Last Updated on December 6, 2023 by Kimberly Crawford
Living in an area where the summer months are long, hot, and dry can make gardening challenging. Limited water supply or inadequately filtered water can make things even worse.
Even if you have a green thumb, keeping your plants healthy in these conditions may take a lot of effort and time. Follow this guide to learn how to create a luscious garden in a hot climate in a more hassle-free way.
Prepare Your Soil
The most important factor that will decide whether your garden will flourish is the quality of your soil. Plants take their nutrients and water through their roots – which will only thrive in healthy soil.
Most soil types in a hot climate are too tough and aren’t suitable for gardening. This means you will have to spruce it up with organic matter such as compost, shredded leaves, or composted manure.
Adding some fertilizer can also help provide all the nutrients lacking in your soil. The soil should easily crumble and not be hard and claylike. Otherwise, you won’t be able to work it through, and your plants won’t be able to take the water and nutrients they need for healthy growth.
Start Small
For beginners, it’s always better to start with a small area, so you wouldn’t get overwhelmed by suddenly having to care for a large garden.
It’s easier to focus on a few pieces of greenery and make them thrive through proper care and nurturing. Once you get the hang of the fertilization, planting, watering, and growth planning, you can slowly start adding more new inhabitants to your garden.
Ensure Proper Water Supply
The warmer the weather, the more it contributes to water evaporation, and you will have to replenish all that. This is best done in the morning as the evaporation is slower when the temperatures are lower.
Your garden will need ample amounts of water on a consistent basis. The water should soak into the deeper layers of soil but without oversaturating the roots.
If you are living in Florida, you will also have to pay attention to the quality of the water you are using. Due to plumbing or supply issues, your water can contain everything from industrial chemicals to cleaning agents to biological waste. Getting it analyzed by experts can help you set an efficient filtration system to protect your garden and yourself from these pollutants.
Pay Attention to Spacing
Despite popular belief, growing more greenery won’t lead to having a luscious garden. In fact, overplanting can prevent the greenery from getting enough nutrients, water, and sunlight, which will result in their failure to thrive.
To avoid this, make sure to account for the growth space for each piece. For example, perennials grow an extensive rooting system which means they need to be planted a little further apart. You should also consider the maximum height of the plant, whether it needs more shade or will tolerate full-time sun exposure.
Take Advantage of the Weather
In colder climates, gardeners often need to give some plants a head start indoors until it becomes warm enough outside for them to grow safely.
If you live in a warm climate, you won’t have this issue, which means your garden can bloom even faster. After all, placing the plants under the warmth of the sun from early spring results in a much healthier and more luscious growth than keeping them in an artificially heated environment.
Get Drought-Tolerant Plants
If you have absolutely no experience in gardening, start with greenery that doesn’t require much maintenance. Cacti and other succulents are known for their ability to thrive under hot and dry conditions and tolerate the scorching sun. Or, if you have a little shade, you can also opt for perennial.
While these plants need more watering until their complex root system is developed, after that, they will be fine – as long as they aren’t directly exposed to the sun. For a vegetable garden, try to go with corn, sunflowers, and legumes.
Monitor Your Garden
While you don’t need to spend endless hours in your garden in order to make it luscious, you will need to keep up the consistent work. Regular maintenance is necessary for keeping your plants healthy and thriving in all climates – and even more so in a hot one.
Try to spend a little time every day monitoring your garden so you can see whether everything is growing as it should. This will also help adjust the water quantities and notice any weeds that need to be eradicated.
If you were considering setting up your garden but weren’t sure how to do it in a hot climate, these tips can help you. After all, it’s all about proper plant placement and providing an adequate water supply.
Remember to arm yourself with lots of patience and pay attention to your greenery for any signs of them needing more or less water. And if everything else fails, you can always rely on planting drought-resistant plants that will survive on little water.
References:
- Festival, N. F. a. G. (2018, February 12). SPONSORED | Big benefits to gardening in small spaces. The Seattle Times. https://www.seattletimes.com/sponsored/big-benefits-to-gardening-in-small-spaces/
- How to avoid overcrowded, overpruned shrubs. (n.d.). Houzz. https://www.houzz.com/magazine/how-to-avoid-overcrowded-overpruned-shrubs-stsetivw-vs~29557986