Growing vegetables in hot weather can be challenging, and you’re not alone if you’ve had issues like too much sunlight, excessive heat, or watering problems. Living in a warm climate with extreme summer temperatures can be tough on many plants, even those adapted for it. I’ve certainly experienced many dead plants and failed crops on my own gardening journey, but I’ve learned a lot too.
Through experimentation with various veggies and summer crops, I’ve made a list of the best vegetables for hot weather as well as some strategies to grow successfully through the summer. Some of the vegetables thrive in hot weather while others may need a little help along the way. Here are my top recommendations for vegetables that will grow best in hot weather.
Soil Preparation for Warm Climates
You generally always want nutrient rich, high quality soil that retains moisture. When growing in warmer climate or through the hot summer months, water retention is a key priority.
There are several things you can use to improve moisture retention qualities in the soil such as:
Water Crystals: Water-absorbing crystals, also known as hydrogel, can be mixed into potting soil to improve water retention. These crystals absorb water and then slowly release it back into the soil as it dries out, helping to keep the soil consistently moist. They are particularly useful for container gardening or hanging plants, where soil tends to dry out more quickly.
One thing to note is they will expand quite a lot when wet so make sure you consider this when filling the container as your soil may bulge out of the pot otherwise. You can usually get them from garden centres.
Organic Matter: Adding organic matter such as compost or well-rotted manure to the soil can significantly improve its water retention capacity. Organic matter acts like a sponge, holding onto moisture and releasing it slowly to plant roots as needed. It also improves soil structure, allowing water to penetrate more deeply and evenly.
Clay Additives: Clay soil has excellent water holding capacity that is useful for hot, dry climates as long as it doesn’t completely dry out. Adding clay additives like bentonite clay or kaolin clay to sandy or loamy soils can help improve their water retention capacity. These clay particles act like tiny sponges, holding onto water and nutrients and releasing them slowly over time.
I’m a big fan of bentonite clay and its a great way to permanently improve the water holding capacity of your soil or raised beds if you are having trouble with them drying out.
Tomatoes
The classic warm-weather plant, tomatoes can take a lot of sun and heat, making them perfect for warm climates. They are heavy feeders, requiring plenty of nutrients and about 30 cm (12 inches) between each plant. I like to stake my tomatoes, and with their vertical growth habit, they are ideal for companion planting to make use of the space between and under the plants. This also helps reduce pest problems, such as aphids.
When growing tomatoes in hot weather, consider reducing the amount of trimming you do. Allowing more foliage to grow can provide shade and protect the fruit from sunscald. In hot, sunny weather, you are less likely to develop fungal issues, which is one of the main reasons for trimming back growth in cooler climates.
With their vigorous growth, tomatoes need a lot of water. During the height of summer, I water my tomatoes every morning. While it’s often suggested to use infrequent deep watering, in my experience, extreme summer conditions require more frequent watering to prevent the plants from wilting and dying in the intense heat.
Peppers/Chillies
Peppers, or chillies depending on where you live, are sun and heat-loving plants. While tomatoes can grow in cooler temperatures, I find that chillies perform poorly in lower temperatures. Hot climates and high temperatures play to chillies’ strengths.
Bell peppers, or capsicums, are slightly different from chillies. Generally, bell peppers or capsicums prefer cooler temperatures, whereas chillies are much more heat-tolerant. For this reason, if you are growing bell peppers in hot weather, I suggest using shading to reduce the ambient temperature or planting them in a spot that gets only morning sun.
The specific variety of chilli doesn’t matter much in my experience so grow whatever kind you like, as long as it’s a chilli, it can survive in very hot weather.
Watermelon
One of my favourite summer crops to grow is watermelon. Something about cutting open a home grown watermelon and seeing the sweet, red inside is really satisfying. These low-maintenance plants have been very successful for me. Consistent moisture during growth is important to prevent the fruit from cracking and to ensure a sweet texture and flavour throughout.
If you are growing watermelons in an urban environment, I suggest either trellising them or planting well away from your fence line. In my experience, rats love watermelons and will eat out the inside of the fruit before it fully ripens, ruining it.
Watermelons take a long time to mature, so sowing the seeds as early as possible is crucial to allow them to mature well into summer for harvesting. They also require a lot of space—leave about 1 meter (3 feet) for each plant as they will spread and use a lot of nutrients to produce the giant fruits we love.
Cucumber
We’ve grown a lot of cucumbers in our yard, and in my experience, they can be a bit tricky. While they love sun and hot weather, they can burn easily in harsh light, so some form of shade is is a good idea. Cucumbers are also prone to fungal diseases. I usually grow them under a shade cloth and trellis them to keep them off the ground. This setup allows for better airflow, which helps reduce fungal problems.
When watering, it’s a good idea to avoid getting the leaves wet, as this can promote fungal issues. Cucumbers need a lot of water to produce nice-sized fruits and maintain healthy leaves. Despite their love for hot temperatures, they are very prone to shrivelling up and dying without adequate watering.
You can pick cucumbers when they are still a little small, firm, and green. They will continue to mature off the vine, and by picking regularly, you will promote more fruit production on the plant. Harvest cucumbers regularly to ensure the best flavour and texture.
Carrots
Carrots are often thought of as cool-weather crops, but I’ve had great success growing them year-round, even in our hot summers where temperatures can exceed 40°C (104°F). Carrots are low-maintenance and are primarily grown for their cool underground roots. Their thin and spindly leaves offer some protection from the sun, reducing the risk of scorching.
Many common problems associated with carrots, such as carrot root fly infestations, are less prevalent in summer as their breeding season typically occurs in winter. By growing carrots in summer, you can avoid pest issues and enjoy a continuous harvest year-round.
Carrots can be one of the best vegetables to grow in summer because their care requirements remains largely the same as in cooler seasons. One additional measure to consider is using shade cloth over the bed to shield the plants from the harsh sun. This can help maintain soil moisture which is important to prevent the roots from cracking.
For more tips on growing carrots, check out my article: How to Grow Perfect Carrots.
Zucchini
Zucchini, like cucumbers, is susceptible to many of the same fungal problems. I recommend trellising zucchini plants and watering them at the base whenever possible. Trellising helps increase airflow around the plants, reducing the risk of fungal diseases. Watering at the base minimizes moisture on the leaves, which can promote fungal growth.
You can also hand-pollinate zucchini flowers to ensure fruit development, especially if you are having trouble with pollinators in your area. Harvest zucchini when they are young and tender to encourage more production and prevent the fruits from becoming overripe.
Corn
We eat a lot of corn in our house and it’s also one of those crops I find just very cool to grow. When you have your own little cornfield in your backyard you really feel like a farmer. In my hot summers I still manage to get sweet corn cobs without using a shade cloth.
As with most of these crops, the main thing to worry about is keeping constant moisture if you want nice full cobs. The other aspect of having full cobs is a close distance between the plants. For sweet corn, 20-25 cm (8-10 inches) between plants in rows that are 60-75 cm (24-30 inches) apart is often recommended but you can get away with having them closer.
If you in a windy place like I am, then you may find your corn getting blown over in the wind, especially as it matures and gets taller. You can try mounding the soil around the corn up as it grows, the roots will grow into the soil and help to hold it upright
Beans (Green Beans, Snap Beans)
We cook a lot of stir-fries in our house, and luckily, beans are a great crop to grow in warmer weather.
Whether you prefer bush beans or pole beans, both varieties can be trellised to save space and encourage upward growth. Trellising keeps the plants organized, makes harvesting easier, and helps reduce fungal problems. However, I find beans are more resilient to fungal problems compared to other plants. Beans are a crop that will continuously grow pods throughout the season, so make sure to keep picking to encourage production.
When planting beans in the summer, it’s essential to provide them with adequate water to support their rapid growth and pod production. They have shallow roots and will dry out much easier, so more frequent watering and heavy mulching are important.
You know snap beans are ripe when the pods are 10-15 cm (4-6 inches) long, bright green, and still tender. If the pods are swollen or hard, they are probably overripe. However, leaving a few pods to mature fully allows you to collect seeds easily. Keep the seeds dry and store them in a zip lock bag in your pantry for the next growing season.
Eggplant
I don’t grow a lot of eggplants to eat but I think their purple fruits are very cool anyway so there is always at least one in my summer garden. Eggplants thrive in warm weather. You will want to use the same advice for many of the plants in this list such as trellising to keep their fruits off the ground and ensure good airflow, which helps prevent pests and diseases.
Water your eggplants regularly, but avoid getting the leaves wet. I recommend some shade during the hottest part of the day to prevent sunburn, this is either a spot with only morning sun or shade clothes.
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes prefer temperatures between 21-29°C (70-85°F) and a frost-free period of 100-150 days. To grow well, they need loose, well-drained soil enriched with compost or manure. Planting in sunny spots ensures healthy growth and minimizes disease risks. If you are limited on space they also grow well in containers.
Prepare the soil by removing rocks and debris, and consider raised beds for better drainage. Plant sweet potatoes in sunny areas, providing at least six to eight hours of sunlight daily. Regular watering during dry spells and weeding help them grow strong, leading to a plentiful harvest of delicious, nutritious tubers.
Hot Weather Growing Tips
- No matter how sun loving a plant is, in very hot weather its always a good idea to provide shade. Use a shade cloth if you experience extreme summers to reduce heat and moisture stress.
- Mulching is extremely important to maintain moisture in the soil, choose one that can provide thick cover but breaks down easily so you don’t have to deal with nutrient issues in your garden bed. I like to use straw or sugar cane and apply quite thickly.
- Frequent watering is a good idea, common advice is to water infrequently and deeply but in my experience annuals like vegetables simply won’t have deep enough root systems compared to established plants and will need daily watering in the hottest weather.
Conclusion
Successfully growing vegetables in hot weather can be challenging, but by selecting heat-tolerant varieties, implementing smart gardening practices, and providing adequate moisture and shade, it’s possible to have a great harvest.
You may curse the sun as it turns your crops into crisps, but hot weather and warmer climates offer a broad range of advantages our fellow gardeners in colder climates would kill for such as a potential year round growing season, a wider variety of fruit and vegetables to grow and a great garden tan.
If you have any tips on growing in hot weather that works for you, share with us below!
