Small Space

Gardening
The information given herein
is for educational purposes
only. Reference to commercial
products or trade names is
made with the understanding
that no discrimination is
intended and no endorsement
by the Texas A&M AgriLife
Extension Service is implied.

“Texas A&M AgriLife Extension is an equal opportunity

employer and program provider. The Texas A&M
University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas
Cooperating”
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Topics
• Getting inspired
• Creating a space (raised
beds and containers)
• The importance of soil
• What to plant
Spring 2016 Highland Village
• When to plant
• Caretaking
• Get a bit of extra help
from ergonomics
• Resources -- handout

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You can do it! North Texas Vegetable
Gardeners – Facebook post

“I went out to my garden to pick my peppers before the

cold hit them too hard and I found these… just hanging
around. Picking tomatoes in December seems like the
best Christmas gift ever!!” North Texas Vegetable Gardener
Facebook post.
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Yes you can!

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Why grow your own?
• Growing your own vegetables and herbs provides pleasure to your senses and rewards for
your palate.
• Picky eaters are often more willing to eat healthy vegetables if they are involved in growing
and harvesting them. Learning how to grow food can change children’s lives forever.
• Working outdoors in the vegetable garden increases social interaction opportunities. Sharing
gardening experiences and products can be the beginning of a new friendship.
• Knowing how fresh foods taste can help you and your family be more discriminating
consumers.
• Store-bought produce is often picked before maturity of taste and nutrition and then travels
an average of 1,500 miles from where it was grown to your super market.
• You can grow healthier and better tasting varieties than you can buy.

A research study on relative nutrition content of 43 fruits and vegetables was conducted by Donald Davis and his team of researchers
from the University of Texas at Austin’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. The team compared data collected by the U.S.
Department of Agriculture on nutritional values of produce from 1950 and again in 1999. It was found that there were “reliable
declines” in the amount of protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, riboflavin (vitamin B2) and vitamin C. Davis and his colleagues
hypothesized that the declining nutritional content resulted from agricultural practices designed to improve traits such as size, growth
rate, and pest resistance. (Journal of the American College of Nutrition, December 2004.)

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It is fun!

Searching for peas

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What can you grow in a small space?
• Leafy greens like lettuce, spinach, kale, chard, mesclun
• Underground veggies such as carrots, radishes, potatoes
• Onions, shallots, garlic
• Many different herbs including annuals like basil, dill,
parsley and cilantro or perennials such as oregano,
thyme, mint, chives, marjoram, sage
• Hot weather vegetables including cherry tomatoes,
green beans, eggplant and peppers
• Add vertical support and you can grow cucumbers, pole
beans, and peas

Grow what you and your family will eat

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About raised beds and containers

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 How to build a raised bed frame
• Construct the frame with a nontoxic building material, such as stone, cinder blocks, bricks,
untreated wood or fiberglass. (Some garden centers and catalogs sell raised bed frames
ready for assembly.)
• Make sure the frame is sturdy enough to hold together when filled with soil.
• If using boards, secure them at the corners with metal braces, or use screws or nails to
secure the boards to a reinforcing block of wood inside the corners.
• Or use rebar posts to support frame. Drive posts into the ground to brace the boards at the
corners and every 3–4 feet, on the outside of the box. Do not nail or try to fasten screws
into the ends of the boards - they will split. Boards 2 – 3 inches thick will last much longer
than 1-inch boards.
• If using concrete blocks, offset placement provides more stability and reduces soil loss.

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Raised bed construction examples

Rebar support

Offset for greater stability

Corner support

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 Preparing raised bed for planting
• Place a layer of cardboard on the bottom to keep sneaky
weeds and grasses with deep roots from invading your
garden space. Cardboard will decompose in a few weeks.
• Add gardening soil and compost or potting soil for
vegetables. Use a soil volume calculator to determine how
much soil you need to have 8 to 12 inches depth (resources).
• Layout watering system using drip irrigation or soaker hoses.
• Add 3 to 4 inch layer of mulch.
• If following a square-foot garden design, add grid (usually
wood slats) to control plant spacing.
• Soil test the second year. Continue yearly testing until soil
tests well then every couple years after that.

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How to use soil calculator –there are several
online

Square or circle

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More raised bed examples
Herbs, small
vegetable plants or
flowers can grow in
cinder block holes

Easily rolls into

new location
for sun or
partial shade
See more clever raised bed ideas Vertical support for peas, pole
beans and cucumbers
on Pinterest
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Growing herbs and vegetables
in containers
• Release your creativity—Any container can be used to grow herbs
and vegetables as long as:
• There is a drain hole to keep roots from sitting in water
• The depth and width are sufficient for plant roots to spread
• Be sure to group plants by water and sun requirements
• To help control the impact of summer heat, consider double-
containers with a layer of peat moss
in between
• Plants in containers need some
ventilation
• Don’t hide your vegetable plants
from pollinators
• Be sure to sterilize re-use pots
before planting with a mild bleach
• Read plant tag or online to find out
mature size of plant 14
Before you plant

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What is the big deal about soil?
• Soil is NOT dirt!
• Dirt is what people and pets bring into the house that
needs to be cleaned up.
• Soil is the unconsolidated mineral or organic material
that serves as a natural medium for the growth of
plants.
• Soil, with its organic material and microorganisms,
contains almost EVERYTHING that plants need to
grow. Nitrogen should be added as it dissipates
quickly from soil.
• Soil should be treasured.

Gardening soil should be loose enough that you can dig

a planting hole with your hand.

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Soil for raised beds is different than for containers
Raised Bed
If using existing soil, supplement with 50% organic
material or compost (equals about 6 inches) or
Purchase garden soil. The best media for
vegetables consists of one- third topsoil, one-third
peat moss and one-third sand or coarse
perlite. (https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/vegetable/files/2010/10/E-
560_raised_bed_garden.pdf)
DO a soil analysis and supplement as
recommended in test results.
Use a soil calculator to determine how much soil to
purchase.
Layout irrigation and then add 4 inches of mulch on Leave 1 inch of head room. This keeps water from
top to moderate soil temperature, keep out weeds over-flowing and washing away soil.
and retain moisture.
Refresh organic material (compost) each year.
Organic mulch decomposes into compost.
Container
Must be well-aerated to provide growth space for
roots and drain well.
Contains some proportion of peat moss and soil-
less materials such as vermiculite, perlite and/or
coir fiber mixed with 25-30% soil.
Enhance soil with some combination of bone meal,
blood meal, chelated iron, rock phosphate, worm
compost, or processed manure.
The bottom may be filled with coarse or builders
sand (not fine or playground sand).
Dampen mixture before adding to container.
Herbs prefer a courser soil blend than vegetables.
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Soil analysis
Ph = soil acidity Take samples from several locations
Macro-nutrients = in your garden or landscape bed; 4
N – nitrogen to 6 inches deep
P – phosphorus
K – potassium
Ca – calcium
Mg – magnesium
S – sulfur Mix
Micro-nutrients = samples
Boron (B),
Copper (Cu),
Iron (Fe), Pack samples (use double bags for
Chloride (Cl), safety), label and ship to lab. Forms
Manganese (Mn), available from:
Molybdenum (Mo)
Zinc (Zn) http://soiltesting.tamu.edu/

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Improve raised-bed soil by adding
decomposed organic material
• Commercial potting soil often has some fertilizer but will benefit from adding minerals.
• Improves the ability of the soil to accept and store water.
• Increases the activity and number of soil organisms.
• Over time, a well-amended soil will supply all of the nutrients your plants require and
reduce fertilizer requirements (except nitrogen).
• If using manure or hay for mulch, know the source. These herbicides: Aminopyralid,
clopyralid, and picloram are registered for application to pasture, grain crops, residential
lawns, commercial turf, …. According to North Carolina State University, these herbicides
“can also remain active … even after it is composted. The herbicides can also remain
active in hay, straw, and grass clippings for an unusually long time.” (several years)
• How much? For vegetable gardens, add 6 inches of compost.

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Organic soil amendments
• Fish meal—hydrolyzed fish fertilizer (approximately: 2-4-1) plus some proteins and
minerals to feed soil microorganisms. Almost no smell (as opposed to fish emulsion).
• Bone meal—source for phosphorous
• Blood meal—source of nitrogen. Be aware this smells a bit the first few days and may
attract critters.
• Molasses—dry from feed stores or specialty nurseries or dilute store-bought (1 to 2
tbsp. per gallon) feeds microorganisms.
• Sea minerals or rock powders (ex: SEA-90, azomite)
• Animal poo —bat, gerbil, rabbit, chicken and manure okay if properly composted. Dog,
cat or human not okay because even high-temperature composting may not kills all
parasites.

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Make a plan—plant selection and placement
• Select vegetables you and your family will eat.
• Note the mature size of the plant to ensure
enough garden space for growth and air-drying
of leaves.
• Check available sunlight. Remember sun angle
changes throughout the year. Sun-loving plants
need at least 8 hours of sunlight per day.
• Use pencil and paper or one of the free on-line
garden planning applications (Resources).
• Generate a list of transplants and seeds to
purchase. Enjoy perusing seed catalogs, but
choose varieties recommended for North Texas.
When it looks like this outside, stay
warm beside a nice fire and plan next
spring’s garden.
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Let’s do it!

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Cool weather and warm weather crops
Plant in Cool weather Plant in Warm weather
Salad greens Tomatoes
Garlic Eggplants
Potatoes Peppers
Crucifers Squashes
Onions Cucumbers
Beets Beans
Carrots
Peas

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Select proven varieties. Not everything
that grows in a vegetable garden will do
well in North Texas.

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Varieties recommended for North Texas

And many more…

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When to plant

To increase success, use

• Soil temperature (for
seed germination)
• Ambient temperature
(for transplants) or
• Recommended
average planting
dates

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Soil temperature needed
for seeds to germinate
• Soil temperatures should be taken by inserting
a soil thermometer 3 to 4 inches deep into the
soil surface.
• Soil thermometers are available from garden
centers, feed and seed stores, and from many
garden supply catalogs.
• Soil temperatures should be consistent for
several days before seeds are sown to ensure
that the seeds are being exposed to optimal
temperatures for germination.

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Ambient temperatures desired to
transplanting seedlings
• Warm-season vegetables grow best between 60° and 75° or 80° F. Cool-season
vegetables such as lettuce and spinach should be grown between 50° and 70° F.
(University of Illinois Extension Service)
• To minimizing transplant shock, avoid transplanting into dry soil. Add water to seedling
container and then soil immediately after transplant. Even when planting into moist
soils, newly planted seedlings need additional water. (Penn State Extension Service)

• If plants are coming directly from a greenhouse, be sure to harden them off before
planting

• Choose a cloudy day or late afternoon for transplanting

“… don’t be swayed by the vegetable transplants lining the garden center shelves. Just
because plants are in the stores doesn’t mean it’s time to plant them.” (University of Georgia Extension
Service)
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Spring planting dates for North Texas
• Simplest way is to use “average”
planting dates

• Cool season veggies: Optimal growing

temperatures day: 60-70°F night: 50-
60°F
• Warm season veggies: Optimal growing
temperatures day: 70-80°F night: 60-
65°F
• Vegetables that can withstand light
frost:
Artichokes, bokchoy, cauliflower, celery,
Chinese cabbage, peas, quinoa,
and radicchio
• Vegetables that can withstand hard
frost: Arugula, broccoli, Brussels, beets,
cabbage, lettuce, carrots, spinach, Swiss
chard 29
Fall planting dates
for North Texas

Source: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension 30

About growing herbs
• Herbs are leaves of plants used to flavor food and drink.
Many, many herbs grow well in North Texas. Which
herbs you choose to grow depends on your preferences.
• Herb plants can be interspersed in your landscape,
grown in raised beds and in containers.
• Herbs prefer well-drained soil but are usually not too
picky about soil composition.
• Herb plants differ in their need for water and sun light.
Some, such as basil, want full sun, while others prefer
some afternoon shade or even partial shade all the
time.
• It is best to read package or planting instructions for
each type of herb you choose to grow.
• Most herb plants are resistant to pests and disease.
• Although some herbs start well from seed (dill and
cilantro, for example), others can be difficult to start
from seed and purchasing transplant seedlings is
recommended.
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A few lessons learned about growing herbs
• Rosemary is a shrub that can reach
6 x 6 feet
• Mint is EXTREMELY aggressive and
does best in a container
• Some basils, dill and cilantro self-
seed
• Bay laurel is a small tree
• Garlic chives flower and spread
seeds—onion chives are better
behaved
• Oregano may spread widely
• Cutting back herb plants helps the
plant grow more vigorously
• Harvest young leaves for more
flavor

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Vegetables to seed Vegetables that can go either Vegetables to transplant
Arugula way* Broccoli
Beans (pole and bush Lettuce Brussels Sprouts
types) Spinach Cabbage
Beets Chard Eggplant
Carrots Kale Leeks
Peas (Southern and Squash Peppers
English) Cucumbers Tomatoes
Radishes Leeks Cauliflower
Turnips Asparagus (crowns)
* Allow 3 to 4 weeks to reach size of
Okra transplants.
Onions (sets)

Exceptions: potatoes grow from seed potatoes, sweet potatoes grow from slips and garlic from
cloves. Fall crops generally do better when started from transplants than from seed.

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• Check the seed packet instructions for planting depth,
distribution, thinning, day to maturity, size and harvesting.
Helpful information from
seed packet
• Soak large seeds overnight. Small seeds can be soaked for
a couple hours. • Look for the year the seeds
• Level the soil and dig a straight trench to the desired were packed, usually printed
depth. or stamped on the envelope
(will appear as "sell by" or
• Distribute seeds as evenly as possible. Sometimes it helps
"grown for").
to mix small seeds with coarse sand or corn meal.
• Pat soil firmly to ensure contact with the seed. • How far apart to space seeds
• Moisten the soil and keep it damp until leaves emerge. within a row, the depth for
sowing the seeds, days to
• Soon after seedlings grow their second set of true germination, and instructions
leaves, thin them out to recommended spacing. for thinning seedlings.

* University of Georgia Extension service

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Growing in containers

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Growing herbs and vegetables in containers
• Any container can be used to grow herbs and vegetables as
long as:
• There is a drain hole
• The depth and width is sufficient for plant roots to
spread
• Choose a good potting mix or supplement soil with 25%
composted organic matter and 25% perlite or vermiculite.
• Group plants by their need for sunlight and water.
• Plan on adding supplemental water frequently during hot
weather as containers dry out more quickly than the soil.
• When growing in containers: Add fertilizer when planting if
the potting mix does not have fertilizer. Fertilize annuals
monthly during the growing season; perennials should be
fertilized at the beginning of the growing season.
• Add compost to provide plants with trace nutrients and
mulch to reduce moisture loss and moderate soil
temperature. 36
Containers: how deep
Vegetable Recommended soil Vegetable Recommended soil
depth depth
Greens 6 inches Garlic 8 inches
Basil 8 inches Kale 8 inches
Beans 6 inches Lettuce 4 inches
Beets 10 inches Parsley 8 inches
Broccoli 2 gallon container Peas 6 to 12 inches
Cabbage 2 gallon container Peppers 5 gallon container
Carrots 8 inches Potatoes 10 inches mounding up
Chard 8 inches to 36 inches

Collard greens 8 inches Radishes 4 to 6 inches

Cucumber (bush) 1 gallon container Spinach 8 inches

Eggplant 5 gallon container Squash 5 gallon container

Tomatoes 5 gallon container

*Cornell University Cooperative Extension and Texas A&M Agrilife 37

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Recommended
vegetable varieties
for growing in
containers

* Texas A&M AgriLife

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Taking care of your plants

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Fertilizer Application*
• Soil type dictates the frequency for fertilizer application. Sandy soils require more frequent
applications and lower amounts of nitrogen and other nutrients than do clay type soils.
• Check fertilizer label for recommended frequency of application for specific vegetables.
• A general rule of thumb is that nitrogen is for leafy top growth; phosphorus is for root and
fruit production; and potassium is for cold hardiness, disease resistance, drought tolerance,
and general durability.
• CAUTION: If tomatoes and other nightshade plants are fertilized too heavily with nitrogen,
the plant may be all leaves and no fruit. A nitrogen application will have its greatest effect for
3 to 4 weeks after application.

* http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/vegetable/guides/texas-vegetable-growers-handbook/chapter-iii-soils-fertilizers/
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Plant care for salad greens
• Ideal ambient temperatures are 50°-70° F
• Add supplemental water when soil dries out at 1 inch depth
(finger test or moisture meter). Containers dry out more
quickly than raised beds or in-ground gardens.
• Fertilize with blood meal, fish meal, cottonseed meal or
pre-mixed 10-5-5 chemical fertilizer
• Pests and diseases for greens include: aphids, leafminers,
Leafhoppers, cabbage looper, cutworms, slugs, downy
mildew, mosaic of Fusarium. Follow Integrated Pest
Management Guidelines (Resources) for controls.
• Leaves may be harvested individually from the outside of
the plant or the entire plant may be harvested when
outside leaves reach the desired size.

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Plant care for warm weather crops
•

•
more

•
•
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 Pests and beneficial insects
Beneficial Chewing Insects Sucking Insects Soil Insects
Insects
Assassin Bug Beet Armyworm Two-spotted Mite Granulate Cutworm
Big-eyed Bug Blister Beetle Aphid Mole Cricket
Ground Beetle Cabbage Looper Cabbage Aphid Pill Bug
Honey Bee Carrot Weevil Leaf-footed Bug Southern Corn
Lacewing Corn Earworm Leafhopper Rootworm For pictures
Minute Pirate Bug Diamondback Moth Onion Thrips Sweet Potato Weevil
Lady Bird Beetle Fall Armyworm Sharpshooter White Grub
and more
Parasitic Wasp Flea Beetle Sweet Potato Wireworm information:
Predatory Wasp Garden Webworm Whitefly https://vegetableipm.
Praying Mantis Grasshopper Squash Bug tamu.edu/insects-by-
Various Spiders Imported Cabbage Stink Bug
name/
Worm Thrips
Pepper Weevil Whitefly
Pickle Worm
Salt Marsh Caterpillar
Serpentine Leafminer
Squash Vine Borer
Tomato(tobacco)
Hornworm
Tomato Pinworm
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Common vegetable diseases
• Spread by:
➢ Soil: mostly fungi, bacteria and nematodes
➢ Contaminated seeds
➢ Insect and nematode — mostly viruses
➢ Wind: mostly fungi
➢ Water: mostly fungi and bacteria
➢ Human activity (wash and disinfect your
tools)
• Excellent resources for information and
pictures:
https://agrilife.org/samuelzapata/files/2016/09/Common-diseases-of-vegetable-
crops-and-their-management_Aug.-25-2016.pdf

Agricultural pests—search by crop: http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/crops-agriculture.html

Early blight on tomato

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Getting some help from ergonomics

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About ergonomic gardening tools
• Gardening is great physical therapy for maintaining joint flexibility, bone density, and range
of motion.
• As we age, gardening tasks that require strength, a lot of repetitive stooping, squatting,
kneeling, gripping and lifting can be painful and difficult.
• Ergonomic tools make executing gardening tasks easier on the body.
• Ergonomics is the science of adapting tools to help reduce physical stress on a worker’s
body (U.S. Department of Labor).
• In general, ergonomic tools have longer handles, are made of lightweight materials, and
offer smaller grips. They also tend to:
• Neutralize joint position
• Minimize stress
• Allow for different sizes
• Add soft padding
• Reduce vibration
• Include thumb rest and proper-diameter grips

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Gardening helpers

Sit or flip to kneel Kneeling pad

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Show and tell – ergonomic tools

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Resources and references
Denton County Master Gardener North Texas Gardening: http://dcmga.com/north-texas-gardening/

TAMU Soil Analysis Lab: http://soiltesting.tamu.edu/

Soil report interpretation guidance: http://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1957/22023/ec1478.pdf

Soil quantity calculator: http://www.gardeners.com/how-to/soil-calculator/

Growing vegetables in Containers: http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/vegetable/files/2010/10/E-

545_vegetable_gardening_containers.pdf

Vegetable Variety Selector by County: http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/publications/veg_variety/

Vegetable varieties for North Central Texas: http://agrilifecdn.tamu.edu/urbantarranthorticulture/files/2010/06/Vegetable-Varieties-

for-North-Central-Texas-1.pdf

Integrated Pest Management Guidelines for Texas: http://vegetableipm.tamu.edu/

Crucifer Disease Guide: https://www.seminis.com/global/us/growerresources/Documents/SEM-

12093_Crucifer_Disease_Guide_072313.pdf

Vegetable Gardening in Containers: http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/vegetable/files/2010/10/E-

545_vegetable_gardening_containers.pdf

Container Gardening: https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/solutions/container-gardening/

Beneficial and problem insects: https://vegetableipm.tamu.edu/insects-by-name/

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More resources
Easy Gardening series: Tips on planting and caring for commonly grown vegetables. http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/vegetable/
Texas Home Vegetable Gardening Guide http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/vegetable/files/2010/10/E-
502_home_vegetable_guide.pdf
Organic Gardening: Information on gardening using organic methods. http://organiclifestyles.tamu.edu/index.html
AgriLife Organic Vegetable Gardening page http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/organic/crops/vegetable-gardening/
AgriLife Organic Insect Management page http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/organic/crops/insect-management/
Texas Earth-Kind Gardening Techniques: Everything from preparing the soil and planting, to taking care of your crops: http://aggie-
horticulture.tamu.edu/archives/parsons/earthkind/ekgarden.pdf

Recommended planting dates:

http://agrilifecdn.tamu.edu/urbantarranthorticulture/files/2010/06/Recommended_Planting_Dates_for_North_Texas1.pdf

Required soil temperatures for improving plant’s success http://dallas-tx.tamu.edu/files/2010/06/Vegetable-Planting-Guide.pdf

Garden Design help: http://www.motherearthnews.com/garden-planner/vegetable-garden-planner.aspx and
http://www.gardeners.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-Gardeners-Site/default/KGP-Design
Insect Management in Organic Farming Systems: http://articles.extension.org/pages/59455/insect-management-in-organic-farming-
systems
Landscape IPM: http://landscapeipm.tamu.edu/what-is-ipm/ipm-concepts/
Vegetable diseases: https://agrilife.org/samuelzapata/files/2016/09/Common-diseases-of-vegetable-crops-and-their-
management_Aug.-25-2016.pdf
Agricultural pests—search by crop: http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/crops-agriculture.html 51