Gardeners, can I start growing anything in South Texas right now?

There are plenty of cold hearty things you can consider like show peas, cabbages, brocholli, etc… However, you must understand that it will probably freeze before these are mature so you will need to be prepared to put them under a “hoop house” to protect them.

That being said, the “spring” growing season around here starts pretty darned early. I usually start planting onions in February, which isn’t all that far away.

Here is a planting schedule for Texas. There are still plenty of things you can grow if you want to.

Ooh! Thank you both! I think I’ll prepare for February. We got some good practice this last year – meaning, no crops but lots of hard work and experience. I’m looking forward to a more successful harvest this time around.

Has water been a problem for you?

@breedmitch Definitely, but more for the lawn. Our garden died early in the summer due to pests and heat so we haven’t been watering it since.

We finally put a small fence around it and covered it with some translucent material. The remaining plants seemed to like this but the pests were still lingering so we’ll have to try again. Need better soil, more water, bug control, and lots of luck. :)

Speaking of water and gardening in Texas, I just have to put in a plug for my latest geeky endeavor. There is a technique known as Aquaponics that I am very excited about. Among other benefits, it only uses 10% of the water that traditional gardens do.

In short, you have a garden pond with fish in it, the fish poo in the water, natural bacteria converts the Ammonia into Nitrates (which plants thrive on) and the nutrient rich water is used to feed the plants. So, since this is a closed loop system the only water lost is that which evaporates out of the plants. As a nice side effect, if you choose an eatable variety of fish like Talipia, you can also add them to your harvest.

IMHO, the ultimate in urban sustainability.