Wade Beane • August 18, 2026
If you have landscaping or a garden, you have probably spent time this summer wondering if your plants are going to make it. There have been many days I’ve walked outside, looked at a plant and said, “Sorry little feller, I feel your struggle!”
Be patient with your plants. In Borrego, nighttime heat is one of the biggest challenges. During the summer, plants need cooler nights to breathe.
When night temperatures stay in the 80s, plants struggle because they conserve water by closing their stomata, which are tiny pores used for gas exchange. On hot nights these pores stay closed to prevent plants from losing more water than they can afford. But then they struggle to breathe.
Cool nights are what allow desert plants to absorb carbon dioxide so they can create energy. In simple terms, hot nights keep plants from breathing, which slows the creation of sugars they need to be happy and survive.
Look at the plants that naturally grow around us. There is a reason so many desert plants have small, thick leaves covered in wax. A smaller leaf has less surface area where water can escape. Waxy leaves create another protective layer that helps hold moisture inside the plant. Creosote and other plants have spent a very long time figuring out how to live wisely in the desert.
Other landscape plants are less adapted to living through a Borrego summer. Even cacti struggle with the heat and get sunburned. And when a plant looks stressed, giving it more water is not always the answer. Too much water can complicate problems even further for many desert plants.
Summer is a good time to practice patience. Pause for a moment and let the plant tell you what it needs. Sometimes plants need an extra drink and some shade cloth. Other times a little pruning will focus good energy on what is still alive. And when all else fails, slow down for a moment and talk to your plants. They are good listeners and appreciate words of encouragement.
It has been a hot summer, and the plants are struggling just like the wildlife and many of us are. Wander outside and offer a little extra attention to everything that is surviving this summer. A few caring words and a little patience can make all the difference.
About the Writer: Wade Beane Honorary Mayor
Wade Beane serves as Honorary Mayor of Borrego Springs and Executive Director of the Borrego Art Institute. He also manages the ArtPark and has worked as a California Overland tour guide, sharing Borrego’s landscapes, history, arts, and community with residents and visitors.
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