for the
Texas Gulf Coast
By Thomas R. LeRoy
Montgomery County Extension Agent - Horticulture

 Homegrown vegetables taste better.
 You have control over what pesticides are applied.
 Good exercise.
 Fun!

Planting By The

How to be a
Green Thumb Gardener
 Select Recommended Varieties.
 Plant at the Right Time.
 Proper Soil Preparation and Fertilization.
 Control Weeds, Diseases and Insects.
 Adequate Soil Moisture.
 Harvest at the Right Time .

 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!

Traditional Garden
Box Garden
Postage Stamp Garden

 pH 6.0 – 6.5 (Slightly Acid).
 5 – 10% Organic Matter.
 50% Pore Space ( Air, Water, Microorganisms).
 Texture - Sandy to Sandy Loam.

 Have a soil test run.
 Incorporate plenty of organic matter.
 Add bank sand or sharp sand to improve drainage.
 Add nutrients if necessary.

 Healthy Soils
 Resistant Varieties
 Planting Time
 Proper Watering
 Soil Fertility
 Sanitation
 Weed Control
 Diverse Planting
 Crop Rotation

 2° to 4° F of Frost
Protection.
 Wind Protection.
 Keeps Out Insects.
 Allows 85 to 90%
Light Penetration.

Growing Up Not Out

Composting – Recycle Yard Waste

 Compost
 Leaves
 Pine Needles
 Hay
 Grass Clippings
 Paper
 Plastic

Starting Your Own Plants from
Seeds
 Select Proper
Varieties.
 Sterile Potting
Media.
 Sterile Containers.
 High Light Intensity for 14-16 hours.
 Regular Applications of Soluble Fertilizer

Container Gardening
 Excellent for small yards or patio homes.
 Requires more care:
 Water.
 Fertilizer.
 Use large containers with a loose potting media to reduce compaction .

Harvest at the Proper Time
 Quality can vary greatly depending on time harvested.
 Take the time to learn when the various vegetables should be harvested.

Warm Season Vegetables

 Tomato
 Pepper
 Eggplant
 Potato
 Tomatillo

1. Plant large, vigorous plants.
Incorporate ¼-½ cup of complete, slow release fertilizer at planting.

2. Wrap tomato cages with row cover.

3. Apply a weekly foliar spray of a water soluble fertilizer with micronutrients.

4. Work in 2-3 Tbs. of high nitrogen fertilizer when 1 st cluster of fruit sets.

 Select Hybrid
Varieties.
 Plant When Soil
Reaches 65-70° F.
 Fertilize Frequently
With High Nitrogen
Fertilizer.
 Remove The First
Fruit.

Hot!

Pepper Varieties Worth Trying
Red Cheese
Pimento
Senorita Jalapeno
Mucho Nacho
Jalapeno

Common Diseases and Insects of the Nightshade Family

 Green (Snap) Beans
 Lima Beans
 Southern Pea
 English Pea
 Edible-podded Pea
 Soybean
 Jicama
 Runner Bean

Green (Snap) Bean
 Plant March-April and September
 Moderately Fertile
Soil.
 Harvest When
Pods are Young and Tender.

Lima (Butter) Beans
 Plant March - Early
April and September.
 Moderately Fertile
Soil.
 Harvest When Pods are Mature and Seeds
Fully Developed.

 Plant April thru
August.
 Prefers warm soil.
 Requires moderately fertile soils.
 Harvest when pods are mature and start to yellow.

Edible-podded Peas
 Plant Late
September thru
January.
 Moderately
Fertile Soil.
 Most Varieties
Need Support.
 Light Production
But High Quality.

Common Diseases and Insects of the Legume Family

Grass Family – Sweet Corn
 Plant March – April.
 Fertilize at Planting,
1 Foot Tall & Tassel
Visible in the Whorl with ½-1 Cup 21-0-0 per 10 Ft. of Row.
 90%+ Harvested the same day.

Types of Sweet Corns




Sweet Corn (su)Traditional sweet corn with sweet flavor and creamy consistency. Sugar degrades rapidly to starch .
Sugary Enhanced (se)
– Tender kernels, much sweeter flavor and creamy consistency. Maintains sweet flavor much longer than traditional sweet corn.
Super Sweets (sh2)Very crisp kernels, even after freezing, and a much higher sugar content. Sugar is very stable within the kernel but it lacks the creamy consistency.
Triple Sweets (su x se x sh2)A combination of high sugar and creamy consistency, carrying a combination of traits from both sugar enhanced and super sweet varieties.

Plant Corn in Multiple Rows

 Cucumber
 Squash
 Cantaloupe
 Honeydew
 Watermelon
 Pumpkin
 Gourd

Cucumbers
 Plant late March –
April and September.
 Moderate Fertility.
 Easily trellised.
 Harvest for pickles when fruit reaches desired size and slicers when near maturity.

 Plant late March –
April and September.
 Moderate Fertility.
 Harvest
 Winter Squash when mature, rind hard.
 Summer Squash when tender and immature.

Melons
 Plant late April thru
July.
 Moderate Fertility.
 Easily trellised.
 Harvest at full slip or tendril at base of fruit turns brown.

Pantyhose Melons

Common Diseases and Insects of the Cucurbit Family
Squash Bugs & Eggs
Powdery Mildew
Squash Vineborer
Squash Bugs

Mallow Family
 Okra
 Plant April thru
July when soils are warm.
 Moderate fertility.
 Harvest when pods are small and tender.

Okra Harvest

Okra Disease
Solarize
Nematodes
Elbon Cereal Rye

Morning-glory Family
 Sweet Potato
 Plant after soils have warmed,
May thru July.
 Moderate fertility.
 Harvest when roots are fully cured.

Cool Season Vegetables
 Plant from
September thru
February.
 Heavy feeders.
Use frequent, small applications of high nitrogen fertilizers .

Crucifer (Cabbage) Family
 Cabbage
 Broccoli
 Cauliflower
 Brussels sprouts
 Turnips
 Kale
 Kohlrabi
 Radish
 Collards
 Mustard

Cabbage

Cauliflower

Brussels Sprouts

Collards, Kale & Kohlrabi

Turnips and Mustards

Radish / Daikon

Composite (Sunflower) Family
 Cardoon
 Globe Artichoke
 Radicchio
 Lettuce
 Endive

 Plant when soil cools in fall & winter.
 Seed needs light to germinate.
 Refrigerate before use.

 Carrot
 Parsley
 Fennel
 Dill
 Celery
 Parsnip

 Plant seed from early October thru December.
 Seed need light to germinate.
 Give regular light applications of nitrogen fertilizer.

Amaryllis (Onion) Family
 Onions
 Leeks
 Garlic
 Shallots
 Chives

Onions
 Plant seeds in early
November, plants in
January.
 Low sulfur soil for sweet onions.
 Fertilize with small amounts of nitrogen, frequently.

Leeks
 Plant clusters of 5-8 seed every 6 inches.
 Start to thin when pencil size.
 Apply frequent, small amounts of nitrogen fertilizer.
 Blanch to improve quality.

Garlic
 Plant cloves about 4 – 6 inches apart.
 Small frequent applications of nitrogen.
 Harvest tops and roots as needed .

Goosefoot Family
 Beets
 Swiss Chard
 Spinach

Cool Season Vegetable Insects

 Asparagus
 Plant in well drained, organic soil.
 Use high nitrogen fertilizers.
 Harvest for a short period in the spring and fall.
 Size of spears indicates plant vigor.

Buckwheat Family
 Rhubarb
 Plant, plants in early fall.
 Treat as an annual.
 Benefits from afternoon shade.

Know the Good Guys

Know the Good Guys

Integrated Pest Management
 Provide plants with the best care and culture possible.
 Use only the most adapted varieties.
 If chemical (organic or man-made) control is necessary start with the most environmentally friendly products first.
 Apply chemicals, (organic or man-made) properly, safely and according to the label.

Recipe for Successful
Tomatoes
 Plant large, vigorous plants. Incorporate ¼-½ cup of complete, slow release fertilizer at planting.
 Wrap tomato cages with Row Cover.


Apply a weekly foliar spray of a water soluble fertilizer with micro-nutrients.
Work in 2-3 Tbs. of high N fertilizer when 1 st cluster of fruit sets.