Too Much Sun?
You might think the vegetables growing in your garden can’t get enough of the sun’s rays and warmth. But did you know that too much sun can hurt certain plans? Heat-sensitive crops like lettuce and spinach are susceptible to bolting, which can cause vegetables to taste bitter. Shade over a garden bed can create a cool microclimate that will help prevent bolting and bitterness, make it possible to grow warm-weather crops in areas with very hot summers and hasten germination of cool-weather fall crops.
Viewer Tip: Some growers provide cooling shade by growing vines such as gourds on frames placed over vegetable beds. Shade fabrics, available from greenhouse and garden supply stores, can be fastened over hoops in summer to lower soil temperatures and protect crops from wind damage, sun scald and drying. Placing plants under 30 to 50 percent shade in mid-summer can lower a plant’s leaf temperature by 10 degrees Fahrenheit or more.
Season: Summer
This information is provided by ATTRA – National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service. Learn more in “Season Extension Techniques for Market Gardeners,” http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/seasonext.html/.
