GARDENING CALENDAR

TEXAS AGRILIFE EXTENSION SERVICE

BEXAR COUNTY  BY DAVID RODRIGUEZ

April 10, 2010

When Irish potatoes are about 5 to 6 inches tall, you must perform a very important task; the plants must be dirted. Use you hoe or shovel to throw about 3 to 4 inches of soil to the base of the plants. In essence, you’re building a raised bed in which the potatoes will develop.

Once your stand of sweet corn has grown to a height of 8 to 12 inches, make absolutely sure that you thin the seedlings to one plant every 10 to 12 inches apart. When corn plants reach 12 inches in height, they should be dirted by covering the base of the plants with soil. Dirting the plants will help keep them from ‘lodging’ or falling over when it is windy.

Place transplants of cucumbers out like the variety called ‘Sweet Slice.’ Make sure that they are grown upright on a supporting structure for highest yield potentials.

David Rodriguez is the County Extension Agent-Horticulture with the Texas AgriLife Extension Service in Bexar County. For more information, call the Ma