Gardening

The Spring vegetable gardening season is getting underway. Whether you’re an experienced or a novice gardener, Gulf Coast gardeners can grow a wide variety of vegetables including cucumbers. Cucumbers are best grown on a trellis or fence to save space and significantly improve the quality of cucumbers produced. Photo by Herman Auer

Keys to successful home gardening: know when to plant & which varieties to plant

By Dr. William M. Johnson
Galveston County Extension Agent - Horticulture

February 14, 2007

"When should I start my spring garden?" "Which varieties of vegetables should I plant?" These are two of the most commonly asked questions by home gardeners at this time of the year.

The answer to the first question is usually straightforward–it depends primarily on the specific vegetable in question. The answer to the second question is not so simple either–it depends on several factors.

The high temperatures of summer will be advancing upon us in a few weeks. Each vegetable performs best if planted within recommended planting dates which are based on results from years of field trials.

The earlier you can get your vegetables started within recommended planting dates, the better. However, you can plant after the recommended cut-off planting date. When that’s the case, it only means that you may have to water more often and yields may not be as great–but something is better than nothing.

No single variety, new or old, will be totally suitable for every home garden given different growing conditions and personal preferences of gardeners. Both old and new varieties should be tried and compared for yield and performance.

Whether you are an experienced or novice vegetable gardener or just thinking about making the plunge, it should be well-worth the time to attend our upcoming seminar on “Spring Vegetable Gardening on the Gulf Coast.” The seminar will be held on Saturday, February 17, 2007, from 9:00 to 12:00 noon at the Galveston County Extension Office located at 5115 Highway 3 in Dickinson. The program is free-of-charge but pre-registration is required (GALV3@wt.net or 281-534-3413, ext. 6) due to space limitations.

Luke Stripling will conduct the seminar. Topics will include types of vegetables suitable for spring gardens as well as varieties that perform well in our climate. Bed preparation, soil fertility, and disease and insect control will also be discussed. Luke is a Certified Texas Master Gardener and a longtime home gardener in this area who has gained a wealth of knowledge and experience on vegetable gardening in this area.

Gardeners Q&A

Question: I live in a townhouse with a small patio. I would like information on how to grow vegetables in containers.

Answer: A sunny location is essential for growing vegetables. If your patio gets at least eight hours of sun, there are a number of vegetables that will do well in containers and provide a small harvest of fresh produce.

You can make an attractive garden by choosing a variety of suitable containers. Containers should be at least 16 to 18 inches deep. Whiskey barrels, terra cotta or plastic pots, wooden boxes or whatever pleases your eye will do. Choosing different shapes, materials, and compatible colors for your containers will add to the attractiveness of your garden.

Tomatoes, bush green beans, cucumbers, peppers, zucchini and eggplant are a few good choices for the summer garden and they generally do well in containers. The small cherry tomatoes adapt very well to container growing. It is advisable to purchase nursery transplants, as they will produce fruit sooner. Just to be safe, try to purchase tomato varieties that are marked to be nematode resistant.

If you are unable to purchase transplants, you can sow seeds. Seedlings will need to be thinned after they sprout. In our warm Gulf Coast climate, transplants and seeds can be started in early spring. After you have chosen your plants and seeds, plant them in a well-fertilized and well draining potting soil. Water well and place the containers in a sunny location.

Be creative in the way you arrange your containers as the leaf colors and textures of the plants, as well as the vegetables, can make an interesting grouping. In order to accommodate more plants, you might want to construct shelving by using wooden boards placed on stacked bricks at two or three different heights.

Vegetables grow fairly rapidly so you will need to check the containers daily to make sure your plants are kept moist and healthy. The plants should be fertilized every two weeks with a 20-20-20 water-soluble fertilizer. Frequent watering of container plants tends to leach the fertilizer from the soil so replenishing nutrients is very important.

It will be necessary to stake peppers, tomatoes and eggplant. If you are growing zucchini or a vining-type cucumber, you can place a small trellis in the container and train the vines on it.

Once your plants start to bear, harvest regularly and when vegetables are in peak condition. Regular harvesting also helps to keep your plants producing. There is nothing better than a vine-ripened tomato. Good luck and happy eating!

Dr. Johnson is a horticulturist with the Galveston County
Extension Office of Texas Cooperative Extension, Texas A&M University. Visit his web site at http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/index.htm

Gardening: Scale insects and pampas grass - July 17, 2004 article

Gardening: Bananas - August 1, 2004 article

Gardening: August Gardening Calendar - August 16, 2004 article

Gardening: Trio Of Extension Programs Includes Pear Tasting, Master Naturalist Class & Rose Seminar - August 20, 2004 article

Gardening: Prepare Now For Fall Gardens - August 26, 2004 article

Gardening: September's Garden Calendar Includes Fall Pecan Field Day - September 2, 2004 article

Gardening: Ornamental Grasses - September 8, 2004 article

Gardening: Don't Let Landscape Become A High-Maintenance Nightmare - September 22, 2004 article

Gardening: Oct. 10 Plant Sale & Seminar To Feature Butterfly Gardening - Butterflies Bring Color, Motion to Garden - October 2, 2004 article

Gardening: Plant It And They Will Come: Getting the Butterflies of Galveston County to Grace Your Yard - October 2, 2004 article

Gardening: Rose Propagation & Seasonal Decorating Workshops To Be Held - October 13, 2004 article

Gardening: Extension Office To Sponsor Open House On October 29, Seasonal Decorations and Onion and Garlic Workshops - October 20, 2004 article

Gardening: Extension Office To Sponsor Open House On October 29 and County Pecan Show - October 27, 2004 article

Gardening: November Is Pansy Time - November 6, 2004 article

Gardening: County Pecan Growers Display Their Successes - November 11, 2004 article

Gardening: Gardeners' Questions On Fall Crops - November 17, 2004 article

Gardening: Gardeners' Q&As For November - November 28, 2004 article

Gardening: Gardeners' December Checklist Includes Citrus Show On Dec. 9 - December 3, 2004 article

Gardening: Citrus Show A Huge Success With 185 Entries - December 19, 2004 article

Gardening: Trees and Shrubs - December 23, 2004 article

Gardening: Cold Weather Impact - January 4, 2005 article

Gardening: Gardeners' Checklist For January Includes Several Educational Programs - January 7, 2005 article

Gardening:Announcing the 2005 Galveston County Master Gardener Training - January 13, 2005 article

Gardening:Peach & Plum Growers' Workshop To Be Held Saturday, January 29 - January 19, 2005 article

Gardening: Gardening for Texas Wildlife - January 28, 2005 article

Gardening: Wide Variety of Citrus to Be Available at February 5 Fruit Tree Sale and Home Citrus Production - January 31, 2005 article

Gardening: Fruit Trees Of The Gods Featured In February 5 Master Gardener Plant Sale - February 2, 2005 article

Gardening: "If I Were A Tomato, I Would Want To Be Grown In Texas . . . Galveston County, That Is!" Workshop to be held February 12 - February 9, 2005 article

Gardening: February Is Rose Pruning Time...Attend Rose Care Seminar to Learn How - February 16, 2005 article

Gardening: Extension Activities At The Home & Garden Show On Feb. 26-27 - February 23, 2005 article

Gardening: March Gardening Calendar Includes Seminar On Butterfly Gardening - March 2, 2005 article

Gardening: Gardeners' Q&As From The Galveston Home & Garden Show - March 10, 2005 article

Gardening: Extension Offers Program On "Living To Be 100 . . . A Commonsense Approach." - March 16, 2005 article

Gardening: Program On Plumeria Offered On March 26- March 29, 2005 article

Gardening: Garden Checklist For April Includes Pecan Field Day - April 6, 2005 article

Gardening: Hints On Harvesting Vegetables For Peak Flavor - April 15, 2005 article

Gardening: Fresh Blueberries From Your Home Garden Seminar On Saturday, April 23 - April 22, 2005 article

Gardening: Learn About Weed Control - April 27, 2005 article

Gardening: Home Gardening Chores and
May 14 Home Fruit Growers’ Tour - May 5, 2005 article