Sun shades for crops?

[Nicos]

I was wondering what people do to provide temporary shade for their crops during a heatwave?

Previously I’ve propped up a parasol over the salad crops as I’ve had a few years where they have totally collapsed in the heat. Such a waste.

What other crops have people noticed needing protection from direct heat/ sunlight …and what have you rigged up?

We are forecast at least 37C on Saturday …my poor lettuce….

[bramble]

I can't think of anything right nw other than several layers of fleece.
Water the ground the lettuce well. 🫰

[ameno]

I've never had to shade outdoor crops, but I shade my greenhouse every year. I use scaffold netting.

[Andraste]

You've made me think on this one!

Net/fleece as mentioned already. I do try to plant lettuce where they'll get a bit of shade from something taller planted next to them but that's not a temporary measure.

I rather like the sound of the parasols - very 'afternoon tea' . Made me think about using big colourful golfing umbrellas (or painting faces/flowers etc. on boring ones) - imagining the 'old guard' at the allotment site laughing at them would be enough for me to give that a try or maybe some of those screen thingies you used to be able to buy at the beach?

I wonder if you could rig a 'roof' type dewberry from canes and an old bed sheet?

[Penellype]

I have shade netting on my greenhouse in the summer in an attempt to avoid the tomatoes getting greenback, which they tend to do if they get too hot. I've also had to put up a fleece curtain around cucumbers, particularly young plants in full sun, as they are prone to wilting.

This guy lives in South Carolina and takes shading his plants to a different level https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbWcCxV7OOE

[Nicos]

That’s a great video Pen…thanks!
I’m clearly well into the zone he was talking about UV 8 and 9 daily and over 32C

I’ve got fleece to hand so will rig something up tomorrow, then see what we can do more long term. The area does have shade at different times of the day fortunately, but there are vulnerable areas .

Great ideas there peeps. Thanks for sharing!

[Vince G]

I use a bit of shading on brassicas as they can bolt in really hot weather. I soak a big old bathtowel and drape it over the top of the brassica net. It then dries stiff in the shape of the cage so rarely blows away

[Nicos]

^^^ great idea Vince!

[rootball]

In the past i have used old carrier bags.
Slide bottom of bag into top and run a hot iron over them to seal, add paper under and on top of bags before ironing or the bags will melt. Tie them to thin cains or whatever you have handy and put them where needed.

All the other options suggested are of more use then my one but thought i would mention it anyway

[Nicos]

Absolutely rootball…thanks for that !

All suggestions are welcome- we all need ideas up our sleeves for occasions like this as I guess, with climate change, we will all need to adapt to the more extremes of weather which we just aren’t used to experiencing - particularly when it comes to caring for our plants.

[Florence Fennel]

Thanks All - my strawberries are in waist high veg trugs against the gable end of my house and get full sun from morning until late afternoon. I've noticed that the leaves are getting frazzled. That never happened when they were in a similar place, but in the ground. Do you think I should find a way to
shade them?

[Nicos]

I think I’d be tempted to throw fleece over the in the afternoons whilst this heatwave continues.
Maybe give them a helping hand pollinating whilst you need to do that?

[Florence Fennel]

They're fruiting ok Nicos, albeit a bit small, so I'll try that thanks

[Nicos]

I wonder if they need more watering/ mulching too?

[Florence Fennel]

I thought the same thing Nicos. I've given them a good drenching, some fresh compost around the plants and I'll cover them today. Fingers crossed!