12 Hot Weather Crops to Plant from Seed
It’s already getting hot, and buying a cart full of transplants adds up fast. The good news is that a lot of hot-weather crops actually do really well when planted from seed. So instead of spending more on transplants that may struggle, you can plant from seed, save money, and still get a harvest. If you garden in Arizona or another hot, dry climate, these are some of the best crops to direct sow once the soil is warm.
If you’re gardening in the low desert, my desert gardening guide and planting calendar will help you know what to plant when and how to adjust for the heat.
Key Takeaways: Hot Weather Crops to Plant from Seed
- Planting from seed saves money and offers a better harvest for hot weather crops to plant from seed.
- Direct sowing suits many crops better than transplants, especially in warm conditions.
- Ensure light, well-draining soil and proper planting depth for successful seed growth.
- Crops like summer squash, Armenian cucumbers, and basil thrive when planted from seed in warm soil.
- Consider unique crops like peanuts and roselle hibiscus for longer harvest periods.
Why Plant From Seed Instead of Transplant
There are plenty of crops you can plant from seed right now that sprout quickly and continue growing, even as the weather heats up. Instead of relying on transplants, a few packets of seeds go a long way. Seed packages will also contain many more seeds than most gardeners use in one season, so those seeds will last for several years. You save money, and the plants are happy, too. Many of these crops prefer direct sowing and will do better than when planted as transplants.
Before you get started, a few things make all the difference when you are starting seeds in the heat.
- Make sure you have light, well-draining soil that holds moisture and nutrients.
- Plant seeds at the proper depth (your seed packet will guide you), and don’t let newly planted seeds or seedlings dry out.
- Add a light layer of mulch at planting, then more once seedlings are established.
- If your garden gets intense afternoon sun, a bit of shade cloth can help plants stay healthier.
If you need help with the basics, read “How to Plant Seeds Outside” for tips on planting depth, spacing, and getting seeds established. For more help gardening through rising temperatures, read Summer Gardening in Arizona.
Keep reading to learn 12 crops that grow especially well from seed.
Fast Payoff Crops to Plant from Seed
Summer Squash
Time to Harvest: 40-55 days
Summer squash seeds are large, quick to sprout, and easy to sow directly in the garden once the soil is warm. Plant seeds in well-amended soil and give each plant plenty of room, because squash grows fast and spreads quickly. Keep the soil evenly moist while seedlings get established.
Once the plants begin to flower, head out in the morning and take a look. If bee activity is low, hand-pollinate to help improve fruit set. Learn more about how to hand-pollinate squash in this guide.
Summer squash grows fast in the warm temperatures of late spring and early summer, but it usually struggles once temperatures get too hot. I like to plant a quick crop in late spring and then plant again at the end of summer to take advantage of our warm fall temperatures.
Learn More About Growing Summer Squash:
Armenian Cucumbers
Time to Harvest: 55-70 days
Armenian cucumbers are heat-loving melons that thrive in warm conditions and are best direct-sown once the soil is nice and warm. Plant in well-amended soil and give vines plenty of space, or train them to climb for better airflow and straighter fruit. I love seeing a trellis full of these vines and delicious cucumbers.
These plants are prolific; you’ll probably have more than you can use. I like to pick them young for the best flavor and texture, and during the season, I often cut one up each day to have with lunch. Painted Serpent is one of my favorite varieties and a reliable choice for consistent harvests.
Get Armenian cucumber seeds here.
Learn More About Growing Armenian Cucumbers:
Yardlong Beans
Time to Harvest: 60-75 days
Yardlong beans, also known as Asian beans, snake beans, or asparagus beans, are a fun and productive addition to the garden. Direct sow once the soil is warm and plant in well-amended soil.
They begin to twine quickly and need a trellis. Harvest them young and use them like green beans, or leave a few on the vine to mature if you want to save seeds.
Learn More About Growing Yardlong Beans:
Basil
Time to Harvest: 30-45 days
Basil is quick to grow and easy to tuck into any open space in the garden. Sprinkle seeds in empty spots and thin to one strong plant once they sprout. Try planting a few different varieties for variety and flavor.
To encourage full, bushy plants, keep cutting just above two sets of leaves until they reach the size you want. After that, continue harvesting regularly or let some plants flower to support pollinators.
Learn More About Growing Basil:
Okra
Time to Harvest: 50-65 days
Even if you think you don’t like okra, it’s worth growing. Direct sow once the soil is warm and give plants space to grow tall. Try harvesting pods very young and eating them fresh, they are surprisingly tender. If that’s not your favorite, let them grow a bit larger and cook them fried or in the air fryer. Okra thrives in heat, and when temperatures climb, it’s one of the easiest and most productive crops you can grow.
Learn More About Growing Okra:
Sunflowers
Time to Harvest: 55-75 days for blooms; 80-110 days for seeds
Choose confection or edible varieties if you’re growing for large seeds. Sunflowers tolerate poor soil and don’t need prime garden space, so they’re perfect for planting along edges. Space plants several feet apart to allow for large flower heads. Leave blooms on the plant until the backs turn yellow and begin to brown. That means the tasty seeds are forming inside their shell.
For a bonus, plant them outside of your cucumber bed to give cucumbers a living trellis to climb. This year, I planted bitter melon at the base of a large sunflower. It’s already starting to climb.
Learn More About Growing Sunflowers:
- How to Grow Sunflowers
- How to Grow, Harvest, and Roast Edible Sunflower Seeds
- What To Do About Black Bugs On Sunflowers
Long Season Crops to Plant from Seed
These take longer, but planting them now gives them time to grow through summer and into fall.
Cantaloupe
Time to Harvest: 70-90 days
I like planting cantaloupe seeds in warm soil each spring. Plant a few seeds spaced a foot or two apart in well-amended soil. I’ve had great success with the Heart of Gold variety; it’s a reliable producer. Give vines room to spread or train them to climb.
Learn More About Growing Cantaloupe:
Tepary Beans
Time to Harvest: 70-90 days for dry beans
Tepary beans are perfectly suited for the low desert. They require very little water, tolerate poor soil, and thrive in hot, dry conditions. Direct sow and let them grow a little wild. They make a great cover crop.
These beans are nutritious too. Half a cup of dry tepary beans can have over 20 grams of protein and even more fiber.
Learn More About Growing Tepary Beans:
Watermelon
Time to Harvest: 80-100 days
Watermelon needs space, so pick a bed along the edge of your garden or dedicate an entire area if you can. Plant seeds in small mounds spaced a couple of feet apart and let the vines spread. The more vines you have, the larger and sweeter your fruit will be. It usually takes me a melon or two to get the timing for harvest just right, but when you pick them at the right time, there’s nothing better than homegrown watermelon.
Learn More About Growing Watermelon:
Butternut Squash
Time to Harvest: 90-120 days
Butternut squash is one of the most reliable producers, even when temperatures climb. Direct sow once the soil is warm and plant in well-amended soil, giving vines plenty of room to spread. These plants handle heat well. Last summer mine kept producing right through a summer heatwave. As fruits mature, keep an eye on them and harvest when ready. Don’t leave them on the vine too long in extreme heat, or they can start to split.
Get butternut squash seeds here.
Learn More About Growing Butternut Squash:
Peanuts
Time to Harvest: 120-150 days
Peanuts are a fun and unique crop that grows surprisingly well in the heat. Plant in loose, well-drained soil and give them plenty of space, ideally in an in-ground bed where they can spread out.
As the plants grow, watch for small yellow flowers. After blooming, those flowers push down into the soil, and that’s where the peanuts form.
Learn More About Growing Peanuts:
Roselle Hibiscus
Time to Harvest: 120-180 days
Roselle hibiscus is a long-season crop that won’t start blooming until the days begin to shorten in the fall. Plant early to give it time to grow into a large, established plant. A bigger plant means more calyces to harvest later.
I like growing mine in a whiskey barrel so I can let it grow until frost and not worry about taking it out to make room for fall-planted crops. Once you’ve had roselle tea or jam, it’s easy to see why this plant is worth the wait.
Get roselle hibiscus seeds here.
Learn More About Growing Roselle Hibiscus:
Hot Weather FAQ
Seeds that germinate well in hot weather include beans, yardlong beans, cucumbers, Armenian cucumbers, squash, watermelon, cantaloupe, okra, basil, sunflowers, and tepary beans. These warm-season crops sprout best in warm soil and are good choices for planting when temperatures start to climb.
Yes, you can plant seeds when it’s already hot outside if you choose heat-tolerant crops. Warm-season crops like okra, basil, beans, melons, cucumbers, and squash often grow well from seed in hot weather when planted at the right depth and kept evenly moist until they sprout.
To keep seeds from drying out in hot weather, plant them at the correct depth, keep the soil evenly moist until they germinate, and add a light layer of mulch after planting. If your garden gets intense afternoon sun, temporary shade can also help seedlings get established.
For many heat-tolerant crops, seeds are the better choice in summer. Crops like beans, squash, cucumbers, basil, okra, and melons often grow well when direct sown into warm soil. Seeds are also less expensive than transplants and usually give you more plants for the cost.
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