Summer is here despite what the calendar says. Central Texans are no strangers to the heat and once we start reaching triple digits, I figure summer — in the garden at least — is here.
Not only does summer’s heat affect our comfort but it can be difficult for the plants in your garden too. For example, tomatoes need sunshine and warm temperatures to grow but temperatures above 95 degrees or intense sun can stress most varieties of the plants. Heat-stressed tomatoes drop blossoms, fruit stops developing, and the leaves may even turn dry and brittle as the heat leads to moisture stress. Thankfully, there are several things you can do to help your tomatoes and the rest of your garden weather the heat of a Texas summer.
First off, water plants deeply. Plants need water to get through summer but not every day, frequent, shallow watering can do more harm than good. Plants need to be irrigated deeply. A deep watering encourages roots to stretch deeper finding cooler soil that stays moist longer. It also helps to prevent the natural salts present in our soils and water from accumulating around the root zone. Shallow watering often leads to salt-buildup, which is evident by a white powdery substance on the soil surface.
