Having a greenhouse is all about concentrating sunlight to benefit your plants, isn’t it? That’s right; but sometimes it’s still possible to take it too far. Sometimes the sun is too bright, and the weather too hot, for too long, and greenhouse plants begin to suffer. Caring for greenhouses in the sun is as vital as protecting them in winter. Even if you live somewhere where really hot weather seems unlikely, it’s important to be prepared so that you can protect your plants from extreme exposure when emergencies arise.

Employing vents and cooling systems can be effective ways of reducing the air temperature in your greenhouse, but they can’t negate the effects of the sun’s direct rays. If you have a Solexx greenhouse covering, the light will be diffused and you will not have to worry about burning. However, with glass or polycarbonate greenhouse covering, the sun is magnified in intensity, and the sun can scorch and badly damage plants on summer days. The only way to protect against them is with screening. This can be employed either inside the greenhouse - for instance, by using pieces of cardboard to shield your most vulnerable plants - or outside, by covering greenhouse panels.

Some modern greenhouses come with clip-on covers provided so that you can easily attach shading to panels directly in the sun’s rays. If you don’t have these, an effective alternative is to drape the south facing side of your greenhouse with a shade cloth. The best type of shade cloth is reflective to keep your greenhouse from getting overheated.

Caring for greenhouses in sunny weather can require quick thinking, but it’s always worth being prepared so that you can act more speedily. If plants do become scorched before you can intervene, gently misting their leaves can help them to recover. Be ready to cut off any leaves which seem too badly damaged for recovery, as they may become vulnerable to infections. Make sure that damaged plants are kept safe from further scorching as they regrow.