OUTDOOR CONTAINER GARDENING

I am planning to grow outdoors in 20 and 25 liter containers. To protect my garden I purchased a mobile greenhouse cart, so I am able to move the plants into the garage as needed. The cart has four wheels, adjustable shelves and a clear plastic cover.

I am planning to grow outdoors in 20 and 25 liter containers. To protect my garden I purchased a mobile greenhouse cart, so I am able to move the plants into the garage as needed. The cart has four wheels, adjustable shelves and a clear plastic cover.
I live in an inland area of Southern California between Los Angeles and San Diego. It is very warm in the summer, 35 to 44º C. Can plants handle this intense sun or should I use filtered sun under the patio? Do you have any other tips for me?
Richard D.

It is not the intense sunlight that affects the plants negatively. They can bask in the light. It is the intense heat that stresses them. They shut down photosynthesis at 35º C. During most of the day they are just transpiring, trying to keep cool, but not photosynthesizing.

The solution to the problem is not to shade the plants to keep them cool, but to use micro-misters to keep them cool. Micro-misters and misting fans cool the air by 5-10º by breaking water into 5mm particles that quickly evaporate, cooling the air in the immediate area. They use very little water and energy to create a cool outdoor area.
With the intense light but a cool environment the plants will grow very quickly and vigorously. The plants will require a lot of water, not only for photosynthesis but also to stabilize temperature. Make sure the plants always have plenty of water, but use soil that is porous enough to give the roots a good supply of air. For this reason, they should be fed a dilute nutrient-water solution. If they are given a strong solution they will absorb too much nutrient and can suffer from over-fertilization.
Since the plants are easily mobile they can be forced to flower once they grow large enough. Just wheel them in and out of the garage each day making sure they get 11-12 hours of darkness each day at a consistent time. Another solution, if that is not practical, is to cover them with white-black plastic using a frame. They will flower and ripen during the summer, when the light and UV-B light is strongest so the buds will be extremely potent.
If the buds are harvested early in the season the plants can be re-flowered. Keep them outdoors so they get more light, and break the dark period (the night) by exposing the plants to light for a few seconds or more. This pushes them back into vegetative growth. Within a few weeks the plants will start growing leaves again. Once they have re-vegetated they can be re-flowered or they will start flowering naturally as summer turns to fall and the nights grow longer.