Heat-Resistant Gardening: Questions and Answers

In the heart of summer, maintaining a thriving garden can be a challenge. However, with a few adjustments and some careful planning, you can help your plants weather the heat wave.

Firstly, ensuring the health of your plants is crucial. Provide them with plenty of water, mulching to help retain moisture and regulate soil temperature, and pick off any diseased leaves. In particularly hot weather, many gardeners find that a bit of afternoon shade benefits their fruiting plants, especially those that do not always need full sun, such as cherry tomatoes or the Juliet variety of tomatoes.

When gardening in containers, moving them to a shaded location in the afternoon can be an option. For those who are planning their garden, consider planting times to coincide with each plant's ideal growing conditions to get through heat waves.

As the mercury rises, the garden may need more water than in other times of the year. To check if the soil needs more water, dig your fingers a couple of inches into the soil. If it feels dry, it's time to water. Shade cloth can be used to provide shade to crops, especially for those that are more sensitive to direct sunlight.

Signs of heat stress in vegetables include wilting leaves, sunscald on fruit, tomatoes stopping fruit production, beans failing to produce pods, squash producing fewer flowers, and cucumbers tasting bitter. These symptoms show the plant's physiological stress response to high temperatures.

Pruning tomatoes is not recommended because the foliage provides needed shade. Instead, consider planting half-climbing beans (like pinto beans) near tomatoes to provide extra shade in the heat.

Remember, every garden, every climate, and every summer is different. So, it's essential to adapt your gardening practices to suit your specific conditions. To learn more about watering your garden effectively, check out our guide here.

Lastly, most summer crops are divided into cool weather crops, warm weather crops, and a new category called "hot weather crops," which include okra, sweet potatoes, corn, and peppers. Hot weather crops thrive in the height of summer, making them ideal for those looking to grow produce during the hottest months.

With these tips in mind, you're well on your way to a successful summer garden. Happy gardening!