Mid-May

(Click on the pictures to enlarge.)

Things are coming along well.  We have had a decent amount of rain, and rain just makes the plants grow better than city water.  Must be the chemicals.  Plus, I've made compost tea and have been giving them that twice a week.  The potatos are especially robust this year.  I looked at last year's crop in the pictures and they never got this big, period.  They were harvested in the first week of June last year and had noticable insect damage to the leaves.  This year, they are a foot taller now than at harvest last year and have basically no noticable insect damage.  The one thought that has gone through my mind is whether all the energy is going to foliage this year and not roots.  We'll see. 

You can see that my garden is very cramped.  I try to get every inch used because I have so little space to work with.  There is no doubt that my tomatos are smaller this year than last, even with starting the seed indoors to get a head start.  I think the main reason is the potatos being in front of them and shading them.  The tomatos are finaly getting to the point that they will get good sun in spite of the potatos, so I will see how long I can go before I harvest the potatos.  I might try planting them behind, to the right, of the tomatos next year.  This may help the tomatos and not hurt the potatos at all.  At worst, it would probably compete with the sugar snap peas.  I'll risk it.  The onions are also crowed, but they get good sun and I'm not too worried about them.  I've already pulled a few and eaten them as green onions and they have been very good.  I will continue to thin them that way and see if I can actually get them to form bulbs this year.  

That is one packed picture.  As you can see, the French Marigolds are doing quite well in front.  By the end of the summer they will cascade over the lumber and spill out over part of the lawn.  They smell great, but that's not the reason I plant them.  The roots emit something that kills grubs and they keep white flys aways from the tomatos and other vegetables.  They also bring in a lot of helpful insects for pollination and butterflys for beauty.  Last year they were in bloom from May til mid November.  That's a hard working flower.

Last years tomato plants were the best I have ever grown.  By mid summer they were seven feet tall.  The one down side to all that growth was my cages were very small and just couldn't support the big plants, especially the heirlooms which seem to get crazy big.  So, this year, we invested in some cages that are much larger and should support a much bigger and fuller plant.  These are about 5.5 feet tall and have supports that go about a foot into the ground.  I hope they do the trick.

There are several of the plants with a good start already.  These will start to ripen in a couple of weeks.

This is the Boston Marrow winter squash that I have trained on some twine.  There is one little fruit on so far.  These guys get big, like 15 to 20 lbs big, so I don't know how many I will let grow.  They are supposed to have great flavor.  I'm looking forward to soup and pie this winter.

Here's a picture of the little guy.  I'll keep it updated to track the growth.  I've never grown this before, so it should be interesting.

This is the Boston Marrow flower.  These are big flowers.  They are probably five inches from the stem to the tip of the blossom and open a good four inches wide.  I might try to stuff and saute some later in the summer.

Here are the sugar snap peas that have started coming on in the past week.  They are very sweet, but don't last long.  We'll enjoy them while they last.

Here are the Draggon Beans.  They are doing well, especially since they are in only partial sun.  They have been blooming for about two weeks now.  This is the first time I've grown this type of bean; it's also the first time I've grown bush beans.  I have planted Purple Pod Green Beans in the past, a climbing bean, and they have done well, but take too much space.  I'm trying this and hope they work out.  The plan is to grow them out all summer and collect the dry beans.  I won't have green beans this year.

This is a close-up of the Draggon Bean blossom.  They are very delicate and have a very soft purple tinge that doesn't show on the picture too well.

The beans are in back and the yellow summer squash is in front.

This is one of two little squash that have set so far.  

These are the same beans to the left with zuchini to the right and the yellow squash in the back.  No zuchini have set yet.

Couldn't resist taking a few close-up shots of the Frech Marigolds.  Love 'em.

Finally, these still don't look like much, but they look way better than they did a few days ago.  After I posted the tomato propagation shots a few days ago they completely wilted and looked like they were dead.  They completely layed over and drooped to the ground.  Within about three days they were starting to look better and now look like they will definately make it.  I did go back and trim some of the leaf sets off-- the ones that had died back.  In the future, I will trim all but two leaf sets and the main branch.  We'll keep you posted on the progress.  Assuming it works, this is a fast easy way to multiply one plant into several.  It will be especially useful in getting mid-season plants in for late tomatos.

Just though I'd end with a couple of shots of the chicken house.  It's worked quite well.  We got three new chickens a couple of weeks ago.  They are still too small to go outside, but in three to four weeks they will join the original three in the coup.

Tomato Propagation

No, this isn't a Mother's Day bouquet.  It's a bunch of tomato sucker cuttings from my plants in the garden.  I have a lot of friends that would like some tomato plants, and I am trimming the suckers anyway, so I thought I would give propogation a try.  A sucker is the growth that comes out between the main stem and a leaf stem on a tomato plant.  Many gardeners say to pluck the suckers to make your main stem (or two) stronger and support the fruit that grows from them versus having smaller fruit by letting all of the grow.  Each sucker represents a full tomato plant of its own, which if you trim and root out will be a genetic twin of the plant you took it from.    

This is a sucker.  It's recommended that you wait until the sucker are about two to three inches tall to snap them off the plant.  If you're going to propogate them, leave them longer, even much longer, so that when you plant them they will have several inches in the dirt to grow roots from.  Tomato plants have the unique advantage of growing roots all along the stem, so the deeper you plant them, the larger the root system will be from the beginning.

After I took my cuttings, I trimmed each of the suckers so that there were only two leaf stems at the top of each plant.  That way they will put the initial effort into making roots, not trying to feed the extra leaf vegitation.  After trimming, I put them in a jar of water that had a few drops of liquid fertalizer in it.  Even being in the water, they almost immediately began to droop and wilt.  I'm told this is normal and that in a few days they will be back to where they were.  The first few days you are to keep them in a warm place, but out of direct sunlight.

They don't look to good do they.  Oh well, we'll see what happens.  The worst that can happen is that they die.  They were getting trimmed anyway, so no loss.  I have heard that tomato plants that are propogated will actually produce fruit before their parent plant.  Interesting, but I'm not going to bet on it.

They don't look very good.  We'll see what they look like in a couple of days.  Wish me luck.  If anyone has done this before and has tips, let me know.

Home Gardening Guide

Proper variety selection is an important key to successful gardening. The wrong variety may not produce satisfactory yields regardless of subsequent care and attention. Contact your local county Extension agent for varieties which are well adapted to your area of Texas. Try new varieties and hybrids, but limit plantings.

If your garden is not in an area receiving full or near-full sunlight, try leafy crops such as leaf lettuce, mustard, and parsley. Table 2 indicates vegetable crops which do well in full sunlight and those that tolerate partial shade.

Table 2. Light Requirements of Common Plants
Require Bright Sunlight
Beans Broccoli Cantaloupes Cauliflower Cucumbers	Eggplant Okra Onions Peas Peppers	Potatoes Pumpkin Squash Tomatoes Watermelons
Tolerate Partial Shade
Beets Brussels sprouts Cabbage Carrots	Collards Kale Lettuce Mustard	Parsley Radish Spinach Turnips

Garden Plan

A gardener needs a plan just as an architect does. Careful planning lessens gardening work and increases returns on labor.

Long-term crops require a long growing period. Plant them where they won't interfere with care and harvesting of short-term crops. Plant tall-growing crops where they will not shade or interfere with growth of smaller crops. Plant vegetables such as okra, staked tomatoes, pole beans, and sweet corn on the garden's north side to avoid shading lower-growing crops such as radishes, leaf lettuce, onions, and bush beans. Group crops according to the rate of maturity. Table 3 indicates the relative maturity rate of various vegetable crops. By grouping vegetables according to maturity rate, one crop can be planted to take the place of another as soon as it is removed. Try to plant crops totally unrelated to the previous crop. For example, follow early beans with beets, bush squash, or bell peppers. Crop rotation helps prevent diseases and insect buildups.

Table 3. Maturity Rate
Quick (30-60 Days)
Beets Bush Beans Leaf lettuce	Mustard Radishes Spinach	Summer squash Turnips Turnip greens
Moderate (60-80 Days)
Broccoli Cabbage, Chinese Carrots Cucumbers	Green onions Kohlrabi Lima beans, bush Okra	Parsley Peppers Tomatoes, cherry
Slow (80 Days or More)
Brussels sprouts Bulb onions Cabbage Cantaloupes	Cauliflower Eggplant Garlic Irish potatoes	Pumpkins Sweet potatoes Tomatoes Watermelon

When to Plant

Consult the table on pages 6 and 7 for information regarding recommended spring and fall planting times for home vegetable gardens in your area. Usually home gardens can be planted 10 days to 2 weeks earlier than commercial fields because of the protection offered by existing buildings, trees, and shrubs. Proper planting time is important if maximum quality and production are expected. Figures 1 and 2 (inside back cover) indicate average dates for first and last freeze (32 degrees F.) for Texas and can be used with the center table to determine optimum planting dates.

Soil Preparation

Many garden sites do not have deep, well-drained, fertile soil which is ideal for vegetable growing. Thus, soils must be altered to provide good drainage and aeration. If the soil is a heavy clay, the addition of organic matter or sand may be highly advantageous.

Apply 1 to 2 inches of good sand and 2 to 3 inches of organic matter to the garden site surface and turn under in late winter or early spring to improve the soil's physical quality. Work on the soil's physical condition over a period of time rather than trying to develop desirable soil in a season or two. Make periodic additions of organic matter in the form of composted materials, peanut hulls, rice hulls, grass clippings, or other organic matter. Turn the soil to a depth of 8 to 10 inches -- the deeper the better. Gypsum improves soil structure and drainage. Add gypsum at the rate of 6 to 8 pounds per 100 square feet where the soil is a tight, heavy clay.

When adding organic matter or sand to the garden site, take care to avoid introducing soil pests such as nematodes. The Texas Agricultural Extension Service provides a laboratory service to determine whether nematodes are present in soils. Contact your county Extension agent for additional information.

Never work wet garden soil. Soils containing a high degree of organic matter can be worked at a higher moisture content than heavy clay soils. To determine if the soil is suitable for working, squeeze together a small handful of soil. If it sticks together in a ball and does not readily crumble under slight pressure by the thumb and finger, it is too wet for working.

Seeds germinate more readily in well-prepared soil than in coarse, lumpy soil. Thorough preparation greatly reduces the work of planting and caring for the crop. It is possible, however, to overdo preparation of some soils. An ideal soil for planting is granular, not powdery fine.

Fertilization

Proper fertilization is another important key to successful vegetable gardening. The amount of fertilizer needed depends upon soil type and crops. Texas soils vary from deep blow sands to fertile, well-drained soils to heavy, dark clays underlaid by layers of caliche rock. Crops grown on sandy soils usually respond to liberal amounts of potassium, whereas crops grown on clay soils do not.

Heavy clay soils can be fertilized considerably heavier at planting than can sandy soils. Heavy clay soils and those high in organic matter can safely absorb and store fertilizer at three to four times the rate of sandy soils. Poor thin, sandy soils, which need fertilizer the most, unfortunately cannot be fed as heavily and still maintain plant safety. The solution is to feed poor thin soils more often in lighter doses. For accurate recommendations regarding fertilizer rates, contact your county Extension agent and request a soil test kit.

In general, if your garden is located on deep, sandy soil, apply a complete preplant fertilizer such as 5-10-10 or 6-12-12 at the rate of 1 to 2 pounds per 100 square feet. If your garden consists of a soil type with a high percentage of clay, a fertilizer such as 10-20-10 or 12-24-12 at 1 to 2 pounds per 100 square feet should be suitable.

After determining the proper amount of fertilizer for a preplant application, apply the fertilizer a few days before planting. Spade the garden plot, spread the fertilizer by hand or with a fertilizer distributor and then work the soil one or two times to properly mix the fertilizer with the soil. After the fertilizer is well mixed with the soil, bed the garden in preparation for planting. On alkaline soils, apply 1-20-0 (superphosphate) directly beneath the intended seed row or plant row before planting. Apply the superphosphate 2 to 4 inches beneath the seed or roots of the plant at the rate of 1 to 1-2 pounds per 100 linear feet of row. Take care to avoid banding nitrogen material directly beneath the row. Death of the seed or severe burning of the plants could result. Apply additional nitrogen as a furrow or sidedress application later in the season. For most soils, 2 to : pound of 21-0-0 (ammonium sulfate) per 100 linear feet of row, applied in the furrow and watered in, is adequate. Apply at first fruit set for crops such as tomatoes, peppers, and squash. Sidedress leafy crops such as cabbage and lettuce when they develop several sets of character leaves.

Planting

Plant your garden as early as possible in the spring and fall so the vegetables will grow and mature during ideal conditions.

Transplanting vegetable crops wherever possible allows earlier harvesting and extends the productive period of many vegetable crops. Where transplanting is not practical or convenient, seed directly. A general rule of thumb for planting is to cover the seed 2 to 3 times its widest measurement. This is especially true for big-seeded crops such as green beans, sweet corn, cucumbers, cantaloupes, and watermelons. For smaller-seeded crops such as carrots, lettuce, or onions, an average planting depth of 2 to 3 inch usually is adequate. Seed the plants fairly thick with the intention of thinning to an optimum stand at a later date. Avoid allowing the soil to over-dry or crust during germination, but do not over water. Table 4 indicates the number of days from planting to expected emergence when properly planted.

Table 4. Days from Planting to Emergence Under Good Growing Conditions
Beans	5-10 days	Onion	7-10 days
Beets	7-10 days	Peas	6-10 days
Broccoli	5-10 days	Parsley	15-21 days
Cabbage	5-10 days	Pepper	9-14 days
Carrots	12-18 days	Radish	3-6 days
Cauliflower	5-10 days	Spinach	7-12 days
Corn	5-8 days	Squash	4-6 days
Cucumber	6-10 days	Tomato	6-12 days
Eggplant	6-10 days	Turnip	4-8 days
Lettuce	6-8 days	Watermelon	6-8 days
Okra	7-10 days

Avoid transplanting too deep or too shallow, especially if plants are in containers such as peat pots. Deep planting often causes developed roots to abort, and planting too shallow exposes containers to the surface and causes root death from excessive drying. Some crops are easily transplanted bare-root while others are best transplanted in containers, as indicated in Table 5. When transplanting plants such as tomatoes or peppers, use a starter solution. Starter solutions may be purchased at local nurseries or can be made at home by mixing 3 to 2 cup of fertilizer such as 10-20-10 in 5 gallons of water. Use the lower rate on light, sandy soils. Apply 2 to 1 pint of starter solution, depending upon plant size, into each transplant hole before planting. This prevents the plants from drying out and provides adequate sources of fertility for young, growing plants.

Table 5. Ease of Transplanting
Easily Transplanted
Beets Broccoli Cabbage	Cauliflower Chard Lettuce	Onion Tomatoes
Require Care
Carrots Celery	Eggplant Okra	Pepper Spinach
Very Difficult Without Using Containers
Beans Cantaloupe Corn	Cucumber Peas Squash	Turnip Watermelon

Watering

Apply enough water to penetrate the soil to a depth of at least 6 inches. For best production, most gardens require a moisture supply equivalent to 1 inch of rain a week during the growing season. Light sandy soils generally require more frequent watering than heavier dark soils. If sprinklers are used, water in the morning to allow plant foliage to dry before night. This practice helps prevent foliage diseases, since humidity and cool temperatures encourage disease development on most vegetable crops.

The use of drip irrigation to supply water is also beneficial in this regard. Additionally, this system of irrigation is the most water-use efficient available and is ideally suited for use with mulches.

Weed Control

A long-handled hoe is the best tool for control of undesirable plants in vegetable gardens. Chemical weed control usually is undesirable and unsatisfactory because of the selective nature of weed control chemicals. The wide variety of vegetable crops normally planted in a small area prohibits use of such chemicals. Cultivate and hoe shallowly to avoid injury to vegetable roots lying near the soil surface. Control weeds in the seedling stage to prevent them from seeding and re-inoculating the garden area. The use of mulch is also an effective means of weed control.

Mulching

Mulching will increase yields, conserve moisture, prevent weed growth, regulate soil temperature, and lessen losses caused by ground rot of many vegetable crops. Organic mulches can be made of straw, leaves, grass, bark, compost, sawdust, or peat moss. Organic mulches incorporated into the soil will improve the soil tilth, aeration, and drainage. The amount of organic mulch to use depends upon the type, but 1 to 2 inches of organic material applied to the garden surface around growing plants is adequate.

In turning organic mulches under for subsequent crops, add additional fertilizer at the rate of about 1 pound per 100 square feet to help soil organisms break down the additional organic matter.

Pest Control

Diseases and insects cause great concern among Texas gardeners. Long growing seasons with relatively mild winters encourage large insect populations. Avoid spraying when possible, but use recommended and approved chemicals if the need warrants. Exercise care when deciding which chemicals to apply. Spray only those crops which are listed on the chemical's container. When used according to manufacturer's directions and label, chemicals pose no threat to the home gardener.

Disease control is really a preventive rather than an eradication procedure. Cool, damp conditions are conducive to foliage diseases. Carefully watch your garden for symptoms of diseases. Spray accordingly, using only approved fungicides. Publications on disease and insect identification and control are available from your local Extension office.

Harvesting

For the greatest enjoyment of your home vegetable garden, harvest vegetables when they are mature. A vegetable's full flavor develops only at peak maturity, resulting in the excellent taste of vine-ripened tomatoes, tender green beans, and crisp, flavorful lettuce. For maximum flavor and nutritional content, harvest the crop the day it is to be canned, frozen, or eaten.

Common Garden Problems

Symptoms	Possible Causes	Corrective Measures
Plants stunted in growth; sickly, yellow color	Lack of soil fertility or soil pH abnormal	Use fertilizer and correct pH according to soil test. Use 2 to 3 pounds of complete fertilizer per 100 square feet in absence of soil test
	Plants growing in compacted, poorly-drained soil	Modify soil with organic matter or coarse sand.
	Insect or disease damage	Use a regular spray or dust program.
	Iron deficiency	Apply iron to soil or foliage.
Plants stunted in growth; sickly, purplish color	Low temperature	Plant at proper time. Don't use light-colored mulch too early in the season.
	Low available phospate	Apply sufficient phosphate at planting.
Holes in leaves; leaves yellowish and droping, or distorted in shape	Damage by insects	Use recommended insecticides at regular intervals.
Plant leaves with spots; dead, dried areas; or powdery or rusty areas	Plant disease	Use resistant varieties, remove diseased plants when they are noticed and use a regular spray program.
Plants wilt even though sufficient water is present	Soluble salts too high or root system damage	Have soil tested by county Extension agent. Use soil insecticides, fungicides, and resistant varieties.
	Poor drainage and aeration	Use organic matter or sand in soil.
	Insect or nematode damages	Use recommended varieties and soil insecticides or nematocides.
Plants tall, spindly, and unproductive	Excessive shade	Relocate to sunny area. Keep down weeds.
	Excessive nitrogen	Reduce applications of nitrogen
Blossom drop (tomatoes)	Hot dry periods	Use mulch and water. Plant heat tolerant varieties.
	Minor element deficiencies	Use fertilizer containing zinc, iron, and manganese.
Failure to set fruit (vine crops)	Poor pollination	Avoid spraying when bees are present.
Leathery, dry, brown blemish on the blossom end of tomatoes, peppers, and watermelons	Blossom end rot	Maintain a uniform soil moisture supply. Avoid over-watering and excessive nitrogen.

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