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Native to the Central and Eastern US, blackhaw viburnum (Viburnum prunifolium) is a small tree or large shrub that can grow up to 20 feet tall and wide.
This deciduous species has a rounded shape and leaves that turn beautiful shades of red and purple in autumn.
Blackhaw viburnum (V. prunifolium) berries. Photo by Famartin, Wikimedia Commons, via CC BY-SA.
Purplish-black berries ripen in fall and can remain on the branches throughout winter, providing food for migratory and resident birds as well as squirrels and chipmunks.
The berries of blackhaw viburnum are enjoyed by birds like American robins, blue jays (Cyanocitta cristata), northern cardinals, northern mockingbirds, ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus), sparrows (Passerellidae), and wild turkeys.
Hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 9, blackhaw viburnum can be grown in full sun or part shade, and in a variety of soil types as long as drainage is good.
‘Forest Rouge’ is a cultivar of V. prunifoliumthat has a more oval shape than the straight species and is known for its excellent fall color, with leaves turning maroon in autumn.
Interested in finding out more about the members of theViburnum genus?
Black hawthorn (Crataegus douglasii) is native to the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, and other northern states of the US, as well as parts of Canada.
This deciduous tree grows up to 35 feet tall and wide, and has an upright, multi-stemmed growth habit, with brilliant, orangish-red fall color.
An American robin perches in a black hawthorn (C. douglasii).
Its pome-style fruits, called “haws,” ripen to purplish black in late summer and remain on the tree throughout winter – or until they are eaten by the birds.
American robins, cedar waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum), fox sparrows (Passerella iliaca), and ruffed grouse are among the birds likely to put the haws to good nutritional use.
These trees produce thorns, but don’t be put off by this prickly feature. These thorns help protect certain birds from predators, and allow others, such as shrikes (Laniidae) to kill their prey – rodents.
Grow black hawthorn in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 8, in full sun or part shade, and in a variety of well-draining, moist soils.
There are many different types of wildlife-friendly hawthorn trees, and species in the Crataegus genus can be found throughout the Northern Hemisphere.
Common hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) can grow to be 40 to 60 feet tall and wide, providing high branches for birds to perch in.
This tree is native to central and eastern Canada, and the west central and eastern US.
Mature trees have a rounded or pyramidal shape, with deciduous leaves that turn yellow in fall.
Common hackberry (C. occidentalis). Photo by Agnieszka Kwiecien Nova, Wikimedia Commons, via CC BY-SA.
Hackberry trees produce berry-like drupes that turn a deep purple hue when ripe and are extremely attractive to birds and other wildlife.
Common hackberries provide winter food for small mammals, and birds such as American robins, cedar waxwings, grouse, pheasants (Phasianidae), quail (Phasianoidea), and titmice (Baeolophusspp).
An excellent choice for wildlife gardeners in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 9, common hackberry grows in full sun, part shade, or full shade, isn’t fussy about soil type, and requires good drainage.
As for water, this tree thrives in moist conditions but tolerates occasional dryness.
If you want to add this tree’s winter berries to your winter wildlife menu, you’ll find four- to five-foot tall, bare root common hackberry trees available for purchase at Nature Hills Nursery.
If common hackberry isn’t the right plant for your bird and wildlife garden, consider another species from the Celtis genus, whose members are widespread across the globe.
Common ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) is native to eastern Canada and the north central and eastern US, ranging as far west as Colorado.
Also known as “eastern ninebark” and “Atlantic ninebark,” this medium sized shrub reaches five to eight feet tall and six to 10 feet wide. Its blooms are similar to those of spirea.
With an upright, arching growth habit, common ninebark has deciduous leaves that change to copper and gold in fall and its peeling, reddish brown bark is extremely attractive in winter.
Common ninebark (P. opulifolius).
Common ninebark’s fruits are inflated capsules that start out dark red in color, fading to pinkish tan. These remain on the shrub during winter if not eaten by birds earlier.
These shrubs attract birds such as doves (Columbidae), finches (Fringillidae.), geese (Anatidae), and wild turkeys, and their branches are dense, so they provide good cover for birds and small mammals as well.
Common ninebark is hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 2 to 8, grows in full sun to part shade, and requires good drainage.
It tolerates soils that are intermittently wet or prone to flooding, but can also grow in dry to medium moisture conditions.
Most species of ninebark are native to North America, though at least one (P. amurensis) is native to Asia. And there are also several cultivars of P. opulifoliusof interest.
Summer Wine® ninebark aka ‘Seward’ is a P. opulifolius cultivar that has dark purple foliage, blooms in both spring and summer, and grows up to six feet tall and wide.
A deciduous, woody shrub, common snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) grows to be six feet tall and wide.
Shrubs have an arching, rounded growth habit, with deciduous leaves that turn yellow in autumn.
Common snowberry (S. albus).
Native to a large range of North America, this multi-stemmed shrub is graced with bright white, round berries during the cold months.
Many different types of birds enjoy these white berries in the cold of winter, including American robins, chickadees (Poecilespp.), grosbeaks, pine siskins (Spinus pinus), thrushes (Turdidae), towhees (Melozone and Pipilo spp.), and waxwings.
An all-round excellent choice for wildlife gardens, this member of the honeysuckle family has flowers that are highly attractive to pollinators, and its branches provide good habitat for birds and other wildlife as well.
Hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 7, grow snowberry in full sun, in well-draining, moist to occasionally dry, non-granitic soils.
Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) is an evergreen coniferous tree that generally grows 30 to 60 feet tall and 10 to 20 feet wide, with some specimens growing up to 90 feet tall.
Not a true cedar, this juniper tree has an upright, pyramidal shape, and is native to Mexico, southeastern Canada, and the central and eastern US.
Tufted titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) in Eastern red cedar (J. virginiana) tree.
In fall, eastern red cedars produce blueish black seed cones that look like small berries. These remain on the trees throughout winter until foraged by birds or other wildlife.
Cedar waxwings and juncos (Junco spp.) are among the birds that love to eat these fruits, while small mammals will dine on them as well.
The dense foliage also provides good cover for both birds and small mammals.
Hardy in Zones 2 to 9, eastern red cedars can be grown in full sun to part shade and are adaptable to a variety of soil types as long as drainage is good.
Eastern red cedars are usually dioecious, meaning some specimens will produce female cones and others will produce male cones. For fruiting, you’ll need a male as well as a female.
Is this conifer and its winter berries what you need for your wild bird garden?
You’ll find live eastern red cedar trees available for purchase in an array of sizes at Nature Hills.
Looking for a similar option for the western US or Canada? Choose Rocky Mountain juniper instead.
Eastern red cedars and Rocky Mountain junipers are excellent wildlife-friendly options for North America, with many different cultivars in different shapes, sizes, and colors, growing as both trees and shrubs.
However, there are also many other juniper species native to other regions in the Northern Hemisphere and beyond.
Growing up to 20 feet tall and 25 feet wide, eastern wahoo (Euonymus atropurpureus) is a deciduous shrub that’s native to eastern Canada, as well as the eastern and central US.
The crown of this species has a flat-topped, irregular shape, and deciduous leaves that put on a fall show in shades of gold and burgundy.
This species makes an excellent bird- and wildlife-friendly North American native alternative to the invasive burning bush (E. alatus).
Eastern wahoo (E. atropurpureus). Photo by Mason Brock, Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain.
Eastern wahoo produces unique looking fruits that ripen to a dark red hue in fall and remain on trees in winter – unless the birds find them first.
Bird fans of these winter berries include brown thrashers (Toxostoma rufum), catbirds (Mimidae), eastern bluebirds, eastern towhees (Pipilo erythrophthalmus), northern cardinals, and northern flickers (Colaptes auratus).
Eastern wahoo thrives in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 8, and prefers full sun or part shade, moist clay, loam, or sandy soils, and good drainage.
Also of note – these are tolerant of juglone and can be planted near black walnuts.
Do I hear you bird lovers shouting “woohoo!” for the winter berries of eastern wahoo?
The members of the Euonymous genus are widespread throughout the Northern Hemisphere and parts of the Southern Hemisphere.
Fragrant sumac (Rhus trilobata) is native to the western and central US, central Canada, and Mexico. This woody shrub grows to be six to 12 feet tall and four to six feet wide.
With deciduous leaves turning bright shades of orange, red, and purple in fall, fragrant sumac has an upright, ascending or spreading growth habit.
It produces clusters of small red berries in summer that remain on trees throughout winter – or until wildlife and birds feast on them.
Fragrant sumac (R. trilobata). Photo by Kristina Hicks-Hamblin.
Over 95 different species of birds eat the winter berries of sumac shrubs – including chickadees, tanagers (Thraupidae spp.), and woodpeckers (Picidae spp).
And while sumac berries don’t tend to be most birds’ first choice, they readily dine on them when other winter forage is sparse.
Hardy in Zones 4 to 6, fragrant sumac grows beautifully in full sun or dappled sunlight. It adapts to a wide range of well-draining soil types, and can handle moist to very dry conditions once established.
Fragrant sumac is dioecious, with plants producing either male or female flowers, so make sure to include both a male and a female specimen in your planting.
Not every plant collection is soft and sweet. Harriet’s carnivorous plant collection in Otisfield, Maine, features pitcher plants, sundews, and Venus flytraps in a slate sink summer display that is both ornamental and wonderfully unusual. Harriet says:
GPOD recently asked for collections. Mine is a collector’s garden put together as if it were an ornamental garden. There are peonies, daylilies, and irises, many of which have been featured in the blog over the years. Two compact collections are more recent, and both feature smaller containerized plants. The rock garden troughs are one, and the carnivorous plants, in this group of photos, are another.
I became interested in growing pitcher plants from a submission to this blog a few years ago. A container with one plant was part of someone’s garden. I now grow several species of pitcher plants (Sarracenia cvs., Zones 6–9), several species of sundews (Drosera cvs., Zones 3–10) as well as the Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula, Zones 7–10) in my Maine garden. All are outside in the summer. I display them in a slate sink. I use tiles to raise them if we have had ample rainfall and remove them as the level lowers. They must be watered with rain or distilled water, and never tap water, because of minerals. I stockpile rainwater collected from my roof for them.
A slate sink holds the collection during the summer: tall in back, from left, green pitcher plant (Sarracenia oreophila, Zones 7–9) and yellow pitcher plant (Sarracenia flava, Zones 6–9). There are several pots of purple pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea, Zones 2–9) with shorter reddish pitchers. A hybrid pitcher plant is flowering in the front, second from the left. There are also three Venus flytraps in the photo, including the front left. There are several sundews, which are small and short, and several pots with germinating seeds (on the right).
The hardiest pitcher plants are the purple pitcher plant, which are native to Maine. They can overwinter outside submerged in a vegetable bed.
I grew some from seed, and the first bloomed this season. Like other pitcher plants, the flowers are unusual and last all season.
My current favorite is green pitcher plant. Its pitchers are tall, and it flowers prolifically. It is said to be endangered in its native habitat, the Southeastern United States, but I found the seeds I collected from mine easy to germinate. It is said to be hardy, but I don’t dare test it. So I put it with many others, which I also think might be marginal but may need winter dormancy, in coolers in my garage, where they are buffered from temperature fluctuations. They do freeze. In a particularly bitter cold snap, I move the coolers into my mudroom just in case the low gets too low but then back out to the garage as soon as I can, so they don’t break dormancy.
Yellow pitcher plant is also from the Southeast and said to be hardy but also goes into the cooler for the winter.
Venus flytraps need a winter dormancy to do well and thrive outside in the summer.
In the front is the tender spoon-leaved sundew (Drosera spatulata, Zones 8–10), and behind it is a single Tracy’s sundew (Drosera filiformis, Zones 5–8), a sundew native to the Eastern United States from Nova Scotia to the Gulf Coast.
My Tracy’s sundew seems to come back from seed (in the previous picture by itself in a bed of self-seeded sphagnum moss, and in this picture self-seeded with a purple pitcher plant).
My favorite sundew, Cape Sundew (Drosera capensis, Zones 7–10) got too dry earlier this spring, but I am now nursing it back to its former glory, seen here in 2021. The other is doing well as a clump in the previous photo. Both tender spoon-leaved sundew and Tracy’s sundew overwinter indoors by a cool window.
Thanks for sharing this wonderfully unusual collection with us, Harriet!
We want to see YOUR garden!
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
You can also send 5–10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
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Rheum for Improvement is a physician’s account of how corporate medicine has transformed health care from a human interaction between a patient and their physician into a business transaction between a consumer and a provider. It is also a personal story of how frivolous legal action triggered that physician to become an outspoken advocate for health-care reform. It will be of interest to anyone who interacts with our health-care system, but especially physicians, who must navigate bureaucratic obstacles on a daily basis.
As a patient, have you ever:
–Had your health insurance deny a test or procedure that your doctor recommended by saying that it was not medically necessary?
–Been told that you had to try one medicine before you could take the medicine that your doctor actually prescribed?
–Had a procedure done that was covered by your insurer, only to receive a separate bill afterwards that you were not expecting?
–Felt that your doctor has their nose buried in a computer instead of paying attention to you?
If so, you are not alone. Rheum for Improvement addresses these and many other health-care issues that compromise the care that physicians can provide. It is a must read for anyone who has ever been or ever will be a patient.
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If your region gets really hot during summer, your garden soil can dry out fast, making it hard for plants to survive. Without enough water, plants start to struggle and it feels like a losing battle.
I learned this the hard way after losing half my garden to one brutal July. That summer taught me that watering harder isn’t the answer. The real fix is picking plants that don’t need constant water to survive.
That’s where drought tolerant vegetables come in. These plants grow deep roots, hold onto moisture, and keep producing even when you miss a few waterings.
In this list, you’ll find 55 vegetables that thrive in dry, hot conditions and still give you a good harvest by the end of summer.
Quick Answer
Some vegetables handle drought better than the rest of the pack.
Okra, sweet potatoes, and cowpeas top that list, thriving in heat and dry soil where other crops would give up. These three barely need extra watering once they’re established.
Black-eyed peas and chickpeas are right up there too, both bred for hot, dry climates and actually doing better without constant moisture.
Amaranth and Malabar spinach round out the leafy side, holding onto water in their thick leaves and stems even during long dry spells.
Jerusalem artichoke might be the toughest of them all. It grows like a weed with almost no care, storing everything it needs underground and rewarding you with a solid harvest even in the driest summers.
What Makes a Vegetable Drought Tolerant?
Drought tolerant vegetables grow deep roots that dig down to find water most plants can’t reach. This lets them pull moisture from way below the surface, even when the top soil is bone dry.
Many of these plants also have thick or waxy leaves that hold water in and slow down evaporation. That’s why they can go longer between waterings without wilting or showing stress.
Established plants handle drought much better than young seedlings, since their root systems are already deep and strong. A new seedling hasn’t built that root base yet, so it needs regular water until it gets settled in.
Important: Drought-tolerant vegetables don’t mean they can grow without water. They simply need less water than most vegetables and can handle short dry spells once established.
Tips for Growing Vegetables with Less Water
Water deeply once or twice a week instead of a little every day, so moisture soaks down and encourages roots to grow deep instead of staying near the surface.
Water early in the morning before the heat sets in, since this gives roots time to soak it up before the sun burns it off.
Pile on a thick layer of mulch and mix compost into your soil, because mulch locks in moisture and compost helps soil hold water longer between waterings.
Space your plants properly, switch to drip irrigation or soaker hoses instead of overhead watering, avoid disturbing roots when you weed or dig nearby, and give young seedlings some shade during heat waves until they get strong enough to handle full sun.
55 Drought Tolerant Vegetables to Grow
Not every vegetable throws in the towel when the heat hits and the rain stops coming. A surprising number of crops are built for dry weather and keep growing just fine on way less water than you’d think.
Some send their roots deep down to find moisture hiding below the surface. Others grow thick leaves or tough stems that help them hang onto every drop they get.
1. Amaranth
Amaranth grows deep roots and thrives in poor, dry soil without much fuss. Let the soil dry out between waterings and you’ll be harvesting tender leaves or grain heads within a couple months.
2. Artichoke
Artichokes send down a thick taproot that keeps them going through long dry spells once established. Give them room to grow and you’ll get big edible buds year after year in the right climate.
3. Asparagus
Asparagus builds a deep, sprawling root system that stores water and nutrients for years. Plant it once and be patient, since it takes a couple seasons before you get a real harvest, but after that it keeps coming back every spring.
4. Bush Beans
Bush beans handle dry stretches well once their roots settle in, though they still like a deep drink now and then. Plant them close together to shade the soil, and you’ll be picking pods in about two months.
5. Pole Beans
Pole beans grow deep roots that help them ride out dry spells better than most vining crops. Give them a trellis to climb, and you’ll get a steady harvest that keeps going through the season.
Black-eyed peas are tough legumes that actually prefer hot, dry conditions over damp soil. Plant them after the last frost and they’ll reward you with pods all summer long with very little watering.
7. Beetroot
Beets grow a sturdy taproot that pulls moisture from deep in the soil, so they handle dry spells better than most root crops. Keep the soil loose and you’ll pull up sweet roots in about two months.
8. Cardoon
Cardoon is a tough, thistle-like plant with deep roots that laugh off dry soil once it’s established. Give it plenty of space, and you’ll be harvesting its crunchy stalks by late summer or fall.
Carrots grow a long taproot that digs down for moisture, which helps them handle short dry spells fairly well. Keep the soil loose and deep, and you’ll be pulling up sweet roots in about ten weeks.
10. Chickpeas
Chickpeas grow a deep taproot and actually do better in dry conditions than in soggy soil. Plant them once the weather warms up and you’ll be harvesting pods in about three to four months.
11. Chili Peppers
Chili peppers handle heat and dry spells well thanks to their deep roots and waxy leaves that hold onto moisture. Let the soil dry out a bit between waterings and you’ll get spicier, more flavorful peppers by late summer.
12. Cowpeas
Cowpeas are bred for hot, dry climates and actually struggle more in wet soil than dry. Toss them in after the weather warms up and you’ll have a steady crop of pods with minimal watering.
Dry beans grow much like bush beans but are left on the plant longer to mature and dry out fully. They need less water in their final weeks, so easing up as the pods dry actually helps the harvest.
14. Eggplant
Eggplant has deep roots and broad leaves that help it push through dry, hot stretches once it’s established. Mulch around the base well and you’ll be picking glossy fruits from midsummer into fall.
15. Fava Beans
Fava beans grow a deep root system early on, which helps them push through dry periods once they’re established. Plant them in cooler weather and you’ll be shelling pods before the real summer heat sets in.
16. Garlic
Garlic grows a shallow but efficient root system and stores energy in its bulb, so it handles dry spells better than most alliums. Plant the cloves in fall and you’ll be pulling up flavorful bulbs by early summer.
17. Globe Artichoke
Globe artichoke sends down a deep taproot that helps it shrug off dry, hot weather once it’s settled in. Give it space and a bit of patience, and you’ll be harvesting tender buds year after year.
18. Jerusalem Artichoke (Sunchoke)
Sunchokes are tough, deep-rooted tubers that practically grow wild once you plant them, needing very little water to thrive. Dig them up after the first frost and you’ll have a hearty harvest of nutty, crunchy tubers.
19. Kale
Kale has thick, sturdy leaves that hold onto moisture better than most greens, helping it push through dry spells. Keep picking the outer leaves and the plant will keep producing for months.
20. Komatsuna (Mustard Spinach)
Komatsuna grows fast and tolerates dry soil better than many leafy greens, thanks to its tough, mustard-like leaves. Harvest the outer leaves as needed and you’ll have fresh greens ready in just a few weeks.
21. Leeks
Leeks grow a steady root system that lets them handle dry stretches better than onions once they’re established. Give them a slow, deep watering every so often and you’ll have thick, flavorful stalks by fall.
22. Malabar Spinach
Malabar spinach is a heat-loving vine with thick, fleshy leaves that hold onto water well in dry conditions. Let it climb a trellis and you’ll be harvesting tender leaves all summer long.
23. Muskmelon (Cantaloupe)
Muskmelon vines send roots deep into the soil and handle dry spells well once they’re established and vining out. Cut back on water as the fruit ripens and you’ll get sweeter, more flavorful melons by late summer.
24. Mustard Greens
Mustard greens grow fast and handle dry soil better than most tender greens thanks to their tough, peppery leaves. Sow them thick and start harvesting outer leaves within a month.
25. New Zealand Spinach
New Zealand spinach has thick, fleshy leaves built to survive hot, dry conditions far better than regular spinach. Let it sprawl across the ground and you’ll be picking leaves all summer without much fuss.
Okra is practically made for heat and dry soil, growing deep roots that shrug off long dry spells with ease. Keep picking the pods every couple days and the plant will keep producing right through the hottest part of summer.
27. Onion
Onions have a shallow root system, but their bulbs store enough moisture to help them ride out short dry spells once established. Keep the soil consistent early on, and you’ll be pulling up bulbs by mid to late summer.
28. Orach (Mountain Spinach)
Orach is a tough, drought-hardy green with deep roots that let it thrive in hot, dry soil where regular spinach would wilt. Harvest the leaves young and often, and it’ll keep producing right through summer heat.
29. Parsnip
Parsnips grow a long taproot that digs deep for moisture, helping them handle dry spells much like carrots do. Leave the soil loose and deep, and you’ll be digging up sweet roots by fall.
30. Peanuts
Peanuts are surprisingly drought tolerant, with deep roots and a natural preference for warm, dry growing conditions. Give them a long, hot season and you’ll be digging up a solid harvest by early fall.
31. Pinto Beans
Pinto beans grow much like other dry beans, with deep roots that help them handle hot, dry stretches once established. Let the pods dry fully on the plant before harvesting for that classic pinto bean texture.
32. Poblano Peppers
Poblano peppers have deep roots and thick leaves that help them handle dry heat better than many other pepper varieties. Let the soil dry out between waterings and you’ll get a steady crop of mild, meaty peppers.
33. Bell Peppers
Bell peppers hold up to dry spells reasonably well once established, thanks to their deep roots and sturdy stems. Mulch around the base to lock in moisture and you’ll get crisp, colorful peppers through summer.
34. Potato
Potatoes grow a network of roots that reach for moisture underground, helping them handle short dry spells fairly well. Hill the soil up around the stems as they grow and you’ll be digging up tubers in a few months.
35. Pumpkin
Pumpkin vines send roots deep into the soil and have broad leaves that shade the ground, helping them handle dry stretches once established. Give them plenty of space to sprawl and you’ll be harvesting big orange pumpkins by fall.
36. Purslane
Purslane is about as tough as vegetables get, with thick, water-storing leaves that let it thrive in hot, dry, neglected soil. Let it spread along the ground and you’ll have a steady supply of tangy, crunchy leaves all summer.
37. Radish
Radishes grow fast and don’t need much water to size up, though a bit of consistent moisture keeps them from turning woody. Sow them every couple weeks and you’ll have crisp roots ready in under a month.
38. Rutabaga
Rutabagas grow a sturdy root that stores moisture well, helping them handle dry spells better than many other root crops. Give them loose, deep soil and you’ll be harvesting hearty roots by fall.
39. Shallots
Shallots grow much like garlic, storing energy in their bulbs so they handle dry stretches better than many alliums. Plant the cloves in well-drained soil and you’ll be pulling up flavorful bulbs by early summer.
40. Sorrel
Sorrel is a hardy perennial with deep roots that keep it going through dry spells year after year. Harvest the tangy leaves as needed and the plant will keep coming back with very little care.
41. Southern Peas
Southern peas are bred for hot, dry climates and actually thrive in conditions that would stress out most other legumes. Plant them once the soil warms up and you’ll have a steady harvest of pods through the heat of summer.
Sweet potatoes have deep, sprawling roots and thick vines that hold onto moisture well, making them one of the toughest crops in dry heat. Let the vines spread and you’ll be digging up sweet, hearty tubers by fall.
43. Swiss Chard
Swiss chard has thick, waxy leaves and sturdy stems that help it hold onto moisture better than most greens. Cut the outer leaves as you need them and the plant keeps producing right through the heat.
44. Tomatillo
Tomatillos grow deep roots and thrive in warm, dry conditions, often producing better flavor with less frequent watering. Let the papery husks fill out fully and you’ll be harvesting tangy fruit all summer.
45. Tomato
Tomatoes handle dry spells reasonably well once their roots are established, especially with a deep watering routine instead of daily sprinkles. Mulch heavily around the base and you’ll get a steady harvest of ripe tomatoes through summer.
46. Turnip
Turnips grow a quick, sturdy root that doesn’t demand much water once it gets going. Keep the soil loose and you’ll be pulling up tender roots in about six weeks.
47. Watermelon
Watermelon vines send roots deep into the soil and store water in their thick stems, helping them handle dry stretches once established. Ease up on water as the fruit ripens and you’ll get sweeter melons by late summer.
48. Winter Squash
Winter squash vines grow deep roots and broad leaves that shade the soil, helping them push through dry spells with ease. Let them sprawl out and you’ll be harvesting hard-shelled squash by early fall.
49. Yardlong Beans
Yardlong beans are bred for hot, humid climates but handle dry spells surprisingly well thanks to their deep root systems. Give them a trellis to climb and you’ll be picking long, tender pods all summer.
50. Yellow Summer Squash
Yellow summer squash has broad leaves and a fast-growing habit that helps it tolerate dry spells once it’s established. Keep picking the fruit young and often, and the plant will keep producing right through summer.
51. Zucchini
Zucchini grows fast with broad leaves that shade the soil and roots that dig deep for moisture, helping it push through dry spells. Keep picking the fruit regularly and you’ll get a steady harvest right through summer.
52. Armenian Cucumber
Armenian cucumbers handle dry heat far better than regular cucumbers, thanks to deeper roots and a vining habit built for warm climates. Give them a trellis to climb and you’ll be harvesting long, mild fruit through the hottest part of summer.
53. Luffa
Luffa vines are tough and heat loving, with deep roots that let them handle dry stretches most vining crops can’t. Let them climb a sturdy trellis and you’ll get fibrous gourds ready for harvest by fall.
54. Bottle Gourd (Calabash)
Bottle gourd vines grow deep roots and thrive in hot, dry conditions, making them a reliable choice for tough summers. Give them room to climb or sprawl and you’ll be harvesting large gourds by late summer.
55. Acorn Squash
Acorn squash vines grow deep roots and broad leaves that shade the soil, helping them handle dry spells once they’re established. Let them sprawl out and you’ll be harvesting sweet, ribbed squash by early fall.
Conclusion
Growing vegetables in dry, hot conditions doesn’t have to mean constant watering and crossed fingers. Once you pick the right crops and give them a strong start, most of these plants take dry spells in stride and keep producing all season long.
Start with a few from this list based on what your climate throws at you each summer. Build up your soil with compost, mulch heavily, and water deeply instead of daily. Do that, and you’ll spend less time worrying about your garden and more time enjoying what it gives back.
Khaja Moinuddin, a computer science graduate, finds joy in gardening and homesteading. Join him on this blog as he shares his experiences in homesteading, gardening, and composting
