Beat the Heat: Best Vegetables for Hot Weather Gardening

Garden struggling in the triple digits? Try growing crops that can take the heat—and even thrive in it.

If your garden is looking a little sad in the summer sun, you’re not alone. Heatwaves can wipe out leafy greens, wilt your tomatoes, and leave you wondering if it’s even worth planting this time of year. But here’s the good news: not all crops hate the heat. Some actually love it.

These are the plants I turn to when Sacramento’s zone 9b summer hits hard. Most of them are ancestral crops with roots in hot, dry regions. They’re tough, beautiful, and many of them have deep cultural significance too. Here’s what to grow when everything else starts to droop:

1. Okra

This Southern staple thrives in high heat and full sun. It loves hot nights and doesn’t flinch when the temperature creeps past 100. Bonus: the flowers are gorgeous, and the pods are packed with nutrients.

2. Malabar Spinach

Not actually a true spinach, but a vining green that grows like a champ in hot, humid weather. The leaves are tender when young and perfect for stir-fries or raw in salads.

3. Sweet Potatoes

These heat-loving root vegetables thrive in long, hot seasons. The bonus? Their lush vines double as ground cover and even offer edible greens.

4. Cowpeas (Black-Eyed Peas)

Drought tolerant and low maintenance, cowpeas are a classic crop across Africa and the American South. They fix nitrogen in the soil and produce well in poor conditions.

5. Eggplant

Eggplant doesn’t even get going until it’s hot. It loves sun, heat, and warm soil. If your tomatoes are struggling, try swapping them out for eggplant mid-season.

6. Armenian Cucumbers (or any cucumbers really)

Technically a melon, this long, ridged cucumber stays crisp even in heat. It keeps producing through the hottest months, and the flavor is mild and refreshing.

7. Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa)

This tropical beauty is used in teas, sauces, and jams around the world. It thrives in heat and humidity and adds stunning red calyxes to your garden.

8. Hot Peppers

From jalapeños to cayenne and habaneros, hot peppers are built for summer. They thrive in full sun and love the heat. The hotter it gets, the more flavorful and spicy they become. Just keep them watered and they’ll reward you with an abundant harvest.

Grow Smarter, Not Harder

When the sun is unforgiving, it helps to work with the climate not against it. Native and ancestral crops tend to be more resilient in harsh conditions, and many of them hold cultural stories that connect us to land (more on this soon), history, and nourishment.

Instead of trying to force greens to survive July, try giving yourself a break and planting crops that were made for this weather.

What are your go-to heat-loving plants? Share what’s thriving in your garden, especially if you’re in a hot zone like 9b. Let’s build resilient gardens together.