'Tis the season to become serious about getting into the vegetable garden. In a perfect world, each of us spent last fall getting our garden cleaned up, amended, and laid to rest for what passes for winter here in East Texas. January and February herald the beginning of the planting season for cool-weather crops.
If you procrastinated on the aforementioned clean up, get going! Marty Baker, Extension Specialist with Texas A & M, recommends planting English peas on January 15. Beets, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, Irish potatoes, onion, spinach, and turnips will follow in mid-February.
March should warm up enough to plant pole and bush beans, lettuce, summer squash, watermelons, and possibly corn. That said, I am a firm believer in using a soil thermometer, as corn seed will germinate fairly well if the soil temperature reaches 60 degrees, but has a distressing tendency to rot if temperatures are very much cooler. In all cases, I'd rather be safe than sorry.
It's also time to start your seeds for those plants that do better as transplants: tomatoes and peppers are two favored examples. Always remember to harden these seedlings off before planting them into the garden. This is done by placing them outside each day as temperatures warm in order to accustom them to the real world. Start with a few hours in a sheltered area on the porch, and increase the exposure time each day.
With the exception of tomatoes and peppers, all of the plants mentioned above require cooler temperatures to thrive. It's essential to get them going early to ensure a harvest before the summer heat and pests arrive.
Kathy Fiebig, Smith County Master Gardener
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