Too Hot to Handle? Not for Hydroponics: Growing Fresh Food All Summer Long
Much of the U.S. is currently experiencing an abnormally hot summer with high temperatures and humidity, particularly in the Northeast. We know that states such as Florida, Texas, and Arizona are scorching hot in the summer months. Things like triple-digit temps, dry soil, and relentless sun aren’t just tough on people; they’re tough on plants, too.
What if we explored a better way to grow? One that doesn’t depend on weather, soil, or even a traditional growing season?
Welcome to hydroponics—where it’s always growing season. Growing hydroponically is a method of growing plants without soil in a nutrient-rich water solution. Regardless of season, climate issues, soil quality, and availability, fresh foods can be grown every day of the year if they are grown hydroponically.
Why Traditional Gardening Struggles in the Heat
In the hottest parts of the country, outdoor gardening in summer can feel like a losing battle. Soil dries out too fast, water evaporates before it reaches the roots, plants wilt, and maintaining a garden can become expensive, labor-intensive, and wasteful. With water restrictions becoming more common, these issues are more significant now than ever.
This is where hydroponics shines as an alternate solution for hot climates. Hydroponic systems, like the Flex Farm, make it possible to grow fresh produce indoors, all year long—no matter how hot it gets outside. Flex Farms are highly scalable, mobile vertical growing systems that require only nine square feet of space and a standard electrical outlet for operation. A single Flex Farm can grow 25 pounds of lettuce every 28 days. Every day of the year is growing season for a Flex Farm.
Flex Farms don’t rely on outdoor weather or soil; they’re ideal for places where traditional agriculture slows down in the summer. Whether you're a school nutrition director trying to keep summer meal programs fresh, a nonprofit serving a food desert community, or a restaurant looking to source local greens in 110°F heat, hydroponics puts food production back in your hands.
Here are some benefits of hydroponic growing in the summer months:
Climate Resilience: Grow indoors with total environmental control. No droughts, no heatwaves, no sunburnt lettuce.
Water Efficiency: Hydroponic systems use up to 98 percent less water than traditional farming—an absolute game-changer in states where water is scarce.
Food Access, Year-Round: Just because it’s too hot to grow outside doesn’t mean fresh food has to stop. Hydroponics keeps hyper-local food flowing all summer long.
Easy to Manage: With minimal space and hands-on work, Flex Farms are a great option for community centers, YMCAs, libraries, and summer school programs—anywhere people gather to learn, eat, and grow together.
One of our most interesting partner stories comes out of the Caribbean and a project conceived by The Caribbean Climate-Smart Accelerator (CCSA). This project was launched to address food insecurity, promote sustainability, and empower vulnerable communities in the Caribbean to produce fresh, nutritious food all year long via a family of Flex Farms across the islands. Read all about this amazing project to provide access to fresh foods in an area that suffers from ongoing climate issues, escalating food prices, and widespread food insecurity here.
Let’s grow smarter this summer. Hot weather doesn’t have to mean wilted produce or empty shelves; summer can be a season of growth, education, and food freedom.
Whether you're in the mountains, desert or coastal states, hydroponics gives you the power to grow your own food—on your own terms.
Ready to beat the heat? Let’s grow. Contact Fork Farms today!
