Hot Weather Gardening--Plus Richie's Picks!

Baker Creek horticulturist Richie Ramsay farms in Jamaica, so you know he knows about beating the heat of summer in the garden. From seed selection to weeding, these are Richie's top tips for hot-weather gardening.

Baker Creek's Jamaica team, Back row l to r: Richie Ramsay, Daniel Clayton, Ricardo Harrison.  
Front row l to r: Kadeen West-Cruckshank, Rose-Marie Brown, Deroy Henry-Magyver, Shernicia Brown-Briscoe

Be Choosy

If you keep a garden journal, use the data to determine which varieties did best. (If you don’t keep one, consider starting!) Follow the recommendations of others. Choose varieties that were bred in and hail from a climate similar to yours. Summertime climates in the Southeast (Georgia, North & South Carolina, etc.) and along the Gulf Coast (Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, etc.) are remarkably similar to Jamaica's climate. Think globally and not just state to state to take advantage of Baker Creek’s vast offerings!

Keep Things Steady

Start your seeds in conditions that are as close as possible to the conditions in which they’ll be transplanted. This includes temperature, light exposure and intensity, and even wind. Mimic these conditions by adjusting the temperature, moving grow lights closer (or further away), using (or not using) shade cloth, and even using a fan to mimic wind!

This doesn’t mean you should stress out your seedlings, though! Start them under recommended conditions, and as they grow, adjust the conditions to acclimatize or “harden them off.”

There are only two exceptions: Give your seedlings as much (or as little) water as they need, and always use high-quality seed starting soil.

When hardening off your plants, set them in a spot with conditions as close as possible to where you'll plant them. For those with small growing spaces, this can be directly where you plan to plant them. For those with hillier conditions, choose a spot that mimics the planting site (e.g., choose a south-facing slope if you’re planting on a south-facing bed). Set your plants out for a few hours each day and increase the time as the plants adjust and can handle more outdoor conditions until they can sit out there for the whole day and night without showing signs of stress! By adjusting your seed starting conditions as seedlings grow, you will cut down the hardening off time.

Consider using an outdoor seeding bed for starting seeds. In Jamaica, this might be a spot that receives some afternoon respite from the blazing summer sun, such as shade from a banana or a pimento tree! To create a seeding bed, mark out a regular shaped area, till the soil very fine (or remove it entirely, depending upon conditions). Add high-quality seed starting mix to the emerging "bed." The seeding bed can be hydrated and put right to use, or you might take some extra steps like amending it with lime or gypsum, and even solar sterilizing the soil!

Once your finely tilled garden bed with loose and well-draining soil is prepped and ready for planting, broadcast your seeds at an appropriate rate. Don’t be too heavy handed; you will still want an inch or two between seeds, even at this early stage. Seedlings will compete to their detriment if seeds are planted too close together.

As the seedlings grow and develop and reach their desired size for transplant, usually after a couple sets of true leaves, pick up the plant with some root mass and soil and transplant into the garden or field.

Prepare a Feast

Amending and fertilizing with organic material such as compost and manure builds soil structure, which improves moisture retention. Remember: fertilize lightly and frequently. Mulching with organic materials provides weed suppression, which in turn prevents water loss to undesired plants (i.e., weeds).

Moulding plants (loosening the soil around the root zone) before planting and harvesting helps greatly to improve soil structure, water retention, and penetration. Soil compaction and caking contribute to hydrophobic conditions. Be sure to keep an eye out for soil cracking.

Be Water Smart

Drip irrigation is king. Overhead watering wastes a lot of moisture through evaporation. If drip lines aren’t feasible, water in the early morning and late evening to minimize evaporation.

Orient the garden beds to be perpendicular to the fall line (i.e., the direction water flows in). Provide breaks in beds for drainage during very wet weather. Consider rudimentary terracing on steeper slopes. 

The perpendicular rows will act like dams and help retain water and properly hydrate the soil. For those who experience very heavy rains, create untilled gaps in the garden beds and allow the fall line of the water to continue uninterrupted. This helps mitigate erosion, and it is even more important for those terracing on steeper slopes.

Contour terracing and plowing, where the beds run along the contours of the land, instead of just across the slope, is also a great method.

Plant in hills. Piling soil (or mulch or straw) around the base of the plant provides many benefits, from better water retention to deeper root growth. Hilling can be done several times over the course of the season, as the plants mature.

Lay Out the Covers

Intercropping – the practice of planting two or more types of crops close together – helps prevent moisture loss through “living cover.” There are many strategies for intercropping, such as planting deep-rooted plants with shallow-rooted ones or planting short varieties with taller ones that can provide some shade. Use larger plants and trees for afternoon shade. Suppressing weeds means your plants don’t have to compete with them for water.

Be a Neatnik

Removing plant material from overburdened plants or weak portions of the plant helps dramatically reduce water loss. Weeds rob your plants of important nutrients and water. Pruning and watering reduces the stress on your plants in hot weather and are very important.

My Favorite Hot-Weather Varieties

As a horticulturist and trial and seed grower for Baker Creek, I’ve had lots of first-hand experience with the varieties we offer. Here is a collection of varieties I’ve found hold up particularly well to extreme conditions.

Key Takeaways:

• Keep track of what varieties do best in your local conditions.
• Start your seedlings in conditions as close as possible to the ones in which they will be growing.
• Amend the soil and mould (loosen the soil around the root zone) before planting. This helps retain moisture and prevent hydrophobic conditions.
• Make water work for you. Use drip irrigation or water in the cooler hours of the day (morning or night) to minimize evaporation. If you are planting on a slope or hillside, orient the beds so that they retain rainfall and water.
• Consider intercropping to create a “living cover” for your plants. This also helps with weed suppression.

About the Author

Richie Ramsay is a horticulturist, trial farmer, and seed producer for Baker Creek in his native Jamaica. Richie discovered Baker Creek as a teenager when he was researching what to feed his goats. If you have ever reached out to us with horticulture questions, chances are Richie has helped you!

You can always email your gardening questions to seeds@rareseeds.com. Put "hort question" in the subject line, and someone on the horticulture team will get back to you.