Newbie status showing again. From what I understand, fall veggie gardening is a bigger deal in Texas than spring gardening is, and while my spring garden was not *too* bad a first attempt, it wasn't all that wonderful either. I probably messed up more than I got things right, but I've still been having fun. I hope to improve this fall.
I'd love to ride the coattails of folks that know what needs to be done and when. When does fall planting season kick off? I'm thinking August, and back-tracking some, maybe that means I should be starting some seeds? Or ordering things? (onion sets, seed potatoes)? Amending soil?
I can ask these questions on the vegetable gardening/beginner vegetable threads, of course, but since I'm wanting answers that pertain specifically to zone 8b, I thought I'd ask here first.
Thanks for any advice you have.
Lise
P.S. Small update -- my Saskatoon/serviceberry plants are looking good in their pots -- getting green leaves.
fall veggie garden
I have to wait until cooler weather to start some Crawford lettuce and plant cilantro also. If I can keep tomato plants and bean vines going through the heat, they'll produce later on. Too hot now!
I've still been having fun. I hope to improve this fall
Onions and garlics can be set out later in fall... Oct, Nov. You can probably start seeds like fall tomatoes now. There are also many cooler weather greens that you should be able to start when it cools a bit. Hard to want to do this when the thermometer says 102 ~ whew!
Podster, I wouldn't say it went well, , except in the fun department, which counts for something. But as for produce -- puny.
Lettuce and spinach were good producers in the cooler months, but pretty much everything else has not lived up to my hopes. Too much foliage, not enough fruit is the short story of this garden. I'm guessing I haven't hit on the right soil recipe.
Linda, thanks for your comments. A couple of my tomato plants just look "done" to me -- not thinking they will ever come back. But I had stuck a couple of suckers in a pot that are growing, so I'll try to keep them happy through the heat and hope that they produce for me later.
I guess I'm just frustrated -- tired of looking at a lot of green and not much else -- so I'm looking ahead to fall already.
Lise ~ maybe not only the right soil combination. I've found some plants do better than others in the heat/humidity of my area. I am sure the same is true in your area with some plants being more successful. I have learned not to trust the garden centers to stock the appropriate selection for our area. Do your research, cultivate gardeners in your area and learn from them. I was not native to TX and one of the most hardheaded things I did was try to grow those plants I was familiar with from back home. I felt like a major failure till an older friend got me pointed in a different direction.
Lisa,
Don'r feel too bad about our garden.....it may be a lack of polinators. We don't have as many bees as we used to.
This site has lots of goodies...especially the fall vegetable link with the planting dates.
http://bexar-tx.tamu.edu/HomeHort/F4Best/BexarBestindex.htm
I live just to the NW of Bexar Co. It's been especially difficult lately. High heat, water restrictions (Stage 3 coming maybe within a week...we follow S.A. water restrictions even though we're not on Edwards Aquifer water...go figure), too much drying wind, too much sun. I'm losing plants, very discouraging. I have all my potted plants in the shade and try to keep them watered. As far as onions, personally I just buy those a little bunch from the nursery in the fall and plant them. Not expensive at all. If you haven't had your soil tested yet, might be a good idea. And too much nitrogen could favor growth over production of veggies.
Serviceberry sounds good! Let us know how that does. I want to put in more fruit plants. My Mexican Plum started blooming this year and making plums. Am planting another one...very small, but someday it'll be a tree . Blackberry plants didn't have a very productive year this time...next year maybe it'll be better. Wildlife steals my peaches every year...wasn't that nice of me to plant that tree for them? I actually saw a squirrel on the tree in broad daylight this year! I want to order goji berry plants to plant this fall. I'm not giving up!
Lise I don't live in Texas but very close in SE Oklahoma if you look in the thread Squash problem in this forum ,There are 2 ladies BettyDee and Texas Tam with some replies there they are very knowledgable about Texas gardening I get lots of good info from both...Just send them each a D-mail they will help you out...