Vegetables Gardening - Growing Organic Vegetables

Steve,
I had great tomatoes in the Spring. Then when the heat hit, the tomatoes were very sunburned and "baked" if you will in our Texas Heat. My neighbor suggested putting solar screen mesh like fabric over my T frames. We did this because I didn't have anything else yet. It has provided some shade during the middle part of the day, but the tomatoes still get sun morning and evening. I think it has helped a bit, but the heat truly has stunted much production. Any tomatoe that grows is small and often still baked! We do have the automated watering system. I want to know --- is the solar screen similar to the "shade cloth"?? or do I need to go and find some shade cloth that has been recommended??

Thanks & good luck.
Kelly (Texas)

--- In MittleiderMethodGardening@yahoogroups.com, "Steve" <sbastian123@...> wrote:
>
> Thanks to all for the suggestions. My take away from the comments is the addition of shade cloth.
>
> Last year we tended them through the heat and they came back to life in September and started producing strong again until first freeze in mid-November.
>
> Watering has not been a problem. I finished installing the PVC drip irrigation system last year and hooked it up to our watering system. It was a little expensive but all watering is now automatic, meaning the garden doesn't die if we leave for a week. I would highly recommend this kind of set up if you can afford it.
>
> Thanks again to all.
>
> Steve B.
>
> For the record, we finally had a day under 100 this week and it rained last night for the first time in two months. To the kind person praying for us in Texas we thank you.
>
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> --- In MittleiderMethodGardening@yahoogroups.com, mike green <okladad2000@> wrote:
> >
> > Use drip irrigation and put shade cloth over the plants (I recommend drilled PVC pipe per Chapter 16 of Mittleider Gardening Course - JK). water the shade cloth in the evening to reduce the temp at night (might help - but beware of aiding and abetting diseases that love the humidity - JK).
> >
> >
> > From: Steven Bastian <sbastian123@>
> > To: MittleiderMethodGardening@yahoogroups.com
> > Sent: Tuesday, August 9, 2011 2:16 PM
> > Subject: [MittleiderMethodGardening] Master Tomato Growers in Texas
> >
> >
> >  
> >
> > Jim,
> >
> > Got any Masters in Texas that can show us how to grown tomatoes in the 110
> > degree heat?
> >
> > Steve B.
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
>

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