I just planted a bunch of pepper varieties in a raised garden bed and I'm in zone 6a. The temperatures have spiked into the 90s and are set to remain high this week. My new pepper plants are wilting badly during the day, but they bounce back a bit after I water them and the evening sun isn't as harsh. Since the garden gets full sun from around 9 AM to 6 PM, I'm worried that my young plants might not survive this heat. Is there a way to create some kind of sunscreen for them while they're still small? Also, what's the most cost-effective method to do this? I've got some large metal stakes I could use for support or framing.
1 Answer
You can use things like an upturned milk crate or a cardboard box with one side removed to create some temporary shade. Just make sure whatever you use is movable so you can adjust it throughout the day as the sun moves. Even a small object that you can easily shift around would help a lot!
I like that idea, but my garden bed is pretty large at 3x12 feet. Not sure how I'd implement something that big.