Herself’s Houston Garden

If you don’t have time to take to go hear our local Master Gardener’s, you can see many of the lectures from the comfort of your home now.  The University of California has taped and made many of their Master Gardener Lectures available online at You Tube.

Plant Disease Part I
Plant Disease Part II

Home vegetable gardening part I
Home vegetable gardening part II

Intro to Entomology Part I
Intro to Entomology Part II

Integrated Pest Management Part I
Integrated Pest Management Part II

Principles of Vertebrate Pest Control Part I
Principles of Vertebrate Pest Control Part II

The Home Orchard Part I
The Home Orchard Part II

Turfgrass Management Part I
Turfgrass Management Part II

Planting and Care of Landscape Trees Part I
Planting and Care of Landscape Trees Part II

Weed Management Part I
Weed Management Part II

Understanding Pesticides Part I
Understanding Pesticides Part II

Irrigation and water control

Fruit trees need frequent proper pruning to reach their full potential.  You’ll want to spend some time once a year, after the fruit finishes and before the new buds appear to give your tree a serious pruning, but don’t let water spouts or crossing branches stay when you find them.

Remember when pruning to step back and circle the fruit tree frequently to see how it looks while you are working.  You want a slighly domed shaped top, and the bottom should look like a steep bowl.

1) Remove water spouts.  Water spouts are branches that grow at 90′ angles to the branch they stem from. They will take all of the nutrients and water away from the rest of the branch if you let them grow.

2) Remove all branches that bend down toward the ground.  Your branches should curve or reach up not down.

3) Remove all branches that cross another branch.  On windy days those crossing branches will rub each other.  This causes breaks in the bark where insects, fungus and bacteria can enter and harm your tree.

4) Thin branches so that sunlight reaches deep into the tree.  Fruit trees especially need lots of sun to grow well and remain healthy.

5) Shape the top just for appearace, cut back to the beginning any branches that stick out too far from the rest.

The branches you remove can be used to propagate new trees.  Cut the branches so that only 3 sets of leaves remain.  Remove the bottom set of leaves.  Dip the bottom of the branch in rooting hormone.  Plant in light soil and keep warm, moist and humid until new growth appears.  Then treat as you would any other young tree.

While I’d heard of this or that giant vegetable winning awards at fairs I’d never really paid a whole lot of attention. But while I wasn’t watching giant vegetable growing has become a serious competitive sport. I expect much of that has to do with the internet allowing far flung devotes to connect.

If you are looking to connect with other giant vegetable growers you might start with Giant vegetables at the Garden Web Forum

Growing giant vegetables is much like growing giant flowers.
1) Start with a good variety, heirloom is best.
2) Remove all other fruits or flowers so all the plants energy into the one you want to grow supersized.
3) Fertilize regularly
4) Water regularly
5) And a bit of luck is need.

Lebanon farmer grows super sized spud
Pacific Giant Vegetable Growers Organization
Seed man offers giant vegetable seeds
Giant Vegetables ( directions for growing from Redwood Barn Nursery )
Fairly Big Gourd: He’s an expert on growing prize winning gourds

While the climate down here is wonderful for growing a wide range of plants, the soil often leaves much to be desired.  Seems you either get clay or sand if you live in or near Houston.  In our favor organic material breaks down quickly and you can build a nice soil base before too much time goes by.

Proper soil preparation can make all the difference in how well your garden grows.  You will want to work 3″ to 6″ of organic material into your clay or sandy soil before you begin to plant.  You’ll want to work this into the top 12″ of soil.  In addition you will want to add a 3″-4″ layer of pine mulch every year.  Organic material breaks down quickly in our heat.  So you need to keep replenishing it. ( soil amendment materials: pine mulch, compost, peat moss, perlite, sand )

A proper soil test is also needed to tell what fertilizers need to be added.  I’ve found a good time release 10-10-10 4-6 times a year is needed in my yard, spread at about a pound of nitrogen per 1000 sq ft.  I also add a handful ( 1/4 cup ) of iron to each shrub and tree each March.  As organic material breaks down it used up the nitrogen in the soil.  And each and every heavy rain we get washes away a large amount of the nitrogen in the soil.

Drainage is the next issue to consider.  Sandy soil drains rapidly and standing water is not a problem. Adding organic matter will help the sandy soil retain moisture longer.

Clay soils hold water, and even if you improve the top 6″ to 12″ of soil, often the clay underneath retains water.  Adding sand or perlite or both will help.  Before planting watch how quickly the water drains after a heavy rain.  If it takes more than one hour you’ll want to help the drainage with drains.

Plants prefer slightly acidic soils.  While these can occasionally be found in Houston it ’s more likely your soil pH will be around 8.0 ( slightly basic ).  Changing a soils pH long term by a more than a small amount is unlikely.  But you can add lime ( makes soil more basic ) or sulfur ( makes soil more acidic ) to help.  If you have basic soil add some peat moss each time you plant a new plant to help reduce the soil pH.

Worms help, you can purchase live worms, or as I do add worm castings to your garden each year.  It seems to attract them.  I always find more worms in areas I ‘ve added castings.

If you work clay soil while it is wet, it is likely to compact on you forming a brick like substance that your plant’s roots will be unable to push through.  Wait until the soil it dry to work it.  Or as we did up north lay out 12″ planks and walk/stand/kneel on them to work.

To convert lawn to garden:

1) Apply RoundUp or another weed killer about a week before prepping an area.

2) Scrape off sod

3) Add soil amendments ( 3″-6″ deep ) and work into soil about 12″ deep

The easiest way to work soil additives into the soil is to dig a 12″ trench, then dig a second trench right next to it, filling the first trench with the soil from first plus additives.  Continue trenching your way across your new garden.

Or

1) Apply RoundUp or another suitable weed killer about a week before prepping area

2) Lay newspaper 3-6 sheets thick across entire area

3) Cover newspapers with 6″ of soil, mulch, peat, sand, and compost

Learn more about soil:
Lessons on Soil ( 1911 Russell )
Crops and Methods for Soil Improvement ( 1912 Alva )