clanderson1973 asks: What would I need to do to have a successful garden?
I would like to start a small garden in my back yard.I live in Texas. The soil is quite hard. Should I mix top soil with the present soil? How can I keep the rabbits and rodents away? When would it be the best time to start planting? What crops would grow best in this region (Dallas Area)? Are there any natural pesticides that I can use to keep bugs and worms away? Thanks!
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Answer by desertgardener
Wow that’s a lot to answer. You want a vegetable garden, I take it. First, head over to the bookstore and get yourself a nice generalized book on vegetable gardening so you’ve got all this info at your fingertips. Your preference will be books for your region, but if not, anything for beginners will do. Now for some tips:
Sounds like you need to amend your soil. Figure out how big an area you want to plant and get rid of the weeds and grass. You may have to buy compost or soil amendments…your local nursery or home center can help you with that. Later you’ll want to start collecting your own (this will be covered in that book you just bought).
Don’t get too ambitious on the size, either, if you’re just starting you want a good experience not a frustrating one.
Keep out rabbits with fencing – they have rabbit fence at the home center, or use chicken wire. It’ll need to be a couple feet tall and you’ll have to bury it about a foot deep around your area. I have never had problems with rats or mice, but gophers are a pain…not much to do about them except traps.
You want to plant cool-season crops like lettuce, spinach, peas, broccoli and so forth maybe a month before your last frost. Don’t get frost in Dallas? Put ’em in now, then. You want them to grow before it gets really hot.
Your warm weather crops like zucchini, tomatoes, peppers and melons can go in after the last frost. Since you’re just starting out I recommend buying plants at the nursery instead of seeds. Tomatoes will stop fruiting when the temperatures hit about 90, although the plants keep growing. Corn also stops pollinating during extremely hot weather.
Natural pesticides include BT (kills caterpillars), light oil spray (don’t get DORMANT oil spray), and a type of soap (look for the Safer brand).
Lots of info on the web too, Google “organic gardening” and you’ll find more to read.
What do you think? Answer below!
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Oh you have such resources there in Texas! First start is the Cooperative Extension Serive, but their computers are down this weekend, bummer. texasextension.tamu.edu/
They would get you into the cooperative extension system. From there you have access to the agents for your county, Master Gardeners as well as info bulletins. There are over 15,000 bulletins, so plenty of reading.
General answer: you need to spend time before planting preparing the soil. Yes, you should have a soil test done before you start digging, but it takes time to get results (still have it done, ask the county agent what you need to do). Your garden location should have full sun and be free of tree roots……..is that possible? Tree roots will spread far, far beyond the branches. If your yard is root bound, consider going with a raised bed system or container gardening.
Anyway, assuming you have the space, start by turning over the soil with a shovel and then with a spading fork. Incorporate plenty of compost……like an inch or two over the soil top and dig in to at least 6 inches deep. The soil test would tell you if you need to add lime or other nutrients at this time.
Digging will take days to get it just right, don’t be in a hurry.
As for rabbits, fence is the only way, make sure it is tall enough and bury the bottom into the ground. How tall? 3′ minimum, some of those suckers can climb. If you have racoons, I’m not sure a 7 foot fence-electrified would be enough. Armadillos are just murder as they can dig deep and get under fences. Squirrels……good luck. If they can climb a tree, a fence is easy.
As for biological pesticides, sure plenty but you need to know what the pest is first as some pesticides are specific to certain types of insects. Neem is one pesticide, rotenone, etc. The first year you should be fairly bug free as you have not built up a resident population. However each year there after you’ll have the over winter gang and hopefully enough of their natural predators to keep the damage to a minimum. You’ll have to be careful with the “natural” pesticides and they can do a number on the good guys as well as the bad.
Your first step is to get into that website above and start digging around and see what’s available for your area. Then learn about the Master Gardeners and pick their brains. That’s what they are there for……to answer most of the garden questions that come into the office.
Other problems, check back here. We’ll help if we catch your question.
You need to gather a little information before you go all out.
Check your local ag extension service and gardening neighbors as well as folks at the local garden centers.
Improve your soil with compost. Plan on planting in April. Almost any type of vegetable will grow in Dallas.
Check out the local library for books on organic garden solutions.