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Few vegetables capture the taste of summer like a fresh cucumber picked straight from the vine. But when temperatures climb into the 90s—or stay there for days—many gardeners notice their cucumber plants slowing down. Flowers appear but don’t produce fruit. Tiny cucumbers yellow and shrivel. Leaves wilt in the afternoon, and harvests become smaller. The…
Every tomato gardener eventually asks the same question during summer: “Is it simply too hot for my tomatoes?” The answer is yes—but probably not in the way you think. I’ve grown tomatoes for more than 40 years in California, Iowa, Massachusetts, and Florida. During that time, I’ve seen tomatoes survive weeks of temperatures above 100°F….
How to Protect, Maintain, and Restore Your Vegetable Garden During Heat Waves Extreme summer heat is becoming one of the greatest challenges for vegetable gardeners. Days above 90°F are no longer unusual, and many regions now experience multiple stretches of 95°F to 105°F weather each growing season. Add warm nights, low humidity—or sometimes oppressive humidity—and…
Sunscald is one of the most frustrating problems in the summer vegetable garden. A healthy tomato or pepper can look perfect one day and develop pale, leathery, or burned patches the next. In severe cases, the affected tissue turns white, yellow, or papery and becomes unusable. Unlike many plant diseases, sunscald is not caused by…
Mulching is one of the most effective and least appreciated techniques for protecting a vegetable garden during hot weather. When temperatures rise above 90°F, exposed soil can heat rapidly, water evaporates quickly, and plant roots are placed under constant stress. A well-mulched garden, by contrast, stays cooler, retains moisture longer, and supports more stable plant…
When temperatures climb above 90°F to 100°F, watering becomes the most critical task in the vegetable garden. Heat waves don’t just dry out soil faster—they fundamentally change how plants use water, how roots absorb moisture, and how quickly stress builds in vegetables. Many gardeners respond by watering more often, but not necessarily more effectively. In…
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