Lost half my balcony tomato plants after that heatwave in July

I was away for a weekend trip to Portland and left my tomatoes on the south facing balcony. Came back Sunday night and every single leaf was curled up and crispy, even the ones in self watering pots. The soil temp must have hit over 100 degrees on that concrete floor. Now I rig up a shade cloth with binder clips whenever I leave for more than a day. Has anyone else found a cheap way to keep balcony temps down when you're not home?

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nathan_moore124mo ago

Those binder clips and shade cloth trick works pretty good. Maybe try elevating the pots on some bricks or an old wire shelf too - keeps them off that hot concrete so the roots stay cooler even when you're gone.

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angelab624mo ago

Nah @nathan_moore12, I've found the concrete actually helps keep the pots warm at night in my yard.

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