If I know I have a busy summer planned, I will stick with native perennials I’ve already planted plus possibly add okra, sunflowers, zinnias or cosmos. Okra flowers have a hibiscus-look to them are quite pretty. Even tomatoes and basil will struggle to produce in the heat; the pollen on the tomatoes flowers sticks to itself and isn’t transferred by pollinators, and basil will get yellow and leggy.

It’s tempting to want to jump into gardening when spring weather is gorgeous, but one must really consider if the plants will be established enough to handle triple-digit temperatures and/or extreme humidity. I learned this lesson the hard way!

Happy gardening everyone! 🌞

When growing in pots and containers, I’d suggest taking out the plant’s roots and adding new soil for a new crop to be planted into.

Cress will grow best in the cooler part of your growing season, but it doesn’t hurt to try and see how it handles Mississippi heat!