2016: Lost Gardening Year

In January 2016 I bought a new home in the city limits of Houston on a HALF ACRE of land--amazing. I had big plans (and I still do) but 2016 had some plans of its own. Shortly after getting fully moved in, my area of Houston flooded and the house I had just moved into had to be repaired throughout--4 months of ripping out & replacing drywall, flooring and cabinets. During that time I was back to apartment living and there was no easy opportunity to garden. It was sad: a whole year where I barely got any dirt time.

I did manage to plant pomegranate and lime trees on my half-acre. And in the fall when I moved back in I was able to start building vegetable beds. Here's the progression of the bed building, which is now back in full swing. Hopefully this blog will be back in full swing soon, too. Even if I no longer have bees, I have land and the pollinators will come for the food...

First July Garden in Houston: Questions & Photos

Here are some photos of what's going on in the yard in the middle of this Houston heat. It will come as no surprise that the heat-lovers (sweet potatoes, okra, fig, citrus) continue to flourish while some of the other plants (pumpkins, artichokes, potatoes) aren't 100% loving it.

 

I have two small pumpkins about 4 lbs. each and the vines have died back, just like they did in the fall when it got too cold in Montana. However, here it is the 100 degree days that killed them. I am surprised I got pumpkins at all--in July? They were compost volunteers and I let them grow, so I cannot complain. I also, very oddly, have a few strawberries coming despite the fact that the plants already produced in the spring?

Some of my plants (not pictured) look bleached out by the heat and sun. I know they have enough water and are heavily mulched, but I think I need to cover them with some shade cloth as well.

TOMATOES

  

I also think the heat may be too much for the tomatoes. They are alive and most of them look happy, but there are fewer fruits developing now that it has gotten hotter. Since tomatoes need night temperatures below 75 to produce, I'm guessing I may see a slowdown for a while. I have only had one tomato stolen by the birds--a grackle I assume. Here are some of the Houston-specific tomato information websites I've found: 

Buchanan's Native Plants Tomato Guide - mainly variety recommendations for Houston
Growing Tomatoes in Houston by Donald Ray Burger
Houston Chronicle "Tomato Time" - basic tips for growing tomatoes in Houston

Heat Lovers

It is the middle of June, so the temperatures are in the 90s every day in Houston. Luckily, most of the things I have growing out there are heat lovers. I still water things more often than I thought I would before moving here but I'm used to watering so that isn't a bad thing--there isn't a drought here so I feel ok irrigating with my soakers and in the mornings.

My key lime has many tiny fruits, with the largest being about the size of a quarter (see photo #1 below). Also below: a Violet Jasper tomato on the vine, sweet potatoes, and multiple figs on one branch of my little potted fig tree. Figs do very well here: I have over a dozen on the one tree! Buchanan's Native Plants (a local nursery) has some good tips for growing figs. I picked up one of their handouts, but they also have good info here.

 

Texas Insects ID

The garden is growing up a storm in Houston, and does not seem to be worse for wear after our big flood. My pumpkin has taken over the secret garden (my walled garden area), as you can see in the photo below where the cat is disappearing beneath the leaves. I have numerous tomatoes (all green) and my fig tree has almost a dozen figs. Each is about the size of a quarter. Sweet potatoes, peppers, and most of the other plants look healthy.

I say most because some, including half of the regular potatoes, have been eaten by the snails. I find the tiny snails on the leaves, so I am pretty sure that's what did them in. I may be able to salvage some baby potatoes from the 2 plants, and I am looking into how to prevent the same damage on the two plants I have in a separate bed.

I've noticed a few moth larvae (possibly Diamondback moths) but they are easy enough to pick off and they don't return quickly. I also have the tiny orange-red insects (see photo) all over my pumpkin plant. They don't seem to do any harm (yet) but they gather on the small fruits.

I need a better book on insect identification for the Houston area. In the meantime I've been checking A&M's website on entomology.

Squash Flowers!

I'm no used to having squash flowers this early. The male flowers started a few weeks ago in mid-April, and now the female flowers are here, too. These were volunteers from the compost--I'm pretty sure they are Australian Butter Pumpkins from my mother, since those are the only mature squash seeds that ended up in my compost recently.

Winter Garden Photo Update

We are nearing the end of the "winter garden" and getting closer to the spring. I have month-old eggplant, tomato, and pepper starts growing in the kitchen and my order from Baker Heirloom Seeds arrived.

Here's an update on the plants that have been growing through the cold months:

• Admiral Peas (mainly for soup) took longer to start than the snap peas but they are flowering a lot now. They also don't grow nearly as tall as the other peas but that has not seemed to stop them from producing.
• Both of my broccoli plants have heads & I plan to eat the larger one tonight so it will produce some more.
• Garlic is doing great! Every clove came up and they look healthy. I should be able to harvest it before the summer.
• Rainbow Chard finally recovered from the fall caterpillar damage and looks healthy again, though small. I had a plastic cone over it for the past month or so to help it out.
• All of the artichokes in the front yard look GREAT!
• Cheddar Cauliflower just started on my plants--you can see the little yellowish-white nub of it on the plants.

 

 

Seed/Plant Order for the 2015 Garden

I've just put in my primary seed/plant order for my first full year in the Texas garden. I went with Baker Seeds since I love their variety and I've always had a good experience with them. I will also be supplementing with some locally-purchased plants, seeds I already have, and possibly a small order from Bountiful Gardens.

The challenge with this order was the decision to include things I will grow for the next few seasons: spring through possibly next winter. So it is a big order! See my choices below. All photos are from the Baker order site.

Elena's Rojo Amaranth
Juana's Orange Amaranth
King of the Garden Lima Bean
Romanesco Italia Broccoli
Ozark Razorback Cowpea
Purple Hull Pinkeye Cowpea
Dragon's Egg Cucumber
Muncher Cucumber
Cambodian Green Giant Eggplant
Mitoyo
Naranjilla
Attila Strawberry
Crimson Clover
Boule d'Or Melon
Emerald Gem Melon
Golden Sweet Melon
Cassabanana Melecoton
Burgundy Okra
Pink "Okra"
Mammoth Melting Sugar Snow Pea
Sugar Snap Pea
Bhut Jolokia or Ghost Pepper
Craig's Grande Jalapeno Pepper
Poblano Pepper
Quadrato D'Asti Giallo Pepper
Yellow Monster Pepper
Tomatillo Purple
Tomatillo Verde
Brandywine Tomato
True Black Brandywine Tomato
Peacock Striped Watermelon
Royal Golden Watermelon
Okinawan Purple Sweet Potato (PRE-ORDER)
Omani Pink Sweet Potato (PRE-ORDER)
Borage 1 oz