I started growing all my peppers under shade cloth this year. Yes, it has certainly helped the plants during the current end of June 2026 European heat wave now happening. But I bought the cloth last year for an all together different protection reasons in mind. To keep cabbage butterfly off my cabbage and deer from eating my peppers.

Last year I walked out one morning and almost all my peppers had been mowed down the night before by deer. Deer are browsers, and will nip off ends of my rose bushes, my young grape vines and will take down even my large mature sunflowers. Not to mention damage they do to lettuce, chard, turnips, beets, etc.

Oh, they tried to get the peppers. I have had some damage. But that was mostly from deer or wild boar simply stepping on the low tunnels I set up. Broke some plants. But no browsing damage. Not yet. Knock on wood. Fingers crossed. Because my peppers this year are doing very well and look simply lovely.