Here's what to plant now in your garden. Vegetables by direct seed: Cucumbers, okra, melons, pumpkins, winter squash, summer squash. Vegetables by transplant: Tomatoes (last day!), eggplant, peppers, okra. Annuals by transplant: Pentas, vinca, begonias, impatiens, zinnias, sunflowers. Indoors: Cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, amaranth, cosmos, zinnias, sunflowers, marigolds. General maintenance:
Mark your calendar for my Blossom Brilliance class on August 10. This classes teaches you how to grow cool-season, cottage flowers like foxgloves, poppies, sweet peas, and delphiniums in NTX using the "cold hardy" technique. |
By teaching you how to connect deeply with nature, The Dallas Garden School helps you unlock your full potential. Callie is the foremost gardening expert and educator in North Texas and a gardening columnist for D Magazine. Based in Dallas, Texas.
Here's what I did this morning in the garden: Deadheaded rudbeckia, snapdragons, and 'Mystic Spires' salvia Cut back 'Monarch Magic' ageratum, aster, and salvia nemorosa by 50% Staked 'Hopi Red Dye' amaranth Harvested 'Midnight Moon' eggplant, 'Marketmore' cucumber, 'Golden Griller' squash*, 'Sweet Canyon Orange' bell pepper*, and 'Baby Bubba' okra*. If you haven't done so already, this is your final reminder to cut back any perennials or annuals that have become overgrown or unruly. This is...
As you start to plant things for fall*, here are some things to keep in mind... Your soil is likely fairly tired after the spring season. We had lots of rain and early heat. Give your soil a refresh with some good compost after you pull out your spring crops and before you plant your fall stuff. I usually mix about one bag (2 cu. ft.) into the top 6-8 inches of soil for every 9 square feet of garden space for a mid-crop boost. This morning, after hand watering the front display garden and...
The best kept secret among North Texas vegetable gardeners is the fall growing season. Warm days, cool nights, and returning rains are ideal for vegetable production. In addition to taking Saturday's fall vegetable garden class, here are three ways to prepare: Pull out all spent spring vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, beans) and amend the area with high-quality compost.These vegetables are done producing for the season because high summer heat inhibits pollination. To prevent future...