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: California Central Valley Posts: 2,540	It was 108F (42C) yesterday and today. No shade cloth over the tomatoes, but I did put nursery flats over the cages of some tomatoes that had started to have greenies to prevent sun scald.

June 19, 2021	#25
GoDawgs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Augusta area, Georgia, 8a/7b Posts: 1,685	My rigged-up shade cloth and bucket shading seems to be working well as plants are setting tomatoes. There are a few that are a bit slack in formation, namely KBX but that one did the same last year in a different location. Maybe it will come on stronger later in the season. We're looking to have the remnants of TS Claudette come through here the next three days. I will raise the shade cloth to reduce wind resistance.