@Oakley
There are definitely some plants that do well in the heat, like okra, Malabar spinach, zucchini rampicante, and cherry tomatoes. Some need to last until October to thrive in those last two months of the growing season. Armenian cucumbers have also done really well for me even in the heat of 9a in Georgetown/Hutto TX.
@Frankie
Thank you for sharing that list. I appreciate it.
Oakley said:
@Frankie
Thank you for sharing that list. I appreciate it.
You’re welcome! It took me five years of learning to find those varieties. I still try some tougher plants, but those are the ones I can count on.
@Frankie
Yes! I’m thinking about growing Malabar spinach and possibly okra too.
@Oakley
I live in a desert area with a climate of over 100°F and we grow plenty of winter greens and vegetables too. Most farms grow hay and alfalfa at other times.
Harlow said:
@Oakley
I live in a desert area with a climate of over 100°F and we grow plenty of winter greens and vegetables too. Most farms grow hay and alfalfa at other times.
I can’t recall my zone (it changed and I honestly don’t care). I’m in the high desert…100+ from mid-June until at least September. Strong winds too.
My veggies grow just fine, and I don’t use shade cloth or any of that stuff. They’re in full sun from dawn until about 7 PM (or until the house casts enough shade).
The only plants that didn’t make it were the ones I shouldn’t have planted in the first place (those spring crops).
@Zora
I’m impressed and a bit jealous. I hope that moving my garden will help this year. I want to be as successful as you. Which veggies do you like to grow?
Oakley said:
@Zora
I’m impressed and a bit jealous. I hope that moving my garden will help this year. I want to be as successful as you. Which veggies do you like to grow?
So far I’ve done well with tomatoes (those non-determinate ones can be crazy!), jalapeños, and cantaloupes.
This year I added strawberries (no luck yet), rhubarb (for my husband, I think it’s gross), potatoes (which are super fun to grow), peas, radishes, I tried celery (not sure about that one), I have cilantro everywhere, and onions, chard, and maybe I planted kale.
This summer, I plan to put some pumpkins and winter squash in… plus I need to start sweet potatoes!
I’m lucky that I have the space for this.
@Zora
Thanks for sharing. I hear you about rhubarb. My family always suggests it, but nah. I need to learn about potatoes and sweet potatoes since they’re pretty hard to mess up.
Oakley said:
@Zora
Thanks for sharing. I hear you about rhubarb. My family always suggests it, but nah. I need to learn about potatoes and sweet potatoes since they’re pretty hard to mess up.
I’m trying out potatoes.
A bunch sprouted in my kitchen, so I chopped them up and stuck them in the ground.
Harlow said:
@Oakley
I live in a desert area with a climate of over 100°F and we grow plenty of winter greens and vegetables too. Most farms grow hay and alfalfa at other times.
Thank you! I will give those a try this year.
@Oakley
I grow purslane and Malabar spinach during the hot Texas summer (3 months of over 100°F) with no issues. Trying a new plant called Jewels of Opar this summer, which does well in our hot weather as a green, but some people grow it as a flower. I also grow Moringa, which loves the heat. Sweet potatoes and melons also thrive. We deal with wind and harsh sun, but these plants handle it just fine. Both purslane and Jewels of Opar are great for droughts too. Moringa does fine in drought but it will produce less. If there are no winter freezes, Moringa will keep growing since it’s a tree, and you can harvest the drumsticks, which are the seed pods used as a vegetable in Thai cooking. It grows super fast, so you can have a small tree by the end of the season.
@Uma
I’m trying New Zealand spinach this year, but I’ve heard that Malabar is better. I might have to add that one to my list. Thanks for all the options.
@Uma
I really like purslane!
I’ve gardened in Cyprus where it gets to 100°F daily for months. I grow leafy plants in the shade and use water from a well. I use a ton of water, no kidding. But a lot of that is for pumpkins and squash.
I live in Central South Carolina.
It’s really hot, really humid, and most of my garden is in a spot that gets nearly non-stop sun. Probably 14 hours or more at the peak of summer.
I started using shade cloth last year and it changed everything. So much so, I bought two more to hang it on the sides this year.
Check out The Millennial Gardener on YouTube. He has lots of videos about shade cloth.
@Luca
I’m in the midlands too! This is my third summer here after living in northern NJ for most of my life. I added a solar-powered drip irrigation system this year because keeping up with watering was a real issue last summer. I might look into shade cloth since my backyard where the garden is gets sun all day.
@Cory
Hi! I was born in Mass but moved here at age 6.
I’m working on adding drip irrigation too. I work 12-hour shifts, so I often can’t water every day by hand. I’ve got the main line set up and now I’m adding smaller tubing and adjusting the emitters.
What part of your system is solar-powered? Do you use a pump?
I’m in 8b. I use the Clemson University planting guide, which is a little different here; things get planted earlier than up north. Just today, I harvested peppers and tomatoes. You can grow a lot of plants, you just have to plant them at the right times.
I’m in zone 9 and I water first thing in the morning, usually around 4 AM. This keeps the birds away too!