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Last week, since we talked exclusively about building the beds for our vegetable gardens, I think it's only logical that we start talking about what to plant and when to plant. That also means that this could simply be the next in a series of vegetable-specific email tips, because the amount of information that can be talked about can fill a book. By the way, please understand that in no way are the lists and dates listed below the "only" lists and dates. These are merely suggestions and should no way be interpreted that this is the gospel according to veggie gardening. Varieties change year-in and year-out. And with the fluid nature of weather in Houston, the dates and times for planting are just as fluid.
The first choice you have to make is whether to start it by seed or by transplant, or even a combination of both. In almost all cases, whether by seed or transplant, we have to cheat Mother Nature to a certain extent. What that means, is that we have to start our seeds indoors or in a greenhouse, (and that needs to be done RIGHT NOW for some veggies) since it's simply too cold to plant seeds outdoors. That way, you are creating your own transplants. Likewise, it's still too early to plant transplants, but in order to succeed with most tomatoes (yes, I know they are technically a fruit, but that's an email tip for another day), we have to put them in the ground a few weeks before the recommended dates. That's how we cheat Mother Nature. Seeds are always available, but when you plant them is critical and the variety is also just as critical.
I will have links to recommendations on what varieties to grow, and what time to plant those in the ground, but your first decisions need to be about what choice of vegetables to actually grow. So, some rules to live by first: 1. Grow what your family will actually eat. Moms like eggplant, kids don't – plain and simple. 2. If your goal is to save money, grow what costs the most at the store. Anything that costs less than a dollar a pound at the store doesn't make financial sense in a home vegetable garden. 3. Having said all that choose easy-to-grow crops for your first veggie garden, because while Brussels sprouts may be expensive at the store, they are also difficult to grow in the home garden. Likewise, peppers are easy, even if they are relatively cheap at the store as are radishes.
Most independent nurseries and/or garden centers carry the right vegetable seeds and eventually carry certain transplants for this area. Please keep this caveat in mind, "NOT ALL SEED PACKETS WILL WORK IN HOUSTON!" Again, this goes back to the right varieties for the right area, and just because a seed packet is for sale, say at a big box store, doesn't mean that it works for this area. In fact, most seed packets sold at a national-type chain seldom work here. So, stick with local nurseries and garden centers to insure the right varieties for this area. For the area's most experienced gardeners, the best-kept secret for them is that they find their seeds and transplants at what might still be considered good old fashioned FEED STORE. And while most feed stores rarely sell plant material for landscapes, in many instances that often do a better job of stocking specific seeds and transplants for vegetable gardening.
