How to help plants survive a heatwave

It’s the third day of Israel’s heatwave and our plants are really suffering from the temperatures soaring above 40 degrees Celcius.

This is what a sun-burned leaf looks like on a butternut squash. I shaded the plant with a cardboard box.

The best solution is extra watering and creating shade for more vulnerable plants, as well as adding a layer of mulch over the soil, to minimize evaporation.

The sun is burning the leaves until they wither and turn brittle. If enough of the leaves and shoots wither, then the plant will die.If you notice brittle, dead leaves on your plants, you must create shade.

Cover them with a cardboard box or newspaper tent. You can weight these down with rocks, so that the hot wind won’t blow the shade away.

I created this shade for my cucumber bed. I hope my beautiful plants pull through!

On a brighter note: some plants love this heat. Our eggplants and sunflowers are having a ball and our baby nopal cactus has doubled in size!

This baby nopal cactus grew a huge new shoot in just 48 hours. As a native of Mexico, it thrives in this weather!

One reason a farm needs a diversity of plants is so that if one kind gets struck down by the elements, there is a good chance that others will still thrive.

G-d willing, this heat will soon pass and our plants will recover!

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My name is Naomi and this is my tiny little farm in the heart of the rapidly growing city of Beit Shemesh, Israel. I enjoy growing, making and processing as much of my family's food and household essentials as possible, while nurturing a biodiverse ecosystem filled with beauty and life. 

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