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Lettuce, brassicas, and many other cold weather crops are thirsty plants that need regular watering to grow well. But if you want to cut down on water waste and make your garden easier to maintain during hot, dry summers, try growing heat- and drought-tolerant vegetables instead. In the list below, you’ll discover 11 hardy vegetables that thrive in dry soil, plus water-saving tips to make your garden more water resilient.
1. Beans and Most Legumes
Black-eyed peas are famously heat-tolerant plants that thrive in warm southern gardens. Yet many growers don’t realize that most warm-season legumes, including snap beans and pole beans, can get by with minimal water—especially if you layer mulch beneath your plants and group them around a shared trellis. Just keep in mind that cool-season legumes, like fava beans and snap peas, usually do better with more moisture.
Best For: Vertical growing, sunny gardens
Our Recommendation: Rattlesnake Beans at Amazon for $4.94.
Tolerant of hot weather and drought, Rattlesnake pole beans produce fast-growing vines that stretch up 10 feet long, plus they produce more pods than most for frequent harvesting.
2. Zucchini, Squash, and Some Melons
Although zucchini, squash, and melons contain a lot of water, many of these cucurbits are actually drought-tolerant plants that bounce back quickly after spells of dry weather. This resilience is due to cucurbit plants’ long roots, which can access water deep in the soil, as well as their large leaves that cast shade on the earth and slow down soil evaporation rates. For best results, choose drought-tolerant varieties like Green-Striped Cushaw squash, Dark Star zucchini, or Iroquois cantaloupes and be sure to amend your soil with plenty of organic matter before planting.
Best For: Sunny gardens, rich soil
Our Recommendation: Green Striped Cushaw Squash at Amazon for $6.29
Sweet and meaty cushaw squash is perfect for pies and roasting, and the plant is surprisingly drought-resistant.
3. Globe Artichokes
Perennial vegetables are hard to come by for gardeners in most growing zones. But globe artichokes can survive winters in USDA Hardiness Zones 7 and up and their drought tolerance and attractive, edible flower buds make them exceptional plants for xeriscaping and edible landscape designs. What’s more, these prickly plants are naturally deer-resistant, yet highly attractive to pollinators.
Best For: Pollinator gardens, edible landscaping
Our Recommendation: Green Globe Artichoke at Amazon for $4.79
Green Globe artichokes produce edible buds for up to 5 years and they grow best in full sun and relatively dry soil.
4. Okra
Another staple plant in Southern gardens, okra can handle intense sun and periods of mild drought. However, as with the other plants on this list, newly planted okra needs to be watered regularly; only established plants can tolerate dry soil. And don’t forget: the best time to water plants, regardless of their water needs, is in the morning when evaporation rates are slower and plants can absorb more water.
Best For: Pollinator gardens, edible landscaping
Our Recommendation: Burgundy Okra at Amazon for $4.84
Drought-tolerant and pollinator-friendly, Burgundy okra produces big, yellow flowers before its edible pods form.
5. Peppers
Most types of peppers can grow in hot weather and mostly dry soil, so they are among favorite drought-tolerant crops. Plus, heat and water stress really bring out the flavors of fiery hot chilies like jalapenos. On top of that, pepper plants are compact enough for container growing, raised beds, or mixed veggie gardens, and surplus peppers are ideal for freezing, canning, or dehydrating.
Best For: Container gardens, food preservation
Our Recommendation: Heirloom Jalapeno Peppers at Amazon for $4.85
This variety matures in about 73 days. You know jalapenos peppers have been water-stressed and are super-hot when they display striations or “corking” on their skins.
6. Armenian Cucumbers
One of the biggest drawbacks of growing vegetables is that thirsty plants like cucumbers turn yellow and become bitter if they don’t receive enough water. But Armenian cucumbers can handle drier soil than most other cucumber varieties, and they’re a good solution if your garden is on the dry side. For another drought-tolerant option, try the ever-popular lemon cucumbers.
Best For: Vertical growing, rich soil
Our Recommendation: Armenian Pale Green Cucumber at Amazon for $5.99
Unlike most cucumbers, burpless Armenian cucumbers don’t turn bitter when they’re water-stressed.
7. Swiss Chard
Most leafy greens bolt in hot weather. But Swiss chard can handle heat and dry soil like a champ. For a larger harvest, try succession planting Swiss chard seeds every few weeks and mix compost into your soil before planting.
Best For: Container growing, succession planting
Our Recommendation: Rainbow Swiss Chard at Amazon for $4.94
Drought-tolerant and colorful, Rainbow Swiss chard produces plants with a mix of yellow, magenta, and green stalks.
8. Eggplants
Eggplants love hot weather and lots of sun and they can survive periods of dry soil. However, these plants are more productive when they’re watered well and planted in nutrient-rich beds. If you want to increase harvest yields while conserving water, consider installing a drip irrigation system beneath your plants and add lots of mulch.
Best For: Sunny gardens, container growing
Our Recommendation: Eggplant Seed Collection at Amazon for $9.99
All eggplants can handle some drought, so why not grow this mix of pale purple, dark purple, and white eggplants.
9. Rhubarb
Grown for their edible stalks, rhubarb plants are harvested earlier than most other veggies, but the plants continue to add color to gardens through long, hot summers. These perennials are naturally resistant to most pests, and established rhubarb plants store water in their roots so they can tolerate long periods of drought.
Best For: Edible landscaping, early harvests
Our Recommendation: Victoria Rhubarb at Amazon for $5.99
Heat- and cold-tolerant, Victoria rhubarb is easy to grow and winter-hardy down to Zone 4.
10. Heirloom Corn
Sweet corn needs regular watering to produce well, but some types of corn can tolerate longer periods of drought. If you want to slash water use, try out heirloom varieties like Hopi Pink or Painted Mountain corn, and consider fencing off your plants or companion planting corn with prickly squash to keep pests at bay.
Best For: Larger gardens, seed saving
Our Recommendation: Painted Mountain Corn at Amazon for $3.99
Drought-resistant Painted Mountain corn can be grown for decoration, ground into flour, or used for seed saving.
11. Jerusalem Artichokes
With their bright yellow flowers and long, slender stems, it’s no wonder why Jerusalem artichokes are often used in drought-tolerant landscaping. These native plants aren’t just a treat for the eyes, though. They produce edible and tasty tubers that can be eaten like potatoes, and pollinators adore them.
Best For: Pollinator gardens, native plant gardens
Our Recommendation: Jerusalem Artichoke Tubers at Amazon for $14.45
Tolerant of sun or part shade, these resilient plants grow perennially in Zones 2 and up, and they’re tasty, too.
