Vegetable Gardening for the Texas Gulf Coast
Carol Brouwer, Ph.D.
With thanks to Thomas R. LeRoyMontgomery County Extension Agent – Horticulture
Texas AgriLife Extension Service
What to do Now
• Garden prep• Seed up warm season veggies
• Plant a some cool season veggies
Garden Prep
Ideal Garden Location• Receives 8 + hours of sunlight
• Soil has good internal and external drainage
• Free of competition from other large plants, buildings, etc
• Near a source of water
• Visible!
Soil Preparation
• Get a soil test• Mix:
– Top soil– Organic matter (<20%)– Sand
• pH 6.5 – 7.0(slightly acid)
Sources of Organic Material• Compost
– Woody materials, vegetable food scraps, , leaves etc.
• Aged manure• Green manure
– Cereal elbon rye– Legumes
http://cses.uark.edu/ATTRA_covercrop.pdf
Cultural Practices Reduce Pests and Diseases
• Sanitation• Weed Control• Diverse Planting• Crop Rotation• Healthy Soils• Resistant Varieties• Planting Time• Proper Watering• Soil Fertility
Mulching Materials
• Leaf mould • Pine Straw• Hay – wheat or alfalfa• Grass Clippings• Paper • Plastic • Compost is not mulch
Seed up Warm Season Plants
Timing is Everythinghttp://harris.agrilife.org/files/2011/05/VegPlantingChart.pdf
Starting Seedlings at Home• Good way to grow the varieties you want
• Begin at the right time• Use sterilized soil and containers
• For spring– Tomatoes– Peppers
• For fall– Broccoli– Brussels Sprouts– Cabbage
Keep Records
• Seeding dates• Time to germinate
• Time to reach transplant size
What to plant now.
Intercropping
• Mutually beneficial associations
• The Three Sisters• Beneficial insects• Soil desalinization• Nitrogen fixation• Nurse plants• Insect deterrent?
Intercropping• http://www.puyallup.wsu.edu/
~linda%20chalker‐scott/horticultural%20myths_files/Myths/Companion%20plants.pdf
Cool Season Vegetables
• Plant from September thru February
• Heavy feeders • Use frequent, small applications of high nitrogen fertilizers
Growing Potatoes
• Prefer moderate temperatures
• Plant certified disease free potato pieces
• Valentines Day • Plant 2 oz, egg sized pieces
Growing Potatoes
• “Robbing” can begin in May
• Harvest in June or early July when plants die
• Put them up dirty
Potato Storage
• Lymphosils• Eat those first • Store in cool dark place
• Store in single layers
Potato Varieties
• Russian Banana• Red Lasota• White Kennebeck• Red Pontiac
Crucifer (Cabbage) Family
• Cabbage• Broccoli• Cauliflower• Brussels sprouts• Turnips• Kale• Kohlrabi• Radish• Collards• Mustard
Cabbage• Uses a lot of space for a long period of time (4 sq ft)
• Plant in October or January• Produces in Jan‐April• Cold tolerant• Ornamentals are edible• Giant Alaskan cabbage grown during long summer days
Broccoli
• Produce side shoots for a long time
• Buy young vigorous plants
• ‘Gypsy’• ‘Packman’• Romanesco
Cauliflower
Cauliflower
• Only produces one head per plant
• Take a lot of space • Cover heads for pure white color
• Violet queen – purple when raw– chartreuse when cooked
Cauliflower
• Only produces one head per plant
• Take a lot of space • Cover heads for pure white color
• Violet queen – purple when raw– chartreuse when cooked
Brussel Sprouts
• 100 day crop• Plant two months before first freeze
• Or two months before last freeze
• High in vitamin a
Collards, Kale & Kohlrabi
Collards, Kale & Kohlrabi• Direct seed• Rake in and water• Thin to 6‐8 apart when plants are 6‐8” tall
• Eat what you thin out
• Kale may be sweeter when harvested after a light frost
• Kohlrabi – whole plant is edible
Turnips and Mustards
• Cold sensitive in Houston
• Plow and replant • 45 days to produce• Scatter seed on
surface lightly rake in• Thin to 4‐6” to
produce turnips • 5‐7 crops per winter
in our area
Radish / Daikon
• Good cool season crop
• Harvest in 30 days
• Plant 6‐8 seeds weekly all winter
• Pick when immature
‘French Breakfast’
Daikon
• Take 60‐70 days to mature
Lettuce
• Plant when soil cools in fall & winter
• Seed needs light to germinate
• Refrigerate before use
Peas• Plant Late September thru January
• Most varieties need support
• Light production but high quality
• English peas• Snow peas• Sugar snap peas
Parsley (Umbel) Family
• Carrot• Parsley• Fennel• Dill• Celery• Parsnip
Carrots
• Plant seed from early Oct thru Dec. Maybe late January.
• Seed need light to germinate
• Give regular light applications of nitrogen fertilizer
• Produce terpineswhen stresses
Onions• Plant seeds in early Nov
• Plant starts in January
• Low soil sulfur for sweet onions
• Fertilize frequently with small amounts of nitrogen
Onions• Grow short day onions
• 1015 Y (yellow)• Contessa (white 1015 y)
• Grano• Bermuda• Southern Belle Red• Red Creole
Goosefoot Family
• Beets – poor quality unless produced rapidly
• Swiss Chard• Spinach
– sensitive to heat
– Mulch to keep grit out in clay
Cool Season Vegetable Insects
• Cabbage loopers– BT
• Aphids – water, soaps, oils,
Know the Good Guys
Know the Good Guys
Vegetable Gardening for the Texas Gulf Coast
Carol Brouwer, Ph.D.
With thanks to Thomas R. LeRoyMontgomery County Extension Agent – Horticulture
Texas AgriLife Extension Service
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