GARDENING CALENDAR

TEXAS AGRILIFE EXTENSION SERVICE

BEXAR COUNTY BY DAVID RODRIGUEZ

October 11, 2008

The second and best planting of healthy cool weather vegetable transplants like ‘Cheers’ cabbage, Chinese cabbage, ‘Green Magic’ broccoli, ‘Snow Crown’ cauliflower, ‘Vates’ collards, and ‘Prince Marvel’ Brussels sprouts should be planted now to compliment and spread out the earlier September plantings.

Vegetable root crops like beets, carrots, radishes, turnips and leafy crops such as lettuce, mustard, and spinach can be directly sown into the fall garden. For a listing of specific varieties for this part of the state, go to http://bexar-tx.tamu.edu website.

Tomatoes are ready to pick when they change from green to green-white color at their stem/calyx connection. For maximum production, pick them at this stage and let them ripen on the kitchen counter. Physiologically speaking, they will taste the same. If you leave tomatoes on the vine until they ripen, the vines will stop producing thinking they have “done their thing” for the year and many times, birds will beat you to them.

Wildflowers germinate and perform better if they are seeded into a lightly cultivated or raked soil. If planting in an established turf, choose Bermuda grass since it is dormant during the growing season and is usually growing in full sun which wildflowers need to do their best.

Spring blooming perennials like bearded iris, cannas, daylilies, phlox, and Shasta daisies overcrowded can be divided and transplanted or shared with friends and families. If the flowerbed looks good, you don’t need to disturb it. Fertilize now with a 6-2-4 or 4-2-3 analysis.

David Rodriguez is the County Extension Agent-Horticulture with the Texas AgriLife Extension Service in Bexar County. For more information, call the Master Gardener “Hotline” (210) 467-6575 or visit our County Extension website at http://bexar-tx.tamu.edu.