Tips for Vegetable Gardening in East Texas

Garden Site Selection

• Choose a well-drained site with full sun. When selecting a spot to start garden, be aware of nearby trees. Do not choose a site that will be shaded as trees mature. Vegetables require 8 to 10 hours of full sun daily; the more sun they get, the higher the crop yield. Leaf crops such as spinach, lettuce and kale will do well in partial shade; however, beans, corn, squash, cucumbers, potatoes and tomatoes do best in full sun.

Garden Preparation

• Soil in east Texas is often composed of heavily compacted clays. Cultivate the soil well, removing rocks, roots and weeds. Use a garden tractor or cultivator to break up dirt clods and aerate the ground. Go back and forth across the garden several times until the soil is loose and crumbly. Vegetables cannot grow in tightly compacted soil.

Soil Testing

• Take a soil sample to your local county extension office and request a soil analysis. Request advice from your extension agent on improving the soil in your garden. Vegetables grow best in soil with pH of 6.0 to 6.5. Soil in east Texas is often acidic and may require an application of lime. Add soil amendments as recommended after testing.

Soil Amending

• Vegetables require nutrient rich, well-drained soil. Soils in east Texas are often deficient in nitrogen, potassium, phosphorous, calcium and magnesium. Cover the garden with a 6- to 8-inch layer of organic compost. Use equal parts of aged barnyard manure, dried leaves, organic compost, straw and nontreated wood chips. Cultivate well, working the materials deeply into the soil. Cultivate again, continuing to work the soil until all added materials are thoroughly incorporated.

Weed Killing

• Solarization, a method of harnessing the energy of the sun, is the best way to eliminate weed seeds. Do not apply noxious herbicides or toxic chemicals. Instead, after the soil has been amended and cultivated, water the garden space well. Thoroughly soak the soil. Cover the entire area with heavy, black landscape plastic. Secure the covering by placing rocks or boards on the corners. Allow the garden space to "rest" for 6 to 8 weeks while the heat of the sun pasteurizes the soil, eliminating all weed seeds. Once established, a garden site will produce for many years. The soil will continually improve as crops are cultivated and the soil amended.

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones

• Select proven strains of garden vegetables that do well in your locale. East Texas is in U.S. plant hardiness zones 7 to 9.