newbie in Hill Country Texas

[Maneen]

Getting used to how gardening goes in this part of the world after gardening on Vancouver Island (BC) for decades. An adventure ahead of me.

 

[digitS']

Oh, I can just imagine!

Please share how some of your methods and styles have changed and where you have taken your gardening skills these days.

Welcome!


Steve

 

[Ridgerunner]

Welcome from Louisiana, glad you joined.

I'd think your major changes other than the heat revolve around water.

 

[baymule]

Welcome to the forum! I’m in Trinity county, east Texas.

 

[flowerbug]

welcome to TEG from mid-Michigan. how long have you been there in Texas?

 

[Maneen]

Getting used to how gardening goes in this part of the world after gardening on Vancouver Island (BC) for decades. An adventure ahead of me.

We landed in Hill country Dec 18 (2021), couldn't find a long term rental so were forced to buy (April 1) a very tiny modular.

On a whim, I planted tomatoes, okra (new to me), asparagus beans, asparagus, beets, pepper--all in a test space along a walkway 2 ft X 8 ft. We've "harvested" some beans and okra already. Tomatoes really slow but next time maybe 'll have more of a handle on how to coax them along.

Our goal is to plant several dwarf fruit trees that will grow in this area, put in a drip system where possible, set up a few raised wooden beds, amend soil in another area with soil deeper than 3" (haha), set up a grape arbor, and on and on.

Watering (how much) during drought conditions is totally new as is dealing with shallow alkaline soil. Where I lived, it was possible to shove something in the more acid-based ground (e.g., a cutting) and it would likely grow--figs, azaleas, roses, raspberries, peonies, persimmons, peaches, etc.

I've never had to tend sago palms but have 3 large ones. A bay, and a rosemary sit in pots waiting for their new homes near sagoes. Lemon tree and bougainvillea also new plants to me sit in pots and can come into a sheltered space during colder weather.

Wish me luck on all this experimentation.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Tomatoes really slow but next time maybe 'll have more of a handle on how to coax them along.

Tomatoes need cooler temperatures to set on, maybe in the low 70's F. The smaller ones like Cherry's tend to do better. I had that problem in Arkansas and have it down here. In a lot of places, especially at altitude, the nights can get cool. But I try to get the tomatoes out as early as I can so I can get a good crop before it gets too hot for them to set on. I'd try to keep the plants alive during the summer with really little production then in the fall when it cooled off production would explode. When the first frost threatened I'd pick the green tomatoes and spread them on a table in an outbuilding where it did not freeze and let them ripen.

I don't know how cool your nights get in the Hill Country and that might not be your only problem,

For what it is worth, I'd plant a cherry tomato near the gate of the garden in Arkansas and pick off some ripe tomatoes when I walked past. I still got some throughout the summer but maybe not a lot. If a tomato set on the heat did not bother it growing and ripening, just the set.

 

[Dahlia]

Welcome to the forum from the PNW! I bet you'll have a longer growing season now! That should be nice!

 

[ducks4you]

, from Central IL. Pls put your location with your avatar bc I won't remember where you live when you start posting on threads, here.
I suggest that you contact your NEW local Extension Office before you plant in TX. Good friends of ours moved to ESE of San Antonio, after living in IL for 15 years. We talk about 1x/week.
Their drought went 2 months before some rain last week.
It is a MUCH different climate than you are used to.

 

[Rhodie Ranch]

Welcome from VAncouver WA. Just moved up here.