Tomatoes thrive in warm weather, but the intense UK sunshine expected later this month could seriously damage young plants and reduce crop quality. Prolonged exposure to strong sunlight causes sunscald—where tomatoes lose moisture rapidly, become dry and leathery, and become more susceptible to diseases like blight. This can lead to fruit rotting directly on the vine.
Organic gardener and founder of Homestead and Chill, Deanna Talerico, recommends an easy, budget-friendly solution: use common household items like bedsheets to create shade for vulnerable plants.
“There are a number of ways to create shade in the garden,” Deanna explains. “You can drape bedsheets or specialized shade cloth over hoops, stakes, or supports, or use large umbrellas or shade canopies to shield entire garden areas.”
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Bedsheets are ideal for shading tomatoes because their lightweight fabric diffuses sunlight without completely blocking it, allowing plants to breathe and avoid overheating. Avoid using heavy plastics, which can trap heat and stress plants further.
With UK temperatures forecast to breach 30°C in parts of the country later this month, protecting your tomatoes from heat stress and sunscald is essential. Watch for signs such as wilting leaves, even with regular watering, or light, spotty marks on fruit as cues to shade your plants.
Deanna advises, “Reducing the intensity of sunlight and heat keeps soil cooler, retains moisture, and lessens heat damage overall.”
For container-grown tomatoes, secure the bedsheet using clothes pegs, hair clips, or garden ties, ensuring the fabric is suspended above the plants to prevent crushing delicate fruit. Choose white or pale-coloured sheets to reflect sunlight effectively, as darker colours can absorb heat and harm plants.
Drape the sheets before the morning sun becomes too strong and remove them in the early evening so plants still receive vital sunshine for healthy growth.
Sunscald is easy to spot on tomatoes, but other crops like cucumbers and peppers also benefit from occasional shading. Alongside shading, remember to water deeply and mulch well to help your garden flourish throughout the summer heat.