🔥 Common Heat-Related Issues in Your Zone 8a Vegetable Garden (and How to Beat Them!)
- Akin's
- Jul 22
- 3 min read
Summers in the ArkLaTex can bring intense heat—and your vegetable garden feels it just as much as you do! At Akin’s Nursery, we want your garden to thrive all season long, so we’ve put together a quick guide to help you spot and solve common heat-related problems in your veggie patch.
🌡️ 1. Blossom Drop
Have you noticed flowers falling off your tomatoes or peppers without producing fruit? That’s blossom drop, and it's common when daytime temps soar above 90°F or nights stay above 70°F.
What to do:
Shade plants during peak afternoon sun
Water consistently—deep and early in the morning
Choose heat-tolerant varieties when planting
💧 2. Heat Stress & Wilting
Even with regular watering, your plants may appear droopy or scorched. That’s because intense sun increases evaporation and stresses the plant.
What to do:
Water early and deeply
Apply 2–3 inches of mulch to keep roots cool and moist
Use shade cloth or plant taller crops nearby for relief
🍅 3. Sunscald on Fruit
If your tomatoes or peppers develop white or papery patches, they may be suffering from sunscald—a result of overexposure to direct sun, especially after pruning.
What to do:
Avoid heavy pruning during heat waves
Use shade cloth
Let your plants keep their natural leaf canopy to protect fruit
🥬 4. Bolting in Leafy Greens
Lettuce, spinach, cilantro, and other leafy greens often bolt (go to seed) prematurely in hot weather. Once they do, the leaves turn bitter.
What to do:
Keep and eye on growth and harvest before they bolt
Provide shade in the afternoon to slow down the process
Consider replanting in late summer for a fall harvest
🐛 5. More Pests in the Heat
Hot, dry weather brings an increase in garden pests like spider mites, aphids, and squash bugs.
What to do:
Check plants daily
Knock pests off with a strong spray of water
Use insecticidal soap, Spinosad or neem oil (be caution of applying during the heat of the day)
🐝 6. Poor Pollination
High heat can reduce pollen viability, meaning fewer fruits will form—even if your plants flower.
What to do:
Attract pollinators with flowering herbs
Hand-pollinate flowers early in the morning
Provide water sources for bees and butterflies
🪴 7. Stunted Growth
If your vegetables have just stopped growing, the roots may be too hot to function well.
What to do:
Mulch generously to insulate the soil
Water deeply to cool the root zone
Plant in raised beds with healthy, compost-rich soil
Start cleaning up and preparing for the next planting season... right around the corner!
Wondering what to plant now?
🌾 July – Early August
Fall Garden Prep Starts Now!
Start broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage indoors (we have seeds!)
Direct sow:
Okra
Southern peas
Pumpkins
🍂 August – September
Start a Fall Crop (August):
Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Squash
Transplant Fall Crops (Late August–September):
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Cabbage
Collards
Direct Sow:
Carrots
Turnips
Kale
Mustard
Lettuce
Beets
Radishes
Spinach (mid-Sept)
👩🌾 Bonus Tip from Akin’s Nursery!
We carry LSU Ag Center soil kits—free to pick up! You pay the Ag Center for results, and our expert team can help you interpret the results and recommend exactly what your garden needs. And don’t forget, we’re happy to help you choose the right mulch, shade cloth, and pest solutions for your vegetable garden.
Beat the heat and keep your garden growing strong this summer. Stop by Akin’s Nursery in Shreveport—we’ve got the knowledge, supplies, and friendly advice to help you succeed!
🌿Let’s grow something great—even in the heat!
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