Spring to Summer Gardening Tips: Heat, Pests, Watering & Tomato Problems (Zone 9a)

As we transition from spring into the intense summer heat, your garden can go from thriving to struggling almost overnight. In this episode of The Compost Pile, David Pool and Aaron Barnhill are joined by Paul Lemoine to break down the biggest challenges gardeners face this time of year—and how to stay ahead of them.

We cover essential tips for managing watering, preventing plant stress, dealing with rising pest pressure, and understanding why crops like tomatoes suddenly stop producing. Learn how heat, humidity, and soil conditions all work together—and what you can do to adapt your gardening practices for success in Zone 9a and similar climates.

From stink bugs and blight to shade cloth and supplemental feeding, this episode is packed with practical, real-world advice to help your garden thrive through the toughest part of the season.

Topics include:

• Adjusting watering for rising temperatures

• Why tomatoes stop setting fruit in heat & humidity

• Common pests (stink bugs, grasshoppers) and how to control them

• Preventing disease like blight with airflow & pruning

• Shade cloth strategies for summer gardening

• Soil health, fertilizers, and supplemental feeding

• Companion planting, trap crops, and succession planting

Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned gardener, these tips will help you navigate the seasonal shift and keep your garden productive.