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