While some plants are well known by gardeners for withstanding drought, others are extremely sensitive to high temperatures. During the summer—and even more so during a heat wave—it’s important to protect them to help them weather the heat with minimal damage.
Which plants need protection when it’s hot?
In the garden, some plants grow best in shaded environments and milder climates. Here is a list of the most drought-sensitive plants so you can focus your protection efforts during heat waves. Some of their varieties may be better suited to water shortages, but these plants still require more regular watering than others:
- Hydrangea
- Roses (excluding heirloom varieties, which are more drought-tolerant)
- Camelia
- Basil
- Orchid
- Hellebore
- Fern
- Fuchsia
These plants that are sensitive to too-intense sun should be protected during hot summer days or heat waves. If your plants are potted or in planters, there are tricks to preserve moisture. Other tips help protect these sensitive specimens.
How to protect the most drought-prone plants?
The most important thing during a heatwave is to maintain soil moisture so your plant roots can reach the water they need. If your plants are not in pots and you can’t move them to shade, we recommend mulching the soil. This advice also applies to bed planting, even if you’ve relocated them to a shaded spot.
Mulching helps water evaporate less quickly from the soil, which in turn protects your plants from drought while you save on watering. There are several mulching options: straw, grass clippings, fallen leaves, bark, pine needles, etc.
Another solution: create shade in the vegetable patch as well as in the garden, using natural methods. It’s possible to build shade canopies or screens to shield your most sensitive plants from the sun.
Finally, in drought conditions, the oya system is ideal, as it prevents the soil from drying out completely by slowly releasing the necessary water. You can make oyas from upcycled materials. Drip irrigation is also ideal, since it minimizes water waste by delivering water directly to the roots.
Lastly, another way to protect your garden from drought: give priority to heat-tolerant plants.
Plants that tolerate heat
By choosing certain drought-resistant plants, you can enjoy a beautiful garden even without regular watering. First tip: whenever possible, choose locally native plants that are adapted to the climate. Finally, favor hardy plants that thrive more in heat and sun:
- Sedum
- Ornamental onion
- Jovibarba (houseleek)
- Broom
- California poppy
- Sweet woodruff
- Echinops Ritro (“Blue Globe”)
- Santolina
- Sarcococca
- Lavender
- Agave
- Crassula
- Rosemary
Finally, it’s best to choose these plants when they are young, so they have time to acclimate to your region’s temperatures and rainfall patterns. When you plant them, avoid crowding them too closely to allow their roots to deepen and absorb as much rainfall as possible.
