One of the best things about owning your own home with a yard is the opportunity to plant your own vegetable garden. With a little bit of hard work and due diligence, you can have fresh produce throughout the year from ripe-picked tomatoes to sweet corn to snap beans, all of which would taste a good deal better than the vegetables from who knows where you are forced to contend with at the local grocery store. But before you get wrapped up in dreams of juicy watermelon and bright green cucumbers, you should know what won’t and what will grow in Austin.
The list of what won’t grow is, fortunately, much shorter than the list of what will grow. In fact, there are only two plants you definitely want to forget about: Brussels sprouts and garlic. Neither will survive well in the region, but how much a hardship is that? Not many people like sprouts, and garlic is readily available everywhere for a fairly reasonable price. So now that we’ve eliminated them, what can you grow?
The list is long, too long to put here, but you can find the complete guide at numerous Web sites, such as gardeninglaunchpad.com. To get you started, however, here’s on plant for each season:
The start of the year, in the dead of winter, isn’t generally a time when you would consider planting vegetables. But in Austin, that’s exactly what you should do, for asparagus at least. You can plant it as early as January 1 up through March 1 in the spring. You can also plant it again in the fall, but you won’t have to. Asparagus is a perennial plant. Once it’s in, it’s there for the long haul. Every year, then, you’ll want to pick the spears young, because as the vegetable matures, it will turn into an airy, fern-like plant. Consider placing it around the edge of your bed for a pretty touch, and plant with it tomatoes, parsley and basil. Avoid strong-tasting vegetables, such as onions.
When March rolls around, start marking a place for summer squash, one of the easiest and tastiest vegetables you can plant in your garden. Squash (summer or winter) love the heat, so you don’t have to be concerned about Texas temps killing your crop before you have time to sample it. You do have to set aside about 50 days for the squash to mature and reach its full potential. But during that time, you’ll only have to provide them with an inch of water per week and a little bit of attention. It’s a small task for a great reward.
In the lazy days of summer, switch to the tried and true tomato. The tomato plant can be added to your garden any time between June 15 and August 1. Of course, the earlier your plant it, the earlier you’ll have ripe, juicy tomatoes, perfect for . . . everything. Do remember, however, that depending on the variety you’ll have to pay special attention to your plant, and possibly employ some extra tools. But if you do the research and put in the work, it will be more than worth it.
Finally, as the year draws to a close, turn your thoughts to fruits and vegetables you’ll plant in autumn and savor in the spring, like peas. Garden peas should be planted between September 1 and November 1. You’ll want to put them with other crops such as carrots, turnips cucumbers - almost anything aside from onions and garlic, which you’ve already ruled out anyway.
These four are great bets for your Austin vegetable garden, but they aren’t the only ones. Go to your local nursery and discuss with an expert just what will work in your yard, given your soil, sun exposure and willingness to water. Then get down on your hands and knees and plant a bed of vegetables (if you’re thinking about window-pots, be sure to ask different questions). In a few months, you’ll have a salad you can say you really did make yourself.
Dena Davis, Listing Agent: Realtor
Responsible for evaluating and pricing properties, meeting with sellers and marketing properties, communicating with sellers on a weekly basis, negotiating contracts, representing the property on property tour. Her qualifications and experience make her one of the best Austin has to offer. Visit www.daviscompany.com
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