How to protect your tomatoes from heat damage
Jul 5, 2024, 1:00 PM
Over the last couple of weeks, Taun has seen a lot of environmental damage on garden vegetables. He’s noticed that tomatoes especially struggle in open areas where there’s a lot of wind exposure. (Canva)
(Canva)
SALT LAKE CITY – Caring for tomatoes in the heat can be a challenge. According to KSL Greenhouse Hosts Taun Beddes and Maria Shilaos, there are a couple of things you can do to protect them from heat damage.
Over the last couple of weeks, Taun has seen a lot of environmental damage on garden vegetables. He’s noticed that tomatoes especially struggle in open areas where there’s a lot of wind exposure. The leaves are curling, and there’s a lot of ripping and tatter from the leaves whipping back and forth.
“When you look at your garden, if every tomato is doing the same thing, then it’s environmental… If it were a disease, you would see one plant affected here, one over there, and it would slowly spread to the rest of the plants,” Taun said.
If you are seeing heat damage on your tomatoes, make sure you’re not overwatering them. Instead, consider using some mulch.
“Mulch will help moderate soil temperatures and keep the water and soil longer, which will help with calcium absorption from the soil,” Taun said.
Taun also recommends putting shade over or to the sides of the tomatoes. If you have low tunnels, you can build a shade structure over those. You can also put some sturdy stakes into the ground. As long as the stakes are tall enough, they will help the tomatoes during the hottest part of the day.
The KSL Greenhouse is on every Saturday from 8 a.m.-11 a.m. You can follow the show on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and on our website.
