Texas Garden Plan for SPRING & SUMMER!

In this video, see how I plan out my spring and summer garden here in Central, TX zone 9a along with the specific seed list I'm using this year. Plus the low down on growing beans, tomatoes, squash and cucumbers successfully in our summer heat!
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Williamson County Planting Calendar:
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Type in (your county) Planting Calendar and reference the Texas Agrilife Extensions Website or Your Local Master Gardeners Site for a pdf download
Directory:
0:01 intro
0:25 Spring In Texas
01:27 Planting Calendar
02:07 Garden Schematic
02:37 Sun Mapping the Garden
4:21 Cottage Garden
5:47 Kitchen Garden Tour
8:49 Seasonal Transition
11:37 My Seed List
14:53 Choosing the right varieties
15:54 Deciding Garden Goals
16:42 Determinate vs Indeterminate Tomatoes
Full tomato breakdown
19:43 Green Bean Breakdown
21:14 Bitter Cucumber Tips
22:32 White Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes
22:14 How to plant sweet potatoes
23:44 Squash Woes
26:12 Luffa !
27:29 What's next?!
#texas #texasgarden #texasgardening #texasgardener #Texas #garden #gardenplan #seedstarting #gardendesign #zone9agarden #howtogarden #growfoodnotlawns #growfood #southerngarden #gardentips

[@fromthegardenchannel]

Not in Texas? Type in your zip code at this site to find a planting calendar guide for your area! www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-calendar

[@aprilbrown5436]

I also live in Central Texas I watched several of your videos. I am trying again to start growing again. I need all the help I can get

[@jayjaap25]

Thank you from S of Houston and looking to plant seeds now.

[@ouidaboyd9421]

75490

[@ouidaboyd9421]

75490

[@fromthegardenchannel]

@ouidaboyd9421 you'll need to go to the site link and type it in. I am not able to tell every commenter their planting calendar

[@elisabetk2595]

Just a note to Central Texas gardeners that the Sunshine Community Gardens Annual Spring Sale is the first Saturday of March. Hundreds of varieties of tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, herbs, etc. that you can't find anywhere else. We grow everything from seed in our own greenhouses or provide the seeds and have them grown under contract. They get feedback from several hundred Sunshine gardeners about what worked and what didn't, so there are plenty of safer bets as well as plenty of new or rare varieties. Some people just get a few plants to supplement their own seed starts, it's a great way to do a test run on new-to-you varieties. It's a lot of fun.

[@fromthegardenchannel]

Yup! I wasn't sure if it's the same exact date every year but planned to share it in my community posts per the end of this video! I go to that sale every year and love supporting the community over there!

[@sharonvik7643]

I lived next to Sunshine for about 10 years. It's a create garden!!!! 🙂

[@laurenr842]

It says Sunday march 2 on the website currently

[@CaffeineByTwilight]

Oooooh I’m definitely going to try and make it!! San Antonio isn’t that far. LOL

[@alecperez602]

Fellow Texan here! You know you’re from Texas when you put your seeds in an ammo can! 😂 Great Video!

[@MsCharlie2007]

Tell me you're gardening in central Texas without telling me you're gardening in central Texas: "I *might* grow some summer squash... early in the season... in containers..." 😂 That SVB trauma is really real.

[@fromthegardenchannel]

The squash PTSD is realllll

[@thedirtygardener]

😂

[@Bmonkeygurl]

So much. I was so sad the first time it happened. My zucchini was so huge!

[@audreys1842]

I am skipping squash this year to break up the SVB cycle and it breaks my gardening heart 😢

[@fromthegardenchannel]

@audreys1842 I did for two years and it was so worth it!

[@BiancaGarcia-b9i]

This video was super helpful! The way you put a visual on paper and in person was great and explaining how the heat hits your garden. I'm a beginner and trying to figure out where to start. I'm in East Texas, our weather looks very similar to your area. As a visual learner you helped my brain organize what I need to know. Thank you!

[@fromthegardenchannel]

@@BiancaGarcia-b9i I'm so glad it was helpful!

[@timothybrown7779]

Have a Great day my fellow Texans!

[@kellyngrey4950]

Just wanted to say how satisfying your blueprint is! Love it!

[@Mrsbrew27]

I looove your garden!! As someone living in San Antonio, your channel is amazing in very informative. Now I just need to... get a house... and I'm all set.

[@fromthegardenchannel]

@@Mrsbrew27 that's only a small hurdle! Lol I'll be doing more videos on container gardening soon and I do grow somethings inside so maybe that will be helpful down the line for you!

[@Mrsbrew27]

@@fromthegardenchannel yes please!!! Thank you!

[@kellyngrey4950]

As a fellow San Antonian, you can definitely plant in buckets! First, you can use 5 gallon paint buckets from a big box store and rig them into "self watering" containers. Second, bell pepper, tomato, and squash go bonkers just as well in buckets as the ground! What's great about doing the buckets is that you can bring them inside during the winter. I did that with bell peppers. I overwintered it inside and it bounced back beautifully in spring 2020. Lastly, with buckets, even if you can't bring it inside, they are super easy to cover (vinyl table cloth) greenhouse style for winter, when it's too rainy, etc.

[@nadinelara2939]

Another great idea is to grow your zucchini/yellow squash vertically. Attach to stake as it grows & cutting off lower leaves. This will make the SVB eggs more visible. I have even caught a SVB moth using cup of soapy water and hitting into cup while it was trying to lay eggs everywhere. Dead. Works on cucumber beetles also.

[@Bgl369]

Finally found someone I can follow in the same gardeni gardening zone! Thank you 🙏🏼 newbie here and last year was a flop for me .. hoping I do better this year 😊

[@pattyhumphries2538]

Greetings from Texas zone 8b!!

[@fromthegardenchannel]

Howdy 🤠!

[@GardenDahl]

Hello Vanessa, fellow Texan here by way of the Military. We retired in San Angelo (Tom Green County, Zone 8a) about 225 miles west of Austin. We are West Central Texas. We have been here about 18 or so years. I am going to Grow Mushroom Basket for the first time. I am super excited. Love your channel. Did you draw that layout? 🤯, Wow! My goal is to start a channel this year as there are not any KZbinrs here in West Texas. There’s farming and ranching here, but I live in town, and want to share my bliss! I have gardened for 6 years now, and have a small kitchen garden, that I like to call an edible landscape. Thank you for sharing and inspiring!

[@a.d.sharma5054]

I’m a Texas gardener (Denton County) planning my garden right now. This video has lots of useful information I can benefit from. Thank you!

[@TheBackyardHomesteadJourney]

Crazy how different Texas climates can be! We just posted a video here in the Texas Panhandle about how we got 12 inches of snow last week and we are getting another 6 inches tomorrow with -15F wind chills and 4 days straight of sub-freezing temps, even the highs are below freezing haha. March 1st is 6 weeks from tomorrow which means we will be starting many seeds in 5 weeks.

[@fromthegardenchannel]

@@TheBackyardHomesteadJourney oh yes, you guys really are the outlier when I say Texas weather haha! You get every extreme and I am not envious!

[@growyourownfood7814]

I do agree, getting your garden in early is important in Texas. They have to start producing before the summer heat sets in. I like to start my tomatoes early, knowing I may have to cover a couple of times due to frost. Our soil temperatures stays pretty warm. I look at the 10 day forecast starting in mid Feb, and if it looks good I will plant out. Peppers are better to wait until things warm up more since they can stunt if we get weather in the 40's.

[@maritzaherschmann]

One of the best videos on gardening in central texas that I have ever seen!!!

[@danielleterry2331]

Fellow Texan here I grow year round now , just planted my kale, Swiss chard, radish, green beans, green onions, already got my lettuce in, carrots, cabbage, sweet Texas onions and creole onions I over wintered and protected my onions , garlic with deep leaf protection, cabbage and carrots I tented 6 mil growers plastic , I am poor so used my tomato cages to keep plastic off my carrots and cabbage. Once my brassica, and greenbeans are done I will amend my beds and in will go my 26 tomato plants, 26 bell peppers which I grow thru the summer, I already have my sweet potato’s ready to produce my slips for 6 black mineral tubs. I have 8 above ground beds and 50 black mineral tubs sitting on free pallets for good water drainage. I depend on my garden and succession plant my cucumbers to give myself and many cucumbers thru out spring , summer, early fall, any savings beats none. Thanks for your vid grow grow grow

[@maryshaddox1172]

Wow a talking encyclopedia on the vegetable garden. I vegetable garden. Got some new info and growing tips from you today. Thank you. 😊😊😊

[@kg89808]

I love MI gardener! His trifecta plus is DA BOMB!

[@kkarma711]

I've been gardening here in Williamson County for a good while but just learned quite a bit from you. I've wondered why I've always had such a hard time getting zucchini and squash plants to grow when I've always heard how prolific people's crops were. So glad it's not me - it's the squash vine borers. I may try again using your suggestions and the netting. Crossing fingers... Thanks for your very thorough video and I look forward to the next ones.

[@thedirtygardener]

Mushroom Basket is my favorite slicing tomato. I don’t get a huge yield, but I don’t care. Even if I only get 3, it’s worth it. LOL I’ve been buying more seeds from Texas Tested Seeds thanks to your recommendation.

[@fromthegardenchannel]

Ok you've convinced me!

[@maryshaddox1172]

Im going to try Mushroom Basket this spring. It looks like a good slicing tomato. Zone 8.

[@chenewhittington]

Williamson county here! 🙌🏽 Im so glad I found your channel.

[@CaliKim29]

GREAT point about your shorter Spring and the role that that plays --very interesting (CA here)!

[@j2gd4ua]

Thank you for this! This will be my first gardening season here in Texas. I’ll be following your instructions! Thank you for being so detailed!

[@texaschick6153]

Armenian cucumber will cross pollinate with cantaloupe. They are fantastic. We found that out by mistake and now we do it on purpose.

[@fromthegardenchannel]

@@texaschick6153 ohhhh yes I'm so intrigued by what that looks and tastes like!

[@cheryalloosmore]

Great video. I'm excited to get back into gardening. I used to have a plot at Sunshine Community Garden here in Austin. They have a fantastic annual plant sale the 1st weekend in March.

[@fromthegardenchannel]

@@cheryalloosmore it's my FAVORITE plant sale! I go every year and I had to turn down a plot opening last spring because I just knew I couldn't manage it with my current garden but I'm very sad I didn't take it. I just didn't want to not manage it well 🥺

[@ebradley2306]

My garden here in SE Tx is covered in fluffy white stuff today perfect for making snowballs and insulating my winter veg. 😊

[@NicoleSmithGardening]

Jam-packed full of goodness! Great video! Love seeing your garden plan, seed choices and great tips 🌱❤️

[@fromthegardenchannel]

@@NicoleSmithGardening thank you!

[@miguelofthehillcount]

You were mentioned in the HCWG Weekly Newsletter yesterday. Congrats! Here's to an early Spring!!!

[@fromthegardenchannel]

@@miguelofthehillcount oh really? That's cool!

[@belindalevek313]

Thanks!

[@lcgcamrrms9]

I'm in the golden triangle and the only thing I've had any luck with is okra. My cukes do well till the heat really hits and I'm lucky if I can get a couple of good tomatoes. My celery did well over the winter. That's about it. Everything else has been difficult

[@fromthegardenchannel]

@@lcgcamrrms9 when is your last frost date? Hopefully some of the actual heat tolerant swap outs I mentioned in this video can be helpful for you! Armenian cucumbers, long beans, black eyed peas, sweet potatoes all thrive just like okra in the heat

[@lcgcamrrms9]

@fromthegardenchannel our last frost date is Feb 27th. I'm going to try some of your suggestions. I have limited space, so I have to be strategic in my choices :)

[@bizzybits1918]

Love this video! I have a similar situation in my San Marcos garden - oriented NE/SW, with shady areas that vary from season to season. (Tree and small building). It was very helpful to see your layout and explanation about managing changing light/heat levels, planting times and rotation, as well as recommendations for varieties for this area. I’m trying Yukon golds for the first time this year, followed by sweet potatoes, which I hope are more productive this year. Nothing but skinny roots last year, perhaps their spot was too shady. Last year success with Swiss chard, tomatoes, cilantro, summer squash, basils, parsley, okra and cantaloupe. No luck with eggplant. Getting an earlier start this year, yay!

[@TRexologist]

Great video jam packed with such useful information!

[@cindyannefontenot]

Hey Texas Gardener! I’m in a suburb of East Houston…my peppers did way better in my raised bed than the one I had in a pot…I uprooted it and put it in my garage bc we just got snow for 2-days…I hope it makes it!

[@traumaradi0]

Hi from Seguin!

[@elisabetk2595]

The super big, curly, and weird-looking Zucchino rampicante is my winner. I just let it sprawl over the mulch so it provides shade to the ground without competing for soil and water with the plants it's growing through. You do have to watch for it's aggressive tendrils, because it wants to fight it' way to the top. Basically a seedless zucchini when young, and a butternut with only the good parts if you let it mature, and it keeps well if you can find the space. The SVB seems to leave it alone, and even when I give up in late summer it just sprawls over the neglected parts of the garden and keeps producing on its own. It's also one of the tastiest squash I've grown.

[@fromthegardenchannel]

@@elisabetk2595 totally forgot about rampicante! I grew a ton last year! 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@kkarma711]

Ohhhh now I really wanna try growing this one, especially if you've had success with it in Texas?

[@gardengirl66]

I agree! Rampicante just kept producing for me here in Boerne! That poor vine got attacks by everything and just shrugged. I picked fruit till October.

[@JennaCraigsChannel]

Vanessa this is incredible! You’ve done an amazing job! Your video was so well-made and entertaining. 🎉

[@9Gin9]

Fantastic video. I live in same area and your garden is impressive.

[@ndrunningriver]

I have SVB ptsd… but I will forever keep trying. I had luck with spaghetti squash last year starting early inside, as well.

[@fromthegardenchannel]

@@ndrunningriver I had great success with tromboncino as well but forgot to mention it. It's in the c moschata family but I totally understand the PTSD

[@bizzybits1918]

@@fromthegardenchannelGood reminder, thanks! Summer squash is my favorite vegetable or I wouldn’t go to so much trouble. I inject the stems with BT every week or so and keep a close watch in case I have to dig out some worms. Have never seen the stupid moth, and have never seen eggs, but they must be there. I read that planting daikon radish next to squash when you sow it is effective so will experiment with that. Using netting and hand pollinating everything may not be in my skill set.

[@gperk929]

I'm in 9a and that is exactly my summer plans black eyed peas and okra are the stars of that TX and LA wet heat 🥵

[@fromthegardenchannel]

Yup, they are what help me feel like I'm not a bad gardener once the dog days of summer really set in lol

[@thedirtygardener]

This is the year I will master Okra. I can grow it but I just don’t know what to do with it once I have it. I let it go to seed and pick the pods to play with like maracas. 🪇💃🏻

[@fromthegardenchannel]

@thedirtygardener I toss mine in salt and pepper and air fry! It's delicious and way less slimy that way. But I also let it sit in water in the fridge and drink that water to help soothe my bladder

[@fmfdocbotl4358]

​@@thedirtygardeneri usually eat them as i pick them lol. Last year filled about 2 gallon ziploc bags and just made gumbo with 1 bag

[@leimckethan8083]

Okra is great to use for refrigerator pickles. I like to pickle them with garlic, radish, and spicy peppers

[@robertbird3086]

Just found your site . I also live in zone 9 here in Cameron Tx(Central Tx). I am hoping to revamp and restart my garden. So I am very happy with all your great advice and Information. Coming from California , its taking Hubby and I time to Climatize to Tx. Plus we are in our 70s and sometimes move a bit slow, but hoping we can accomplish our dream soo, that is growing some of our food , and fruits. Ninette Bird- The Caribbean Wife- Tx

[@righteousviking]

I'm smack dab in the middle of the Triangle, this channel is perfect for us!

[@sandraescamilla1849]

I did not know that is why heat affected the pollination or the fruit production of tomatoes!! Thanks for teaching me something new!

[@abbylandry212]

Just a little east of you and this has been SO helpful! Had an awful time with leaf footed bugs destroying my loofahs and tomatoes come June/July last year, but hoping we can avoid them totally taking over this year. They’re a pain to get rid of once they go crazy!

[@patschaerdel2342]

Thank you so much. As a new gardener, I am learning so much from you.

[@fromthegardenchannel]

I tried to tailor this video specifically to break down more important things from a beginners perspective so I'm glad it was helpful!

[@j.l.emerson592]

Fellow Texan here. I'm southwest of your location. My first priority has to be fencing. Otherwise, it's useless to garden due to the high population of deer. (Low population rural subdivision) My neighbors feed the deer to the point that they are lazy & dependent upon the daily feedings. After the deer, feral cats & stray dogs are a huge problem. They are pretty destructive. After that, the sun is the next big problem. I've been slowly buying t-posts, cattle panels, wire fencing, vinyl fencing & shade cloth. I'm hoping to be able to fence off a 32' x 48' space for my garden. (100% full sun until after 12 noon) I've been researching plants that are deer resistant. Some highly aromatic plants tend repell deer & other furry pests. (Marigolds, sage, mint, rosemary, etc.) However, I have seen deer eat native sage down to the ground in bad years. I haven't had problems with raccoons & squirrels yet because there's nothing for them to eat right now. The jack rabbits & cotton tail bunnies will probably also become a problem. I'm sure that they'll all show up for a buffet once I get a garden planted. Fortunately, the way my house is situated, the backyard is located on the east side of the house. Most of the garden will get the cooler morning sun & be shaded by the house in the afternoon. I'm still working out a layout before I set the fence posts. Wish me luck.

[@bizzybits1918]

Isn’t it great to find this central Tx channel!? I’m in the same situation close to San Marcos- sort of rural, heavy deer pressure. Started a raised bed garden about three years ago. It is 18ft x 30ft and plenty big enough to start with. I have 6’ to 7’ fence around it, which is not really high enough to keep deer out, but my 16” raised planters against the fence, and narrow paths between them prevent the deer from having a landing place so that seems to work. So far. Raccoons are a different issue. Another fence solution, if 8ft fencing is too difficult, is to have two parallel fences at least 4ft high (I would do 5) with a 3ft path in between. Again, the deer think there is no place to land. If you have chickens, that can be a chicken run. Electric fence is another option but I haven’t done that. Deer netting (is that your vinyl fencing?) is inexpensive but not permanent. Start a little smaller, figure out what works for you. In a drought, deer will eat ANYTHING, including garlic chives, Mexican oregano, zinnias, basil and many things that are usually deer resistant. (Although you could be right about marigolds, sage, mint and rosemary, in addition to lemongrass, iris, mountain laurel, sweet almond verbena and lantana.). In my area there is not much growing besides trees and Bermuda grass so when they find my place they think they’ve discovered the all-day buffet! 😮😊 I know this reply is already too long but I did see one other fenced garden that was pretty brilliant - a large dog pen with a fence “roof”. Not that tall but the fencing on top kept everything out, including raccoons, squirrels, probably most birds as well as deer. Final note, forget deer repellent sprays. You will miss spraying one. Single. Time. And they will eat it all to the ground. Hope this is helpful and doesn’t sound too preachy. Love this channel!

[@j.l.emerson592]

@bizzybits1918 I agree with everything you posted. I've researched every one of the solutions that you offered & to be honest, they seem to be a really great possibility. The only downsides are the expense & the amount of labor required to install such a fence system. Also, that doesn't address how to keep the smaller pests from digging under the fencing. (Rabbits, hares, cats & dogs) Raccoons & squirrels can simply climb the fencing with ease... Sometimes, it seems like there is no solution at all. You left out one of the strategies to keep birds away... Mylar 'scare' tape/ribbon... And maybe an old school approach, namely hanging up old CDs & DVDs like wind chimes... One last strategy would be to plant a feed lot far away from the garden. It would be like having a trap crop. Maybe... My land is all native grass, cedars/junipers, false willow, sage, prickly pear cactus & live oak. It's nice to know that I'm not the only aspiring gardener who has the same challenges. Misery does love company.

[@bizzybits1918]

@ I don’t have diggers like rabbits, but I’ve seen a solution that involves hardware cloth installed up to 18" vertically and then slightly buried horizontally a foot or so outside the fence. I have nothing to offer about preventing bird damage, but think that involves netting. Raccoons do climb. I have some loosely draped bird netting on my fence, which gets them tangled up so that may be a pretty good deterrent. However, it sounds like you need an electric fence. Or a dog. Those motion activated sprinklers seem to be effective against deer. Perhaps deer netting on the top for the bird problem. I have 4 bird feeders so my birds and squirrels are so spoiled they don’t bother the garden. I really wish I could "harvest" some deer, but only have 2 acres so it’s illegal to shoot here. I may try to figure out a way around that, but even so, it wouldn’t make much of a dent in the herd. Best of luck to you. You will have to spend some $$. San Marcos, Tx here.

[@thedirtygardener]

I’m down in Houston and I can recommend Euphorbia for that afternoon heat. It loves heat and humidity and laughs in the face of afternoon sun. I’ve grown it successfully in containers, raised beds, and in ground without any issues. If anyone has a tough spot like that, give Euphorbia a try.

[@hopsthebunny5236]

Love your video. Keep sharing your amazing garden knowledge.

[@jennycaesar4758]

Such a good, detailed video! Thank you Vanessa!!!

[@2Mushy]

Love the seed organizing!

[@CharlieSimpson-u9w]

Thanks for this video Vanessa. It’s very helpful! I’ve started my planning as well.

[@sherrieblake8674]

So happy to find Texas gardener videos. I’m in Coleman county.

[@amandaowen5617]

Brown county here, hey neighbor 😆

[@sherrieblake8674]

@ 😊

[@GuillermoSanchez29]

Wow, I’m in the area between Round Rock and Hutto and this is an amazing plan. Thank you for sharing.

[@therusticranchgarden]

Great video. My spring is very brief. I’m further west. But still looking forward to it. My summer is very harsh. I love central Texas. My son lives in Austin, so I will get him started soon.

[@vickiwestlund7777]

You are the best! I’m not in your zone- actually in eastern Washington- we have hot dry summers- your tips are so helpful!

[@fromthegardenchannel]

@@vickiwestlund7777 I'm glad to hear some of this is applicable elsewhere! Even though we have a long season it's really a few short seasons shoved together lol

[@Pickles6115]

I use a photograph containers in clear plastic. I found them when Tuesday Morning was still around. Keep all summer seeds in one and all winter in another. But my hubby found another for my flowers, medicinal and herbs seeds. This year he buying me a greenhouse for momma's day last year he bought me vego garden beds. I also live in Texas in the San Antonio area. Been drawing up plans for how my garden will look like....I can't wait to get dirt thru my fingers. Happy gardening my garden peeps.

[@fromthegardenchannel]

@@Pickles6115 they do sell those organizers regularly at Michaels and hobby lobby in case you ever need more! I don't use them anymore because my seeds have to lay on their sides and I'm so bad about closing them properly but I'm a mess lol I think they're a fabulous option otherwise!

[@vannahrunswiththesun]

I'm also in Williamson county! yay, new subscriber here

[@fromthegardenchannel]

Howdy neighbor 🤠

[@vannahrunswiththesun]

@ howdy!!!

[@PrettyAliceNight]

I love your seed containers! Seems like a great way!

[@fromthegardenchannel]

I've tried so many different options from photos sleeves in a binder to the plastic photo organizers from craft stores and this one just works for me!

[@texasdarkskies]

The ammo can storage is the most Texas thing and I love it. I’m also in Williamson County and I’m in zone 8b 🤔

[@fromthegardenchannel]

Howdy 🤠 neighbor! Also yes my boyfriend thinks it's hilarious that I use ammo cans but it's great because in TX you can always find them at local stores hehe

[@texasdarkskies]

@@fromthegardenchannelI like how you do your paper plan! I’ve been using a planting app just because I’m an IT nerd. I also have a huge book of seeds if you ever wanna do a seed swap!

[@fmfdocbotl4358]

​@@fromthegardenchannelAs a Vet i have a lot...like a lot of ammo cans that i "acquired" while i was in. I use them for everything, my wife gives me the side eye because of it lol

[@reynenix298]

Love your videos so much info!!!!central Texas too here Burleson county.

[@sandragolightly5844]

I used blue Hubbard squash as a trap crop for svb. Never got squash but the leaves (before the svb git it) were beautiful running up after trellis. It was on one side of the yard in a container. My yellow squash were on the opposite side but they struggled with other problems. Will try it all again this spring

[@fromthegardenchannel]

@@sandragolightly5844 yes my garden space is just too small to trap any SVB far enough away from other squash but I promise you the c moschata varieties thrive because they have a woody stem once established and they are VIGOROUS growers!

[@beckymartinez9926]

Do you worry about snakes when your melons vine on the ground? 😬 Tomatillos are effortless and can take more cold and more heat than a tomato. ( I’m about 5 county’s directly north of you. 8a) Plant at least 2 tomatillo plants. They will reseed themselves unless you pick up all the little ones. I love Jerra’s Garden. The super productive green beans are my favorite.

[@fromthegardenchannel]

I'm in such a suburban hellscape there are no snakes lol otherwise it would be a concern I feel. Thanks for the tips on the tomatillo I'm looking forward to trying them !

[@WilliamGibbs-u1g]

Retired Virginian now in Taylor, TX 3yrs, succeeding a little more each year with my garden. So glad to find your channel. Your yard mirrors mine so I've already learned a lot from you. I'm trying IBC wicking raised beds with sq ft and Mel's mix (which didn't do great with my tomatoes) Curious what your soil consists of. Thanks and can't wait to see your next video!

[@serenitygonzalez4926]

Holy crap I live in Williamson County in Georgetown! This is perfect now I have an idea of what to plant in my backyard too

[@TheHaddonfieldRegistry]

Love the garden

[@Bmonkeygurl]

Tomatoes, parsley, thai basil, Italian basil, rosiele and peppers are the happiest plants in my NE/NCentral Austin garden. I need to expand that. I also need to plan for summer heat and my winter garden better...both are fairly fallow seasons.

[@LisaPTX]

That is impressive. How much time are you able to dedicate to garden/harvest weekly? Time for me is always an issue as I work 2 jobs but this plan is impressive. Thanks for the feedback. I am in Deep East Texas so similar weather. Zone 8B

[@fromthegardenchannel]

I've got three teenagers and have a job outside of this so I would say I spend maybe 30 min to an hour every few days in the garden but I have a good amount of systems in place to allow that. Then when it's a transitional season I'll spend a day or Sunday getting everything set for a changeover. During seed starting season I'm working on seeds about 30 minutes every night just monitoring, labeling, starting more varieties for about a week or so.

[@LisaPTX]

@@fromthegardenchannel Thank you. Maybe, with a good plan, I can achieve good results as well. Happy gardening!

[@Rubio_Eric]

My struggles here is the heat burning all my tomatoes and the bugs killing my squash. I'm going to try some shade cloth this year and staking up my squash plants and see how that goes

[@TXDHC]

New sub in East TX and I just watched your sweet pot vid. I’ve had 0 success growing them. I grow amazing vines (too much nitrogen) but little to no tubers. SO, I will give your crappy soil location a try this yr. We have sugar sand for soil and they supposedly love sandy soil so instead of my lush raised beds I’ll toss some soil on the ground like you did and see how it goes. BTW, dry molasses from the feed store kills fire ants reallllly well. 👍🏽 Also, a cover crop of sorghum grass will kill the root nematodes for the next season either that or rotate them. I will definitely try the July planting as well. Thank you!

[@fromthegardenchannel]

I've switched to using beneficial Nematodes for a lot of things because I just spray once a year and they take care of my grubs in my lawn and pots which helps with digging animals a bit as well but the massive upside you them is they nuked 90% of my fire ants!

[@mandybest686]

I might have to use your planting outline. I’m new at gardening and don’t have a clue as to what and how to set up garden beds

[@fromthegardenchannel]

If youre new to gardening I always suggest starting with only 4-5 veggies the first season. Getting green beans seeds, radish seeds and maybe basil seeds and direct sowing those after your last frost date. Then purchasing tomato and pepper plants from a local store and planting those after your last frost. If you don't like to eat any of the veggies I've listed don't plant them! You can also direct sow melons and cucumbers after your last frost as well! Check out square foot gardening for more detailed guidelines on plant spacing!

[@thesweetestthing4]

This is so helpful!! I feel like I’m missing when to direct seed certain things-like okra, the seed packet I have says one to two weeks after our last frost to plant but that feels early to start it around early April when it should be growing in June? Not sure if that makes sense!

[@fromthegardenchannel]

Yes, you are correct! They will germinate but they will just sit there until it warms up. Early May is best for direct sowing in my opinion as to not waste time just sitting there taking up space and water resources

[@gperk929]

Tomatillo did well for me here

[@fromthegardenchannel]

I figure they do well, I've just seen how crazy they grow and haven't been sure if I've wanted to mess with that but if I never grow I'll never know 😅

[@gperk929]

@@fromthegardenchannel ikr!

[@mkasmile4u]

Wichita, zone 6b here. the purple gmo tomatoes were a complete dud. They are not heat tolerant at all. blossoms fell off while my heirloom Baxter's bush cherry plants had TONS of tomatoes. The purple gmo plants began to set fruit in October and they didn't taste well.

[@fromthegardenchannel]

@@mkasmile4u thanks for the update on your experience with them. I haven't heard anything amazing about their performance and flavor so I think I'll stick with other varieties. I don't think it's the last of this type of breeding of tomatoes we will see though

[@jennypickering4889]

Thank you so much for making your videos - especially this one. Even after 16 years I still catch myself trying to grow in SE Texas on a Kentucky timeline. Seeing visually how you're planning things out really helps me plan. My son's only request for the garden this year is a watermelon, which I haven't had success with yet. I'm going to check out the Crimson Sweet you mentioned. Do you start it indoors a few weeks before first frost like you do the seminole pumpkin? Thank you!

[@fromthegardenchannel]

I've found that watermelon does best direct sowed because it really doesn't like colder soil temps. But I do soak the seed overnight in water to kickstart germination! Then I direct sow without mulch so that the sun can warm the soil if it's still in the 'spring' timeframe. If it's already pretty hot outside I mulch to keep moisture in the soil!

[@veryberry39]

Do you find the Garden-in-Minutes to be better than a custom setup? I was comparing that to just buying drip lines, and still can't decide what I want to do (I'm going to be too late getting set set up for Texas spring, but I'll deal with it, lol). We're just going to be building a 6x6 raised bed, and it looks like GiM doesnt do that size...but also 4x4 is about all I could afford. I guess I'm just having issues deciding if that foot of unwatered ground would matter, in exchange for ease of setup! (Thank you for this video, by the way!)

[@fromthegardenchannel]

@@veryberry39 I do prefer for the Garden in Minutes set up for my raised beds after having done diy drip for a couple seasons. That being said you're right, they don't always have the custom option for every bed shape. Now, i have used a grid that was too small and I just turned the tube on the outer edges to face outwards and I got an extra 6"-8" of watering along the perimeter of the grid that way. But it won't cover the extra 2' on a 6x6' bed. I have had success using drip tape at another garden that was much larger and that is very straight forward to install as well and is customizable! If you aren't familiar with drip tape it is a roll of harder plastic flat moldable tubing emitters either 4" or 6" apart that are self healing when they shut off. The water pressure in the tube pushing them to open and they drip at whichever rate you choose. Just another option. But also soaker hoses can work for a season or two!

[@veryberry39]

​@@fromthegardenchannel After I'd found out about GiM from you, I went looking and was about to pull the trigger. Then I started asking the guys at Drip Depot for help. And now I'm completely indecisive. 🤣 That's kind of my baseline, though! The costs seemed about the same, but I do really like the idea of not having to do much work putting things together!

[@cassiescottage]

Hello! May I ask what you're doing for your garden with the impending snow/sleet and generally the super cold weather? Maybe you're working on a video for that :)

[@fromthegardenchannel]

I talk about this in detail in my 'what to plant in December in tx' video!

[@silpavudathu7013]

very nice info thank u ❤ nee help how to deal with grubs in raised beds ?

[@fromthegardenchannel]

Spray beneficial Nematodes by nature's good guys. Completely organic beneficial insect that targets grubs!

[@silpavudathu7013]

@ thank u very much for reply 👍

[@gperk929]

Love Jerra ❤

[@fromthegardenchannel]

She's such a wealth of information and her seed options are perfect for our area!

[@solley5160]

I moved to Tx a couple of years ago and this is my second full gardening year. My favorite garden vegetable is tomatoes so I planted about 12 varieties of heirloom last year ( 7 were ruled out and I won’t try again) and am planting about 25 this year in the hopes that I find a good one that can stand this heat! I have found though that the suyo long cucumber did a good job last year producing in the hottest part of the summer. Also I found that bell peppers aren’t that great down here, many of mine got sunscald. Other than shade cloth do you have any recommendations to help out with the sunscald problem?

[@fromthegardenchannel]

To help with sunscald, avoid pruning as much (depending on your current pruning practices). Letting the leaves be a protectant can be really helpful. I talk about suyo long at the end of this video! It's awesome. I find China jades skin to be thinner and more palatable by comparison within the Asian cucumber category. The only bell pepper I grow is the yellow monster bell. It gets huge even in our heat and the giant Marconi does well for a larger sweet pepper

[@growyourownfood7814]

Sweet Banana peppers do well in the hotter part of the summer. They produce well in Texas. Cherry tomatoes produce longer into the summer than beefsteak type tomatoes.

[@solley5160]

@@fromthegardenchannel thanks for letting me know!! I’ll give those s as try.

[@res10able]

Sounds like you’re my neighbor! Subscribed 😊🌱

[@marciar8909]

Thank you for giving me some ideas how to get started planning. I have a gentle slope along the fence line. Do you think it will be okay to plant in raised beds on the slight slant? I m in my 60s and have limited strength/energy to dig in the hard clay soil.

[@jenalynhancock3874]

Great info. May the odds be in our favor 😂 when is it that you sow sugar snap peas I was a bit confused on that.

[@fromthegardenchannel]

@@jenalynhancock3874 sorry about that. I sow them pretty much now and they come up in the next few weeks!

[@tiffanyvann5528]

What do you use as a weed barrier in your raised beds? I'm in the same zone and about an hour and a half away from you. No matter what I have used I get weeds and what they call nut grass around here. I've used cardboard and weed cloth. No luck keeping the weeds out.

[@fromthegardenchannel]

I use cardboard and then in the deeper beds I add a layer of mushroom blocks which I show in my mushroom video posted recently. But I'm always hand pulling grass. I just take the time every few days to hand pull and I gmtry to keep my beds densely planted with veggies to act as a living mulch. Some beds are worse than others!

[@CheezNrice4u]

I’m in Leander, Travis county. I want to start my asparagus seeds, but not sure of when to sow them?? 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@dorokaiyinvil5705]

You can start seeds indoors in January or February, and then plant them outdoors after the last frost

[@fromthegardenchannel]

@@CheezNrice4u yes the comment already given is correct! They are very delicate when you first start them so even though once established they can handle really hard frosts it's best to let them get big enough to fill a 4" pot well and then wait until hard frosts threat have passed.

[@fmfdocbotl4358]

if you're going to plant them in the ground, make sure you want to keep it there. i planted asparagus as a new garden guy and 6 yrs later its a star but i wish i planted it in another part of my yard.

[@fromthegardenchannel]

@fmfdocbotl4358 yes 100% it's the perennial that doesn't go away and takes up a good amount of space throughout the active growing season

[@CharlieSimpson-u9w]

Is chicken poop good for garden beds?

[@fromthegardenchannel]

It's very good as long as it's allowed to cure and cool down for a few months!

[@CharlieSimpson-u9w]

@ thank you!

[@CharlieSimpson-u9w]

@@fromthegardenchannel thank you for pointing this out! I was going to just throw it on my beds!

[@JessacaRedd]

In Tyler Texas , zone 8b.

[@Ginniccole]

Hi thx for sharing your seed selections!! Are those Hungarian wax peppers 🌶️ hot?

[@fromthegardenchannel]

We don't think they are. It's definitely not a jalapeno hot, just a peppery kind of pop to them like a strong pepper flavor!

[@lynetteclauser3551]

Glad to have found someone on KZbin gardening in Texas. All the seed companies seem to be in the northeast and ship according to their frost dates. Which is often too late here I. Texas. I’m in Central East Texas, we’re a little cooler and definitely more rainy except for June, July & August. Where did you find seeds tested for Texas? And Jira’s garden is that overseas or am I spelling it wrong?

[@growyourownfood7814]

There is a few seed companies in the south. Southern Exposure Seed Exchange and Hoss Tools is located in Virginia and Georgia. Willhite Seed Company is located in North Central Texas, Victory Seed in located by Dallas, and Marys Heirloom Seeds in South Texas. I agree, best to buy seeds from people that specialize in the area you are going in.

[@TXDHC]

Victory Seeds is located in the DFW area. I’ve had great success with their seeds.

[@madisontaylor8368]

Love the Yard long but we had an issue with them getting infested with aphids and some sort of beetle. Having trouble keeping the red ants away to. Zone 9A.

[@mollyh.7694]

Fyi, Victoria County Tx does not have the planting guide. Hope this saves my local friends the phone call and headache of looking.

[@fromthegardenchannel]

Thank you for letting me know! I haven't been able to check every county but the nearest county to you would be a good baseline and then knowing your first and last frost dates would be best regardless!

[@dominaevillae28]

I cannot find a planting calendar for my Texas county at those sites😕

[@fromthegardenchannel]

@@dominaevillae28 what area are you in? It's still good to find the closest county to you!

[@andrearamos6306]

Just planted my first fall garden. Nothing grew except kale 😅

[@gardengirl66]

Where did you get your Culantro?!?

[@fromthegardenchannel]

From a random Etsy seller two yrs ago and I save my own seed now. Let me go and see if I can find my order history!

[@gardengirl66]

@@fromthegardenchannel Vanessa you rock! I’m just south of you in Boerne

[@ggonzalez435]

Info for the greenhouse please

[@keriwalker3861]

❓❓❓. Where can I go for eastern North Carolina???

[@fromthegardenchannel]

You can go to this site and type in your zip code for a planting calendar! www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-calendar

[@Isabelle-dd3vc]

Please do an edible garden video for those of us who have pretty much no shade in this area. I only have a fence...

[@fromthegardenchannel]

@@Isabelle-dd3vc 3/4 of my garden gets zero shade and is edible. Which is why I put up shade cloth in the summer months. This entire video is relevant for you

[@Isabelle-dd3vc]

@fromthegardenchannel I'm trying to avoid shade cloth... my current garden bed is right in front of a window that would be blocked if I use a shade cloth and I don't know how to use one but I'll look up some videos

[@l0tus4life]

👍👍👍

[@dulceliizbeth]

Are you in Houston?

[@Sonsie66]

I would pay you to come help me do that. I simply don’t have the gumption.

[@franzzypants]

So happy to find this channel. I’m in north Texas so we have a slightly cooler spring and summer can either be really dry (drought) or super muggy. Looking forward to trying my hand at the garden again. Did my first in 23 and then last year I was pregnant. Thank you for going over every variety that you do and why.

[@UmaIyer-x1v]

Glad to have found a fellow gardener in ATX area.I am in north Austin as well. Is it possible to visit your garden?

[@fromthegardenchannel]

Howdy! 🤠. At this time my garden is not open to the public because it's my private residence and I have kiddos. But I have another garden that I host classes at!