Extreme heat coming - what should I do?

cleo88 · July 20, 2011

It is supposed to be 100 degrees here on Friday

, which is unusual here in Mass and I'm not sure it's been that hot since I've been growing tomatoes. I'm having the best year of the three that I've grown tomatoes, so I don't want to screw anything up. What should I do during these really hot days? My instinct is that I should water them, but should I do it at noon or 1pm when it's hottest? In the morning? Both? I'm sure there are a lot of gardeners out there that deal with this. I don't have time or resources to build any shade for them, but I will be home so I can go speak encouraging words to them or get out the hose.

Stepheninky · July 20, 2011

Some water early morning, I usually water in the late evening. Really I think its a preference thing. My rational is that evening the water has more time to seep into the soil before it gets hot. If you have good soil that holds water a good watering should hold them out for 3-4 days. I try not to water my plants that often and prefer natural rain to do the job but sometimes you gotta break down and just do it LOL.

I in fact have to water tonight and am trying to hold off as late as possible as it is still in the 90's but I only got about an hour of daylight left so I guess I better get to it.

bcday · July 20, 2011

If the plants are expected to need watering during a hot day, I do it in the morning or the evening before. That way there are reserves of water within the plant and in the soil. It takes a little time after you water them for the roots to get that water up to the top of the plant. At the end of the day if the soil feels dry then I soak it again. But if you have plants in containers, it wouldn't hurt to check them at midday if you can and water them as needed. Container plants can dry out quickly in this heat.

rsg2001 · July 20, 2011

Be careful with containers. On the 90+ degree days, if I water the night before or the morning of, by end of day the reservoirs need to be refilled. I'm amazed by how much they are soaking up. I have 2 Eva Purple Ball plants in an EarthBox that have grown huger than most of the plants I've grown in the last 10 years, and there are 40 tomatoes on them. I didn't know they would grow that big... the variety won't be an EarthBox next year. However, I've been a bit of a slave to it in this heat in making sure that it is hydrated.

fortyonenorth · July 20, 2011

We're getting the same weather here. For containers, I'm watering twice a day - evening and mid-day. For the in-ground tomatoes, I'm just keeping an eye on them. Once a day seems adequate for now - we're on light soil, too.

tam91 · July 21, 2011

Yep, horrid heat. I have containers, water in the morning and early/mid afternoon.

cleo88 · July 21, 2011

I have a very robust hybrid (my only one - Patio) in a container and it must have a root system like nobody's business - now even on a moderate day it is wilting ever afternoon, and I've been watering it daily. My two other heirlooms in containers (Sophies Choice and German Lineage) do not have this problem - not sure if it is because the Patio is all root and very little dirt or what.

But anyway, I am moving my Patio into the shade for today and tomorrow because I don't think it will even survive otherwise.

P.S. I like the idea of watering early to get the water all the way through the plant by the time maximum heat stress hits.

beatpoet · July 21, 2011

I've been watering my containers first thing in the morning then again mid-day.

July 20, 2011	#1
cleo88 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Sharon, MA Zone 6 Posts: 225	Extreme heat coming - what should I do? It is supposed to be 100 degrees here on Friday , which is unusual here in Mass and I'm not sure it's been that hot since I've been growing tomatoes. I'm having the best year of the three that I've grown tomatoes, so I don't want to screw anything up. What should I do during these really hot days? My instinct is that I should water them, but should I do it at noon or 1pm when it's hottest? In the morning? Both? I'm sure there are a lot of gardeners out there that deal with this. I don't have time or resources to build any shade for them, but I will be home so I can go speak encouraging words to them or get out the hose.

July 20, 2011	#2
Stepheninky Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Kentucky Posts: 682	Some water early morning, I usually water in the late evening. Really I think its a preference thing. My rational is that evening the water has more time to seep into the soil before it gets hot. If you have good soil that holds water a good watering should hold them out for 3-4 days. I try not to water my plants that often and prefer natural rain to do the job but sometimes you gotta break down and just do it LOL. I in fact have to water tonight and am trying to hold off as late as possible as it is still in the 90's but I only got about an hour of daylight left so I guess I better get to it. __________________ tomatoprojects.blogspot.com

July 21, 2011	#6
tam91 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Crystal Lake IL Posts: 2,484	Yep, horrid heat. I have containers, water in the morning and early/mid afternoon. __________________ Tracy

July 21, 2011	#8
beatpoet Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 214	I've been watering my containers first thing in the morning then again mid-day. __________________ "After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." - Aldous Huxley

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July 20, 2011	#3
bcday Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NY z5 Posts: 1,205	If the plants are expected to need watering during a hot day, I do it in the morning or the evening before. That way there are reserves of water within the plant and in the soil. It takes a little time after you water them for the roots to get that water up to the top of the plant. At the end of the day if the soil feels dry then I soak it again. But if you have plants in containers, it wouldn't hurt to check them at midday if you can and water them as needed. Container plants can dry out quickly in this heat.

July 20, 2011	#4
rsg2001 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New York Zone 6 Posts: 479	Be careful with containers. On the 90+ degree days, if I water the night before or the morning of, by end of day the reservoirs need to be refilled. I'm amazed by how much they are soaking up. I have 2 Eva Purple Ball plants in an EarthBox that have grown huger than most of the plants I've grown in the last 10 years, and there are 40 tomatoes on them. I didn't know they would grow that big... the variety won't be an EarthBox next year. However, I've been a bit of a slave to it in this heat in making sure that it is hydrated.

July 20, 2011	#5
fortyonenorth Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: NW Indiana Posts: 1,150	We're getting the same weather here. For containers, I'm watering twice a day - evening and mid-day. For the in-ground tomatoes, I'm just keeping an eye on them. Once a day seems adequate for now - we're on light soil, too.