Lauren Martin

Hello laid-back gardeners, I know we have completed a week of straight 100+ degree weather and most likely another week of the same. As crazy as it may sound, given the heat, it is time to think about our fall gardens. September is usually a great time to start planting some cool weather vegetables and herbs. Dream on, but between now and then, build or prepare your beds. Fall is a great time to garden in this part of Texas. Cooler weather, less insects and a long growing period since we don’t suffer long periods of extreme cold weather. I will just lay out a simple routine that needs to be done in any growing season. A hearty harvest of homegrown vegetables only comes from consistent care. This is my routine:

Watering – Consistency is the name of the game. Watering is by far the most important task to keep up with. In the case of tomatoes, inconsistent watering can cause blossom end rot, skin splitting, etc. With lettuce or spinach plants it can result in bolting (early flowering) and bitter flavor. In any season it’s best to harvest in the morning before the day’s heat begins.

Weeding — I like to do this right after watering; the soil is loosened up. But this can be kept at a minimum by a good layer of mulch which will also keep watering to a minimum. Mulching helps to retain moisture and suppresses weed growth. It’s easier to pull them when they are young. But, whichever you choose, do not let the weeds go to seed or you could be pulling their offspring for a long time.

Fertilize – This is an interesting topic. If you garden organically, which is all about building up the soil through composting consistently, one will not need to use fertilizers at all (organic or chemical). But, if starting out or rebuilding the soil of a neglect bed, have a soil test done. Your local County Extension Office offers these bags complimentary. A test tells you if your soil is deficient in any of the major nutrients. Granular or liquid, organic or chemical fertilizers are fine. Just read the directions on your preferred choice to know how much to apply and how often. Too much of a good thing can also be detrimental.

Thinning – this is mostly applicable to those who garden by seeds and not transplants. Over -crowded plants compete for sun, water, nutrients and don’t develop well. I have found this to be particularly of carrots, beets and leaf lettuce. You can buy seed tape on some varieties that already have the seeds properly spaced if you don’t want to thin the plants yourself.

Monitoring — You are probably doing this already if you are following the first four suggestions. But I think it’s worth mentioning because spotting issues before they get out of control can save you a lot of time, frustration and, possibly, money. Wondering your garden and learning about the insects that visit. Most are beneficial or neutral and will need no recourse from you. I like to do it and the end of the day; my decompress time from the day’s work.

Have fun dreaming of cooler weather and the joys of cool-weather gardening. I can always be reached at [email protected]

Log In

Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,racist or sexually-oriented language.PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.Don't Threaten. Threats of harming anotherperson will not be tolerated.Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyoneor anything.Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ismthat is degrading to another person.Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link oneach comment to let us know of abusive posts.Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitnessaccounts, the history behind an article.