What crops thrive in extreme heat?

Author: Prof. Carmine Littel  |  Last update: Friday, June 13, 2025

Vegetables like corn, okra, eggplant, hot peppers, tomatillos, and even though they aren't vegetables, melons like watermelons and cantaloupes. Corn originated as a tropical grass. It does best between 77 and 90℉, but corn can handle temperatures as high as 112℉ for short periods of time.

What grows in 100 degree heat?

What plants can survive in extreme heat?

What vegetable grows best in hot weather?

The best vegetables to grow in the summer are warm-weather crops like tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and squash. Tomatoes require intense heat for production - more intense than most other plant species.

Which crop grow best in warm weather?

5 Vegetables To Grow in Extreme Heat of 40C+ (104F+)

What crops are most heat tolerant?

If you are gardening in really, really hot climates like Southern Florida, Texas or Arizona, you might want to focus on vegetables that do well in extremely hot weather. Vegetables like corn, okra, eggplant, hot peppers, tomatillos, and even though they aren't vegetables, melons like watermelons and cantaloupes.

What is the best crop to grow in the summer?

Will cucumbers grow in 100 degree weather?

Cucumbers don't mind humidity or moderate heat, so no worries there. To fight the excessive heat, plant in an area that is shaded for the hottest part of the day. The eastern edge of the shade from a tree works very well.

What vegetables can grow in full sun?

What Does "Full Sun" Mean? "Full sun" translates to at least 6 hours of sunlight that isn't filtered through the trees. Plants that fruit heavily, like peppers, tomatoes, strawberries, melons, and squash, all need full sun—though in hot Southern gardens, these plants may appreciate a little afternoon shade, too.

How hot is too hot for vegetables?

So, how hot IS too hot for plants? The general answer is around 90 degrees F, with some exceptions to the rule. This means that when temps rise above 90 and remain there for a lengthy spell: Leaves wilt.

What is the easiest plant to grow in full sun?

What plant survives the harshest conditions?

What fruit grows best in hot weather?

Eggplant Tops the List of the Best Plants for Hot Weather. Eggplants are one of the easiest fruits to grow in the garden, even in hot climates. They're related to tomatoes (they both come from the Solanaceae family), but they're way more tolerant of heat than their cousins.

What is the best perennial to plant in full sun?

Are onions heat tolerant?

Onions are a cool weather crop, and so they are not as heat tolerant as other crops. However, it is important to know what type of onion you are dealing with, as some are more heat tolerant than others. The ideal temperature also depends on which stage of their development they are in.

What crops use the least amount of water?

What fruit grows best in full sun?

Do peppers or tomatoes need more sun?

Tomatoes, like peppers, need a lot of sunlight. Make sure your plants get at least 8 hours of direct sunlight a day. Also like pepper Plants, if you live in Hardiness Zone 9 through 11, you may want to provide partial shade to protect them from the afternoon sun.

What is the easiest vegetable to grow?

What are the best heat tolerant crops?

The plant families that fit into the heat-loving category are nightshade or Solanaceae (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant) and squash or Cucurbitaceae (cucumbers, melons, summer and winter squash). Corn and beans also perform best in hot climates. For herbs, basil thrives in the heat, even in the hottest desert summers.

Will tomatoes grow in 95 degree weather?

We all know that tomatoes love warm sunny days, ideally daytime temperatures between 65 and 85 degrees. However, when summer temperatures rise above 95, problems with your plants can arise. Above 95 degrees, tomato plants will stop growing, their flowers are not able to pollinate and fruit cannot fully ripen.

What temperature is too hot for growing cucumbers?

As a warm season crop, the ideal temperature range for cucumbers is generally 21-26°C (70-80°F). However, the plants can withstand a wider range, if necessary, ranging from 15-29°C (60-85°F). Like in nature, daytime temperatures may be higher than nighttime.

What crop is most in demand?

Rice was the most valuable agricultural crop in the world in 2016.

What is the easiest vegetable to grow in summer?

What is the fastest crop to grow?

Radish. Radishes are one of the fastest crops you can grow—it takes the vegetable about six weeks to grow from seed to harvest. On Martha's farm in New York, April is the standard month to plant radishes, as they can handle cold but not heavy frost. You can plant them in any zone, and they mature very quickly.