GARDENING CALENDAR

TEXAS AGRILIFE EXTENSION SERVICE

BEXAR COUNTY BY DAVID RODRIGUEZ

February 7, 2009

Wouldn’t you want the first tomatoes on your block? Optimistic gardeners get the jump on spring tomatoes by potting them up into larger containers. When they fill that the chance of the last frost has passed, they proceed in planting their larger established transplants into their gardens. The newest ‘Sweet Cherry Surprise’ tomato would be that great tomato for that early start.

Plant registered or certified Irish potato seed tubers purchased from your favorite Nursery or Garden Center from now through early March. Potatoes from the grocery store will not work, because they are often sprayed with a bud inhibitor. Look for varieties like White Kennebec, White Cobbler, Red LaSoda or Red Pontiac.

When selecting fruit trees, consider the amount of chill hours required. The chilling requirement is the number of hours between 32o and 45oF required before a plant starts normal growth in the spring. We look for trees that require from 550-650 chill hours such as La Feliciana and John Fanick Peach.

Learn how to conserve water in your lawn and landscapes by calling the Texas AgriLife Extension Service trained Master Gardener’s at 210-467-6575.

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.