How do you deal with sunscald?

How to Deal with Sunscald

Sunscald is one of those gardening problems that sneaks up on you. One minute your plants are thriving, the next you’re staring at blotchy, discolored fruit or bark that looks like it’s been singed in a fire. I’ve been there. Plants can’t scream for sunscreen, so it’s up to us to shield them—or repair the damage when we slip up.

Spot It Before It Spreads

Sunscald usually happens during the hottest months, when intense sunlight hits delicate plant tissues. On fruits like tomatoes, the damage starts as a pale, papery patch that eventually turns brown or leathery. For tree bark, think peeling or cracking that exposes the underlayer.

Once you notice this, act fast. The longer the damage sits, the harder it is for the plant to recover.

Shielding Plants From the Sun

Preventing sunscald is always easier than fixing it. Shade is your number-one defense. Lightweight shade cloth is a lifesaver—something I learned after losing an entire row of peppers to one brutal August heatwave. Drape it over vulnerable plants during the hottest part of the day, and you’ll see a difference almost immediately.

If you’re working with smaller plants, a bit of improvisation works wonders. I've used everything from patio umbrellas to old bedsheets strung between stakes. The trick is to filter the light without suffocating your crops.

For Trees, Bark Is the Battlefield

Trees are a different beast. Young trees, especially those with thin bark like fruit trees, are sitting ducks for sunscald. I remember the first time I saw sunscald on one of my apple trees—a long, ugly fissure running down the trunk. It felt like a sucker punch.

The solution? Tree wraps. Wrap the trunk in a breathable material like crepe paper or specialized tree guards before winter rolls around. Why winter? Because sunscald often strikes in late winter or early spring when the sun warms the bark during the day, only for it to freeze again at night. The temperature swings wreak havoc.

Repairing the Damage

If the unthinkable happens and sunscald takes hold, don’t panic. For fruits, affected areas are usually inedible, but the rest of the crop is fine. Trim off the bad spots and use what’s salvageable. Don’t leave damaged fruit to rot—it can attract pests and disease.

Trees, however, need special care. Don’t peel off damaged bark, no matter how tempting it is. Instead, let the tree heal naturally. Keep it watered and mulched, and consider adding a slow-release fertilizer to give it some extra strength. The less stress it feels, the faster it recovers.

A Proactive Approach to Healthy Plants

Planting strategically is another way to head off sunscald. If you’ve got a backyard orchard, don’t plant sun-sensitive trees like maples or fruit trees where they’ll get full, harsh sun. Choose spots with filtered light or give them some neighbors—a taller tree nearby can act like a natural umbrella.

For gardens, denser planting can create a mini-ecosystem that reduces exposure. I’ve found that mixing tall, leafy plants like corn or sunflowers with vulnerable crops works brilliantly. They act as a living shade barrier while earning their keep.

The Bigger Picture

Sunscald is essentially nature’s way of reminding us that even plants need protection from extremes.

A little planning and some thoughtful protection can save you heartache. Whether it’s a row of heirloom tomatoes or a young cherry tree you’ve been nursing for years, they all benefit from a bit of extra care when the sun is merciless. After all, our gardens rely on us as much as we rely on them.

Sunscald can be a challenging problem to deal with as a gardener, but it doesn't have to ruin your harvest. With the right tools and techniques, you can keep your plants healthy and thriving in areas that get direct sunlight. Utilizing shade during the hottest times of the day and applying mulch around the base of your plants will help to ensure your hard work pays off with a successful harvest.