There is no way to sugarcoat the challenges many of us in the Mid-Atlantic region have faced this summer. The inconsistency of rainfall and the extreme high temperatures have greatly impacted our efforts to garden successfully. Even with valiant efforts to apply supplemental irrigation, I have witnessed a wide range of plant material showing signs of drought stress that I have rarely witnessed in my 15-plus years of gardening in this region. To say it is cause for concern would be an understatement. As a result, in the last few months I have been repeatedly asked how we can prepare our beloved gardens to reduce heat and moisture stress for future growing seasons. One answer to this conundrum is to add organic matter to the soil in the form of compost.
The Best Plants for Areas with Extreme Heat
07.08.2024 - 12:52 / finegardening.com
From temperature extremes to shifting rainfall patterns, communities coast to coast are experiencing the increasing impacts of climate change. In many areas summers are hotter and drier, making gardeners more reliant on supplemental irrigation to grow the same plants that thrived for them in years past. Meanwhile, restrictions on watering in some regions make responding to drought more challenging. In the face of unpredictable rainfall and unprecedented temperature fluctuations, it’s more important than ever to invest in plants that can withstand waves of heat and drought.
I’m no stranger to extreme weather. Triple-digit temperatures are a common occurrence in my Oklahoma garden, and we often experience long droughts. Rather than react to changes in the weather, I’ve learned to plan for those conditions through careful plant selection. Certain plants have evolved a variety of strategies to cope with high temperatures and water stress, which commonly go hand in hand. When choosing new plants for your garden, look for water-saving traits such as small, silver, or hairy foliage, as well as adaptations such as taproots and succulence that help plants shrug off heat and make the most of limited water supplies. The following selections all exhibit these and other traits that help them deal with extreme heat.
Name: Liatris spicata ‘Kobold’
Zones: 3–8
Size: 18 to 30 inches tall and 6 to 12 inches wide
Conditions: Full sun; average, well-drained soil
Native range: Eastern United States and Canada
AHS heat zones: 1–9
Water-wise traits: Narrow leaves, underground water storage
Adored for its tall spikes of purple flowers that bloom in early summer, dense blazing star is a summer-blooming favorite of gardeners and pollinators alike
Why You Shouldn't Buy Ladybugs for Natural Pest Control in Your Garden
Got pests? Encourage native ladybugs to inhabit your garden instead of buying wild-harvested ladybugs to manage unwanted insects. Purchased ladybugs are expensive and potentially disease-carrying, threatening native bug species already living in your garden and the surrounding area. Your best bet is to attract and encourage native ladybugs to thrive and flourish, which will responsibly deter unwanted pests.
Behr's 2025 Color of the Year, Rumors, Is Rich and Sophisticated
If you're craving a pop of color in your home, Behr is here to help with their 2025 Color of the Year, Rumors.
15 Most Common Weeds Found in the USA
It is indeed painful to find unwanted plants taking over your carefully curated vegetation. While not all weeds are garden enemies, the ones on this list surely are! Learn to recognize the most common and persistent weeds found in the states, and save your garden from invasion now.
15 Best Fruit Trees that Grow in Ohio
Ohio straddles the line between a continental climate in the north and a subtropical climate in the south. According to the region, it experiences all four seasons in wavering levels of intensity: cold, frosty winters, hot and humid summers, and a wholesome spring and fall. We share the best fruit trees to grow in Ohio across its climes and soil types!
Is the Carajillo the Next Espresso Martini?
Espresso martinis have dominated drink menus for several years now, but a new coffee cocktail might be challenging their spot at the top of the happy hour list. Carajillos have arrived on the scene, and they’re a simpler, smaller-sized cousin of espresso martinis (tiny cocktails, anyone?). Made with just two ingredients, this espresso-based cocktail is just as tasty as an espresso martini, but much easier to recreate at home.
4 of the Most Unaffordable Places to Live Are in California
“Impossibly unaffordable” are two words that Californians are probably less than thrilled to hear. In a recent report from Chapman University in Orange, California, and the Frontier Centre of Public Policy (FCPP) in Canada, that’s exactly how four California metros are described. The 2024 edition of Demographia International Housing Affordability shows San Jose, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego listed among the top 10 least affordable housing markets—not just in the United States, but worldwide.
Native Plants for Summer Interest in the Southeast
Asclepias incarnata
Native Plants for Summer Interest in the Mid-Atlantic
Cunila origanoides
Native Plants for Summer Interest in the Mountain West
Penstemon eatonii
Native Plants for Summer Interest in the Midwest
Asclepias verticillata
Native Plants for Summer Interest in the Southwest
Salvia greggii ‘Pink Preference’