Hiya,
I tried Googling and just didn't find what I was looking for. I live
in the high desert of New Mexico and tried to grow tomatoes last year.
What a failure. Leaves shriveled and no fruit to speak of. Finally
gave up about 1/2 way through the summer. Other tomato plants that
were on the patio in shade, did very well. I'm thinking I might need
to provide some shade for the ones in the garden (there is no shade at
all). I was thinking of putting up some shade cloth but am not sure
of the type to use. The local Lowes/HD carry the cloth but it's like
rated at 75% shading. That seems to be too high but not sure. What
sort of rating on shade cloth should I be looking for to grow my
tomatoes? I grew cucumbers last year and they did better and my green
chile did very well (of course that stuff loves full time sun!). The
sun in the area, due to the altitude, is very strong (in fact ABQ was
rated as the skin cancer capital of the world some time ago!).
Thanks for any help!
Cheers,
cc

Funny thing about 'maters (I'm in Albuquerque). I've grown them
successfully for maybe 15 years now, Roma and/or Mama Mias, up until
last year. They did the same as you mention, EXCEPT for the ones that
were 'scattered' by our MinPins who dearly love to harvest them all
summer long. They grew in places I didn't put them (doggie dunits put
them there) and they produced like mad. The ones I bought from the
nursery were pathetic. I'll plant more this year but in a different area.

As for shade, can you attach a piece of the cheap fiberglass corrugated
panel somehow? 2'x8' panel costs like maybe $8 IIRC - I'm strongly
considering this myself.

I've a neighbor who does beefsteaks and for years now his are in direct
sun all day and grow beautifully. He used miracle grow FWIW, I've tried
it but not had good luck. The other stuff that should work is the mesh
sun shade most of the home centers sell, woven plastic(?) cloth.


James Cubby Culbertson wrote:

Hiya,
I tried Googling and just didn't find what I was looking for. I live
in the high desert of New Mexico and tried to grow tomatoes last year.
What a failure. Leaves shriveled and no fruit to speak of. Finally
gave up about 1/2 way through the summer. Other tomato plants that
were on the patio in shade, did very well. I'm thinking I might need
to provide some shade for the ones in the garden (there is no shade at
all). I was thinking of putting up some shade cloth but am not sure
of the type to use. The local Lowes/HD carry the cloth but it's like
rated at 75% shading. That seems to be too high but not sure. What
sort of rating on shade cloth should I be looking for to grow my
tomatoes? I grew cucumbers last year and they did better and my green
chile did very well (of course that stuff loves full time sun!). The
sun in the area, due to the altitude, is very strong (in fact ABQ was
rated as the skin cancer capital of the world some time ago!).
Thanks for any help!
Cheers,
cc

(James Cubby Culbertson) wrote:

Hiya,
I tried Googling and just didn't find what I was looking for. I live
in the high desert of New Mexico and tried to grow tomatoes last year.
What a failure. Leaves shriveled and no fruit to speak of. Finally
gave up about 1/2 way through the summer. Other tomato plants that
were on the patio in shade, did very well. I'm thinking I might need
to provide some shade for the ones in the garden (there is no shade at
all). I was thinking of putting up some shade cloth but am not sure
of the type to use. The local Lowes/HD carry the cloth but it's like
rated at 75% shading. That seems to be too high but not sure. What
sort of rating on shade cloth should I be looking for to grow my
tomatoes? I grew cucumbers last year and they did better and my green
chile did very well (of course that stuff loves full time sun!). The
sun in the area, due to the altitude, is very strong (in fact ABQ was
rated as the skin cancer capital of the world some time ago!).
Thanks for any help!
Cheers,
cc


If you use tomato cages you might consider laying a trellis across the
top. This would shade it from the direct overhead sun--strongest kind.

I think the one I bought was from www.gardeners.com and it was 80-85%.
75% might not be too much for the height of summer.
DiGiTAL ViNYL (no email)
Zone 6b/7, Westchester Co, NY, 1 mile off L.I.Sound
2nd year gardener

You can always use strips of it.

From: DigitalVinyl
Organization: EarthLink Inc. -- http://www.EarthLink.net
Reply-To:
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Date: Mon, 22 Mar 2004 00:43:26 GMT
Subject: Shade Cloth for Tomatoes?

(James Cubby Culbertson) wrote:

Hiya,
I tried Googling and just didn't find what I was looking for. I live
in the high desert of New Mexico and tried to grow tomatoes last year.
What a failure. Leaves shriveled and no fruit to speak of. Finally
gave up about 1/2 way through the summer. Other tomato plants that
were on the patio in shade, did very well. I'm thinking I might need
to provide some shade for the ones in the garden (there is no shade at
all). I was thinking of putting up some shade cloth but am not sure
of the type to use. The local Lowes/HD carry the cloth but it's like
rated at 75% shading. That seems to be too high but not sure. What
sort of rating on shade cloth should I be looking for to grow my
tomatoes? I grew cucumbers last year and they did better and my green
chile did very well (of course that stuff loves full time sun!). The
sun in the area, due to the altitude, is very strong (in fact ABQ was
rated as the skin cancer capital of the world some time ago!).
Thanks for any help!
Cheers,
cc


If you use tomato cages you might consider laying a trellis across the
top. This would shade it from the direct overhead sun--strongest kind.

I think the one I bought was from www.gardeners.com and it was 80-85%.
75% might not be too much for the height of summer.
DiGiTAL ViNYL (no email)
Zone 6b/7, Westchester Co, NY, 1 mile off L.I.Sound
2nd year gardener

Funny thing about 'maters (I'm in Albuquerque). I've grown them
successfully for maybe 15 years now, Roma and/or Mama Mias, up until
last year. They did the same as you mention, EXCEPT for the ones that
were 'scattered' by our MinPins who dearly love to harvest them all
summer long. They grew in places I didn't put them (doggie dunits put
them there) and they produced like mad. The ones I bought from the
nursery were pathetic. I'll plant more this year but in a different area.

As for shade, can you attach a piece of the cheap fiberglass corrugated
panel somehow? 2'x8' panel costs like maybe $8 IIRC - I'm strongly
considering this myself.

I've a neighbor who does beefsteaks and for years now his are in direct
sun all day and grow beautifully. He used miracle grow FWIW, I've tried
it but not had good luck. The other stuff that should work is the mesh
sun shade most of the home centers sell, woven plastic(?) cloth.


James Cubby Culbertson wrote:

Hiya,
I tried Googling and just didn't find what I was looking for. I live
in the high desert of New Mexico and tried to grow tomatoes last year.
What a failure. Leaves shriveled and no fruit to speak of. Finally
gave up about 1/2 way through the summer. Other tomato plants that
were on the patio in shade, did very well. I'm thinking I might need
to provide some shade for the ones in the garden (there is no shade at
all). I was thinking of putting up some shade cloth but am not sure
of the type to use. The local Lowes/HD carry the cloth but it's like
rated at 75% shading. That seems to be too high but not sure. What
sort of rating on shade cloth should I be looking for to grow my
tomatoes? I grew cucumbers last year and they did better and my green
chile did very well (of course that stuff loves full time sun!). The
sun in the area, due to the altitude, is very strong (in fact ABQ was
rated as the skin cancer capital of the world some time ago!).
Thanks for any help!
Cheers,
cc

I do not know answer is true this for a fact but:
I have been reading this group for quite awhile and this same question has
come up more than once.

Quite a few posters have stated that is has more to do with water needs of
the plants than sun exposure. They claim that ensuring the plants have
adequate water is more important than shade. What they were saying was
properly watered plants did not wilt. I am not master Gardner, so do with
this what you want.

That being said: I live in Texas and have lots of the same probs you do-its
it as hot as hell and does not rain for months-This is the solution I am
trying this year, I planted sunflowers close to my tomatoes to TRY and
provide some afternoon shade. I also lowered my beds so I don't have to
water everyday.

I have seen people do what you are talking about though, with what looks
like gauze from the fabric store, at the same time the old man down the
street has a year round fruit stand with not a shade tree in site. Go
figure....

Keep us posted...
njb

"Grandpa" jsdebooATcomcast.net wrote in message
...
Funny thing about 'maters (I'm in Albuquerque). I've grown them
successfully for maybe 15 years now, Roma and/or Mama Mias, up until
last year. They did the same as you mention, EXCEPT for the ones that
were 'scattered' by our MinPins who dearly love to harvest them all
summer long. They grew in places I didn't put them (doggie dunits put
them there) and they produced like mad. The ones I bought from the
nursery were pathetic. I'll plant more this year but in a different area.

As for shade, can you attach a piece of the cheap fiberglass corrugated
panel somehow? 2'x8' panel costs like maybe $8 IIRC - I'm strongly
considering this myself.

I've a neighbor who does beefsteaks and for years now his are in direct
sun all day and grow beautifully. He used miracle grow FWIW, I've tried
it but not had good luck. The other stuff that should work is the mesh
sun shade most of the home centers sell, woven plastic(?) cloth.


James Cubby Culbertson wrote:

Hiya,
I tried Googling and just didn't find what I was looking for. I live
in the high desert of New Mexico and tried to grow tomatoes last year.
What a failure. Leaves shriveled and no fruit to speak of. Finally
gave up about 1/2 way through the summer. Other tomato plants that
were on the patio in shade, did very well. I'm thinking I might need
to provide some shade for the ones in the garden (there is no shade at
all). I was thinking of putting up some shade cloth but am not sure
of the type to use. The local Lowes/HD carry the cloth but it's like
rated at 75% shading. That seems to be too high but not sure. What
sort of rating on shade cloth should I be looking for to grow my
tomatoes? I grew cucumbers last year and they did better and my green
chile did very well (of course that stuff loves full time sun!). The
sun in the area, due to the altitude, is very strong (in fact ABQ was
rated as the skin cancer capital of the world some time ago!).
Thanks for any help!
Cheers,
cc



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This was my first year growing in this location. I grew many before
over in the heights where we had mostly shade except for a few hours
in the late afternoon. They seemed to do very well there. Now, I'm
over on the west side and it's pretty barren, hence no shade. I
watered pretty regularly (drip system) and my chile's did great but
the tomatoes just shriveled up. The earth isn't the best but I was
hoping for a bit better out of them. I hadn't thought of the
fiberglass panel. May have to look into that. I looked at shade
cloth earlier today and the stuff HD and Lowe's sells is rated 75%.
Didn't know if that was going to be too restrictive or not. In any
case, I'm gonna try the shade idea this year and if it doesn't work,
well I'll just plant more chile plants instead
Cheers,
cc