By George! - A Blog!

We have enjoyed a beautiful spring but now its the official beginning of summer and there are disappointments lying in wait for us.  The heat of the sun kills pollen of our flowering vegetables–not all of them, just those that are on the edge of comfort.  The squashes, okra, melons Chinese pole beans ( a wonderful vigorous provider of summer protein) and black-eyed peas can take the heat and even need it.

The good times for tomatoes, eggplants and peppers is coming to an end.  The plants will not die, but they won’t produce and they become a disappointment. For the next two or three months they need to be protected from direct sunshine by covering the whole plant with an old sheet or “floating row cover” ( which is a light fabric that breathes, and it can be bought at some nurseries).  There is no need to build a framework, it’s so light that it can be draped directly over the foliage but it needs to be anchored with bricks so the wind won’t blow it off.

What is going to happen is that the plants won’t flower or, if they do, the pollen will be killed and no fruit develops.  But don’t be too downhearted because when the weather cools down in September those suffering plants will revive and give you a tremendous flowering followed by an abundant harvest that goes on until the frosts of December kill the plants.  It’s really the best time of their lives.

Meanwhile, a shade covering, good watering and a thick mulch over the soil will give them all the comfort they need.  One saving grace for tomato lovers is that the small fruited pears and cherries are not so affected–they will continue to flower and fruit under the shade cloth.

Our long-term strategy is to plant varieties that have a good foliage cover and whose fruit will be safe under it.  Those varieties that are pictured in seed catalogs as having their fruit displayed above the foliage may be good for milder climates, but are not much good for the desert regions.   The heat tends to give tomatoes a leathery skin and it does not stretch as the fruit increases in size.  They crack, some varieties more than others.  Anther long-term strategy is set out your plants as soon as warm weather starts in the spring giving your plants as long a period as possible to grow before the hot weather comes. And a third item is to plant varieties that grow quickly.  Even so, don’t be in a hurry to pick your fruit if you want a good-tasting tomato.  It’s best to have a fully ripened fruit that easily comes off the plant to get the benefit of super-tasting tomatoes.