Low Desert High Heat Ideas

[noisebeam]

My tomatoes both were tranplanted too late (start of April) and summer temps came hard and fast (100F by mid-April)

They are healthy and vigouros, both vegitatively and flowering. They are at least 4' tall by now and show now signs of stress even when it was 105F.

But of course there is no fruit set due to high daytime temps. Each plant only has 1-2 tomatoes that set shortly after transplanting.

I want to keep them alive thru the summer (up to 120F) which I have done before, but without much attention - previoulsy I basically neglected them. This year I'll keep evenly/deeply watered and have set up a 45% shade cloth.

By late Aug. they may start setting fruit again, maybe Sept.

My question is if anyone has done this? I've heard mixed ideas if it is better to start with new seedlings in July or keep a stressed plant alive thru the brutal summer.

What suggestions are there for best surving the summer? Should I 'prune' or is the mass of plant good for self shade and to allow for some burn?

As to mulch - I am hoping I can use pine needles which I have in abundance. The soil is alkaline, so the extra acidity can help perhaps?

Al