Tips to Grow Food in Hot, Dry or Windy Weather

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Regardless of where you live, it’s likely you have some climate challenges to deal with when growing food. Here in my subtropical climate in SE Queensland, Australia is no different. During the year, we experience five seasons of different lengths. Some months are almost perfect food growing conditions and others are extremely challenging. It’s particularly difficult growing food in hot, dry weather.

Growing Food in Hot Dry Weather

During our summer months – December through March – hot and sticky weather is typical. We can get sudden storms which often bring torrential rain and even hail, flooding the garden and potentially damaging plants or even destroying them. Hail damaged leaves, fruit and stems are more vulnerable to diseases as the plant tissues are exposed to pathogens.

During storm season, strong gusty winds can stress plants out, particularly if they are hot and dry. During storms, wild weather can cause stems and branches to easily snap or fruit to drop.

Baking hot days often result in heat stress and scorching temperatures can cause sunburn. Plants can suffer dehydration very quickly if exposed to strong sun and wind, without sufficient soil moisture.

Not to mention the pest insects and diseases that thrive in hot, humid and windy conditions! At times it seems like everything is stacked against us as food gardeners.

Whilst these conditions may be common, they don’t happen EVERY day. I find the best way to cope is to know what to expect in your climate and be prepared with suitable strategies.

Likely you have difficult weather at times too. So, what can you do to help protect your precious plants?

3 Ways to Protect your Crops from the Weather

1. Provide Windbreaks

Wind dries your plants out faster than anything else. Shelter your plants from exposure to strong winds with a fence, wall, hedge, vertical structure, living screen, portable panel, DIY landscape fabric or shade cloth cover.

Bana grass and other tall clumping grasses make effective wind breaks

By filtering the airflow or protecting your plants fully from wind exposure, you can help minimise potential damage. Make sure to position your windbreak from the prevailing wind aspect for maximum benefit.

2. Use Crop Covers

Whether you use a greenhouse, shade house, hoop house, box, frame or portable covers, these can help protect against sun, storm, wind and hail damage. There are lots of DIY options for minimal cost, especially if your repurpose materials.

Growing Food in Hot Dry Weather - Protect vulnerable crops from sun insects wind and storms with netting

Protect vulnerable crops from strong sun, insects, wind and storms with netting

If you have very strong sunlight or high temperatures, you may need to provide more shade in the heat of the day.

3. Grow in Portable Pots

If you grow in containers, you have greater control over the microclimate. Move mobile pots under cover or to a more protected location. I relocate mine under my veranda during storms or sit small pots under outdoor furniture. Protect your plants to prevent them being shredded by strong winds, pelted by heavy rain or hail.

I use a combination of these three strategies and find they all help tremendously. Good design, careful plant and pot selection will also make a huge difference to growing food in hot, dry weather and windy conditions.

I encourage you to try these ideas in your garden to protect your crops from weather challenges.

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Watering your Plants to Minimise Problems

If you experience hot or windy weather conditions in your garden, it’s vital to pay close attention to your watering practices. Plants lose moisture much faster in high temperatures and on windy days, than on cool calm days. Your plants will also use up more soil moisture in these conditions and that needs to be replaced. Even more so if the conditions are ongoing.

Heatwaves, hot drying winds and low humidity increase the need for moisture. So, watch your weather forecast and act accordingly.

All plants need water to take up soluble nutrients, grow and thrive. Without sufficient soil moisture, the nutrients plants need for healthy growth are ‘locked up’ and unavailable. Plants can then become vulnerable to pest and disease attack as they weaken and can’t protect themselves.

Make sure your soil has adequate moisture to replace what is lost through transpiration and plant growth. Either by rain or a watering system. This can include hand watering, water spikes, drip irrigation, soaker hoses and sprinklers. Read more watering tips.

Watering Solutions

If you’re not sure how moist your soil is, you might find it handy to use a moisture meter. Stick the probe into your pot or soil and check the moisture levels.

Growing Food in Hot Dry Weather - A moisture meter is a very handy tool to know when to water your soil

A moisture meter is a useful tool to know when to water your soil

This helps you avoid watering when it’s not necessary but also alerts you to dry soil that needs attention. A moisture meter is a practical tool to avoid ‘murdering’ your plants and ending up with ‘dried arrangements’!

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Soils rich in compost and covered with mulch will hold water for longer. So work on your soil health as a priority.

Potting mix (especially without mulch) tends to dry out fast. Even more so in small pots.

You can remedy this by either adding moisture-holding ingredients to your bagged potting mix or making your own soil-less mix from scratch. Use this How to Make Potting Mix Guide for easy instructions.

I hope these tips help you grow a healthier, more productive food garden even in windy and hot, dry weather conditions.

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Tips to Grow Food in Hot, Dry or Windy Weather

Growing Food in Hot Dry Weather