Time to Plant

The weather in South Texas is always a crap shoot.  It was a cold, wet Christmas and a week later it is forecast to be 70 during the day and 60 at night.  A thirty degree temperature shift is not unusual this time of year and makes planning when to sow seeds a tough decision.  When will the last day frost day be? I am gambling on Mid-February.

I am planning on having a large crop and have sown seeds accordingly.  There will be cherry tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, cucumber, green & red leaf lettuce, bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, marigolds, and cilantro.  These are in addition to the basil, horseradish, garlic and mint that I already have growing.  Estimates are 200 lbs. of tomatoes, 50 lbs. of bell peppers, 20 - 25 lbs. of jalapeno, 100 lbs, of cucumbers, lettuce production until the end of June when it will get too hot to grow.

 

I have 30 heads of garlic already planted and the herbs will really take off once it starts to warm up.  Marigolds are going to make a nice addition to the garden.  Not only will they add a touch of color to the garden but more importantly they will help control pests and attract bees for pollination.

Now that he seeds have been sown there is not much to do except wait for the weather cooperate and the plants to germinate and begin growing.  Then its out to the garden for planting, tending and eventually harvesting.

With a crop this big there should be quite a few people that can receive free vegetable this summer.