Growing Plants in a Hot Climate

by Ella Andrews

Growing plants in a hot climate can have a significant impact on how certain types of plants grow. Some plants grow better in warmer climates, but they still need appropriate care during warm weather.

Some vegetables that grow well in warmer climates include: Snap beans, Corn, Cucumber, Melons, Peppers,Tomatoes, and Squash.

Some plants that are heat tolerant and have success growing in warmer climates include: Amaranthus, Wheat celosia, Spider flower, California poppy, Gazania hybrids, Cypress vine, and Lantana.

To still have an edible garden during summer, it is worth planting these heat tolerant herbs: Basil, Chive, and Parsley. 

To successfully maintain a garden with any types of plants during summer, there are many things to take into consideration when planting flowers and thinking about garden maintenance.

Some simple things that can be done to ensure healthy garden maintenance as the sun shines warmer during summer include:

Don't overwater grass when the weather is hot. It can be easy to panic and think that the grass and plants need additional water, but this is not necessarily the case. Although grass turns brown as the weather heats up, this does not mean it is dying or unhealthy. Lawn grass is very strong and will bounce back as the weather cools down. It is still important to keep up lawn mowing and care during summer.

Water in the morning and evening for plants, when the sun isn't at its peak of the day. If plants have too much water on them when the sun rays are burning down, this can have a magnifying glass effect and burn the leaves and foliage.

Organic matter in the soil will make enormous differences to the success of the plants. This helps the soil retain moisture. Adding organic matter regularly will help conserve water in the soil.

Avoid digging during summer when plants are struggling to get enough water. Too much digging can increase the loss of moisture in the soil and leaves surrounding plants dehydrated.

Train plants when they are young to need less water. Get them used to an irregular watering pattern. Training plants in this way, when they are young can be good preparation if you know your area is prone to warm summers. 

Protect vegetables so that they are still ready to harvest and remain fresh. Rather than leaving patches of the vegetable garden bare over summer, plant with green manure and companion plants to keep the surrounding soil healthy and active for the summer vegetables.

In the warmer weather, it is also important to check regularly for pest infestations and outbreaks of disease. To help prevent these and have good weed control, clean the borders and beds where plants are growing. If you come across any diseased plants, dig them up immediately so the infection cannot spread.

For trees and shrubs, particularly fruit-bearing ones, it is important to water the surrounding soil as well as the leaves and foliage regularly. This will prevent the fruit from splitting. Regularly renew organic matter around all trees and shrubs as it can decompose and thin at a quicker rate during summer. Trimming and hedging, as well as pruning trees and shrubs, can also help them grow healthy over summer and encourage new growth.

Regular watering is generally the key to keeping a garden healthy over summer. However, in some areas prone to drought you may experience water restrictions. To maximise the benefits of watering plants, add nutrients to the water, such as potassium or seaweed. This will not only hydrate plants, but also correct and feed mineral deficiencies that can occur in summer

I hope you enjoyed this article on growing plants and found it informative.

For more ideas to improve your garden can be found here 

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