Basic Organic Gardening:
Spring is not the only time to plant in Central Texas. Many people are unaware of the fabulous fall planting season in Central Texas due to our mild winters. Many claim that fall is the best time to plant in Central Texas. February-March and September-October are the two prime planting times but you can plant and harvest something nearly year round here!

In order to reap the garden benefits of these 2 seasons, below are some helpful suggestions on how to start and manage an organic food garden. Suggestions #1: START SMALL!

Preparing Garden Beds

• Make sure soil is moist before beginning to make it easier to work in the dirt.
• Pull up any weeds growing in the garden site.
• Loosen the soil with a spading fork. Be careful to back away from the turned soil so that you do not undo your work by stepping on the ground you have just loosened.
• Remove grass roots and weeds with seedpods from each forkful as you dig it up and break it apart.
• Divide the area of forked soil into beds by deciding where to place pathways. Be sure you can comfortably reach all areas of the bed from the pathways.
• Dig a trench for each pathway by shoveling loose soil out of the pathway and onto the beds.
• Put newspaper, cardboard or black plastic over pathways.
• Cover with 4-6" of mulch, leaves, or hay to suffocate weeds and grasses.
• Add 4-6" of compost to each bed, working in into the top 3" of soil with a spading fork.

Compost
Compost is the end product of a natural process that turns leaves, weeds, grass clippings, food scraps, and other organic matter into a dark, crumbly, soil-like substance. Compost provides numerous benefits for the garden by adding nutrients to the soil. It enhances soil aeration and water retention and helps prevent erosion.

A compost pile needs four elements to successfully decompose: carbon, nitrogen, water and air. This can be achieved by layering green matter (food scrapes, lawn clipping) in between layers of brown matter (leaves, paper, yard waste) and then watering it. A successful compost pile will be 30-50% green matter and 50-70% brown matter.

Turning a compost pile and adding water until the pile is as moist as a squeezed-out sponge isn't necessary, but will help speed up the decomposition process. Compost is ready to add to gardens when its ingredients are no longer identifiable. It is best to sift compost through a screen before spreading it on your garden beds.

Planting

• Follow recommendations on the seed packets for seed spacing and sunlight.
• During germination, keep the soil in your garden beds moist.
• Once plants emerge thin your garden by pulling out plants that are crowded together.

Watering

• Water needs vary depending upon the plant.
• Fewer and heavier watering is better that frequent, quick watering. This helps plants develop deep roots.
• WATER PLANTS AND SEEDS RIGHT AFTER PLANTING.
• Water beds gently using a spray nozzle so that you do not wash your seeds away or damage your plants.
• A layer of organic material such as compost and mulch will help to prevent evaporation.

Mulch
Mulch is a layer of nonliving material that covers the soil surface around plants. Mulch helps inhibit weed growth and improve soil moisture retention. It also helps insulate plant roots from cold in the winter and heat in the summer. Materials such as compost, hay, leaves, chopped up wood, newspaper, or burlap sacks can be used to mulch.

Weeding

• Hand-pull weeds as much as possible.
• Mulch all bare soil in beds to prevent weeds from growing in those areas.
• Feed your soil with compost to improve soil health-healthy soil helps prevent weeds.
• DO NOT use synthetic herbicides.

Controlling Pests and Diseases
Not all bugs in the garden are bad. Observe your garden frequently to find out what changes are occurring and what bugs might be living there. Often insects and diseases are signs that a plant is not growing in the ideal condition. If you start to notice the following symptoms on your plants, your garden may need help or attention.

• Chewed up leaves, or leaves with holes in them
• Black spots, mildew, or yellowed leaves
• Bugs on plants

Planting Resources:
Recommended Vegetable Varieties for Travis County* (DOC) Vegetable Planting Calendar for Travis County* (PDF)

* information provided by Texas Cooperative Extension Service

Gardener Profile:
Paula Estes
For Paula Estes, gardening is an integral part of life. As a mother, it is a means by which to grow fresh, natural, healthy food for her family. As a concerned citizen, it is a means by which to build relationships with other humans and the environment, fulfill social responsibilities, reduce dependence on nonrenewable energy sources, and develop an appreciation for food grown locally. As a teacher, it is a means by which to educate children.

Paula is in a garden almost every day. She helps to maintain numerous gardens around town, including 5 ornamental and herb beds at a local park, the landscaping around an area school, a garden at her home, and 3 plots at Alamo Community Garden. Four years ago Paula joined Alamo Community Gardens, renting plots for food production and youth education. Paula uses the plots at Alamo to teach 9 5-8 year olds about basic scientific concepts, social responsibility, and where their food comes from. Students observe the life cycles of plants and bugs, draw connections between cause and effect, learn to value the environment, and gain understanding of social responsibility by growing food to share with senior citizens at the community center across from the garden. While sharing the food, the students get a chance to interact with the senior citizens, developing multigenerational and cross cultural relationships.

Although Paula has over 20 years of experience in the garden, she is always learning new information. She recognizes that it is important to not give up, to embrace change, and to find like-minded people to share ideas with and gain new information from. For any new gardeners, Paula suggests that you start small and find a mentor to help you set roots in the soil...and get yourself a copy of the Travis County Master Gardener Association Garden Guide for Austin and Vicinity here.