The Heatwave Gardeners' Action Plan

Get expert instructions to protect your plants before, during, and after extreme heat.

7-Day Regional Heat Stress Outlook

If a region's forecast crosses the red dashed line, it indicates an impending heatwave. Enter your US or UK postal code below to get precise instructions.

Safe
Warm
Heatwave

🇺🇸 United States Risk Levels

🇬🇧 United Kingdom Risk Levels

1. Build Your Garden Profile

Only locations in the US or UK are supported. We use your zip/postcode to fetch your local weather patterns.

Type a plant name, select a choice from our filtered suggestions, then choose soil/planting options.

Heatwave Gardening Dictionary

Understand the exact techniques we recommend to keep your plants alive during extreme temperatures.

Deep Soak

Instead of lightly spraying the surface with a hose, a "deep soak" means letting a hose trickle slowly at the base of the plant for 15-30 minutes. This forces water 6-8 inches into the ground. It trains roots to grow downward away from the hot surface soil, making them infinitely more resilient.

Shade Cloth (Canopy Shield)

A breathable fabric suspended on stakes *above* your plants (never draped directly on the leaves). It usually blocks 30% to 50% of UV rays. During extreme heat, blocking direct midday sun stops leaves from burning and dramatically lowers the air temperature around the plant.

Bottom Watering

A technique for potted plants. Instead of pouring water on top (which evaporates quickly in a heatwave), place the pot in a bowl or tray filled with 2 inches of water for 30-60 minutes. The dry soil acts like a sponge, soaking it up from the bottom up to the roots.

Bolting & Sunscald

Bolting is when leafy greens (like lettuce or cilantro) panic in the heat and rapidly shoot up a tall flower stalk, turning the leaves completely bitter. Sunscald is essentially sunburn on exposed fruits (like tomatoes or peppers) causing white, blistered patches that rot.