Tips for Efficient Watering During Summer Season in Your Garden
Drought-Tolerant Plants for Hot Weather
Gardening in hot and dry conditions can be challenging, but there are several plants that thrive under these circumstances. Here are some excellent drought-tolerant plants suitable for hot weather:
- Gaillardia (Blanket Flower): This wildflower with fiery red, orange, and yellow blooms is a perfect choice for hot, dry conditions. It thrives in dry soil and full sun, requiring little water. Regular deadheading encourages more blooms.
- Sedum: Succulent varieties of Sedum are ideal for rock gardens or containers. They have fleshy leaves that store water, making them ideal for hot weather. They bloom in late summer and survive heat easily.
- Coreopsis: Coreopsis is a low-maintenance perennial with bright, cheerful flowers that handle high heat and full sun well. They bloom for months and attract pollinators.
- Black-eyed Susan: This beginner-friendly plant produces golden yellow, daisy-like flowers that are tolerant of tough summer conditions.
- Russian Sage: Russian Sage is a sun-loving, drought-resistant shrub that blooms from summer into fall, providing graceful movement in landscapes.
- Rosemary: Rosemary is an evergreen shrub and kitchen herb that thrives in hot, dry conditions. It is suitable for borders or containers.
- Agave: Agave is a succulent with thick, spiny leaves that store water and requires almost no irrigation once established, making it perfect for xeriscaping.
- California Poppy: This self-seeding annual with vibrant orange or yellow blooms thrives in sandy, well-drained soil and minimal care.
- Coneflower (Echinacea): This drought-tolerant perennial has bold flowers that adapt well to hot summers and attract pollinators.
- Lavender (Lavandula): Lavender is a fragrant perennial with silvery foliage and purple blooms that thrive in hot, dry conditions with little water need.
- Texas lantana (Lantana urticoides): This plant produces orange and yellow flowers loved by butterflies and handles drought tenaciously.
- Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa): This long-lived perennial with bright orange flowers is drought-tolerant due to a large taproot that stores moisture.
- Blackfoot daisy (Melampodium leucanthum): This white-flowering daisy remains robust through heat with a subtle honey scent.
Remember, some plants require more attention during dry spells. For instance, vegetable crops like spinach, lettuce, and celery need watering, as do fruit trees on dwarfing rootstocks. Ornamental willows can suffer if left dry for long periods, and bedding plants and large, thin-leaved subtropical plants need regular watering.
Other plants, like Aeoniums, Stipa, Thyme, Santolina, Helianthemum, Gaura, Stachys, Nepeta, and Verbena, are drought-resistant, requiring minimal watering once established. However, plants like Irises ensata and siberica need lots of water, as do moisture-loving perennials and bog plants.
In conclusion, choosing the right plants can make gardening in hot, dry conditions more enjoyable. The plants mentioned above are well-adapted to hot climates and can thrive with minimal watering once established, making them suitable choices for gardens in drought-prone, hot weather conditions.
In the realm of drought-tolerant plants, the home-and-garden enthusiast can consider incorporating Gaillardia, Sedum, Coreopsis, Black-eyed Susan, Rosemary, Agave, California Poppy, and Coneflower into their lifestyle for a vibrant and low-maintenance garden that thrives in hot, dry conditions. Additionally, the fragrant Lavender and Texas lantana, with their attractive floral displays and butterfly-drawing qualities, can contribute to a stylish home-and-garden space that can withstand hot weather.
