Some garden crops do not need the daytime temperature to drop much to appreciate relief. They simply want the sun to clock out, the air to cool down, and the garden to get a little breathing room. For certain warm-season vegetables and fruits, cooler nights can support flowering, fruit development, flavor, and overall plant performance while hot days continue doing the heavy lifting.
That makes nighttime weather more important than many gardeners realize. A scorching afternoon does not automatically spell trouble if the plant gets a decent cooldown after sunset. In fact, some crops can handle hot days surprisingly well when nighttime temperatures ease off, while an endless stretch of hot nights can leave them working harder than necessary.
