Hey, it only hit 101 yesterday, not really hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk (need at least 150 F).  The past two weeks have been brutally hot, as those readers in NC already know.  What some folks might not realize is that the high temperature listed for the day is the temperature in the shade.  You can add another 10-15 degrees to calculate the temperature in the sun. 

As a flower farmer, I try to be outside by 5:45 am and by 9:30 am, it just too darn hot to stay out any longer.  And I start working outside again around 5:30, following the shade as it develops and stay outside until it’s really dark.

Any really young plants are very stressed by the heat as their roots are just under the soil surface that heats up the most.  So, another good use of our low hoops and row cover is to provide some shading for the new transplants, but they’re still struggling in this heat as are many of the mature plants. 

The good news….the berries are ripening really fast!