WISE CHOICES: How to beat the heat this summer
by Carla Rodriguez/Victoria County Master Gardener
April 5, 2025
Kalanchoe plant (Contributed photo)
Ligularia plant (Contributed photo)
Staghorn Fern (Contributed Photo)
One of the golden rules of gardening is “the right plant in the right location.” We also need to add “in the right season.”
Not following this advice has happened to all of us. It is late April or early May and we are in the gardening section of one of our stores. We spot these beautiful pansies and snapdragons are a really great price. Listen to me, resist.
The first blast of heat and they will go from beautiful to a hot mess in a nanosecond.
So, what’s a gardener to do? Planning your summer garden here in South Texas is not a hard as it seems. A great variety of plants are suitable for heat and can actually thrive during the hot summer days.
One of my favorites for the full sun is the periwinkle (Vinca major). With a little water and TLC, these little beauties will bloom all summer long. As a bonus, they will reseed for next year. Speaking of reseeding, the marigold is another great addition to your summer garden, and it will repel pests.
Here is a short list of other plants that do well in the full sun: lantana in multiple colors, red yucca, purple cornflower, salvia (a favorite of bees and hummingbirds), zinnas, coreopsis, bougainvillea, plumbago, esperanza, pride of Barbados, aloe, shrimp plant, rock rose, Mexican firebush, Mexican petunias, spider plants, Turk’s cap, and the butterfly bush.
The list is not quite as long for my vegetable garden. By late May, my tomatoes are fading and the fruit will not set due to the higher temperatures.
Most other vegetables are starting to look a little tired except for okra and blackeyed peas. They are loving the heat and will produce all summer long.
In the herb garden, things are starting to look up. While my thyme, cilantro, parsley and mint are looking haggard, basil is going strong. It is another plant that will reseed. Mint will live through the summer, but prefers cooler temperatures. Rosemary is showing off and my garlic chives are not too shabby.
In fact, chives do well year-round. Oregano, sage, catnip, and lemongrass are other herbs that do well in the heat.
Other showstoppers are succulents and cacti. Some succulents prefer partial or full shade during the hot summer days. If the leaves are looking stressed and/ or spotted, move them to a shadier location. Other succulents, like kalanchoe, and ice plant can take the heat and hang with the best of them.
Let’s not forget our shade areas. For the full shade part of your yard, you can plant elephant ears, and ajuga. For a lot of color try coleus and caladiums.
For something a little different, ligularias also known as the leopard plant. With its broad leaves and yellow flowers, the leopard plant is a great addition to shade gardens. Once this plant is established, it will be with you a long time because it can withstand temperatures down to 14 degrees Fahrenheit.
There is a long list of ferns that do well in the shade. The asparagus fern will freeze back in the winter, but it will return in the spring. Holly ferns make a nice backdrop, and both of these are deer resistant. If you have a nice shady corner to hang a basket, staghorn fern can be a dramatic addition to your yard.
One last tip: In the middle of each season, drive or walk around your neighborhood. Take note of what is doing well, and what isn’t. This practice will make you more aware of stalwart plants and help you make wise choices.
There is a much longer list of plants that do well in the hot summer, and I am discovering new plants every year. Have a great summer!
Gardeners’ Dirt by Victoria County Master Gardeners appears in The Victoria Advocate on Saturdays.