gardening – Lubbocks Home and Family Magazine

Indoor Gardening

Courtney Dietz — Thu, 11 Jan 2024 01:02:00 +0000

Indoor Gardening

Kara Hyden

Do you have a green thumb and want to try indoor gardening? Or do you just want to experiment with it to save some money? Regardless of your reason, having an indoor garden adds beauty to your home, boosts your mood, and improves air quality.

But you may be asking yourself, “How do I start an indoor garden? What supplies do I need? What can I grow indoors?” If you have ever wondered about starting your own garden, this article will help…green thumb not required.

To start, you will need a few basic supplies:

Shallow container with drainage holes
Organic potting soil
Seeds
Watering can or mister

Optional supplies include pots of different sizes (depending on what you plan to grow), labels for the plants or herbs (if growing them in the same pot), neem oil (organic substance to help control insects and diseases), plant trays, and fertilizer.

Next, you’ll want to decide where you’re going to put the indoor garden. Avoid rooms that have cold temperatures or placing plant containers near an air vent or fan. Cold air isn’t good for plants and the vents can dry out your plants and cause damage. And while natural sunlight is best, some spaces may not have sunlight available, so it’s best to use specialized lights, like grow lights.

Once you have your supplies and your space, the next decision is what to plant. Below are different kinds of plants, vegetables, and herbs that grow best indoors:

Plants: Spider plant, Snake plant, Monstera Deliciosa, Pothos, Peace Lily, Aloe, and Yucca

Vegetables: Baby Greens like lettuce, arugula, basil, spinach, and chard, and Microgreens like radishes, broccoli, peas, and sunflowers

Herbs: Basil, Mint, Chives, Oregano, Cilantro, Bay Laurel, Dill, Thyme, Parsley, and Rosemary

To start your garden, place one to two inches of potting soil in your container, scatter the seeds over the surface, and cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil. Put the container in a drip tray and give the soil a gentle shower. Place the tray in the sun or under grow lights and mist every couple of days to keep the soil moist.

Soon you’ll have a nice little garden of your own to be proud of!

Fall Gardening

Courtney Dietz — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 05:01:00 +0000

Gardening this Autumn

Grace Morgan

Lubbock and the surrounding areas are in the USDA Hardiness Zone 7. We experience relatively mild winters with average minimum temperatures between 0°F (-17.8°C) and 10°F (-12.2°C). This gives us a great opportunity for nearly year-round gardening. In fact, many of the crops below do much better in the fall (or early spring) than in our hot summers. Fall planting allows you to extend your growing season and enjoy fresh produce even as the weather gets cooler. Here are some options:

Leafy Greens: Many leafy greens thrive in cooler weather. You can plant varieties like lettuce, spinach, kale, arugula, and Swiss chard. You can harvest them well into the fall and sometimes even into the winter with proper protection.
Root Vegetables: Root crops are great choices for fall planting. Sow carrots, radishes, beets, turnips, and parsnips in late summer for a fall harvest.
Broccoli and Cauliflower: These cool-season vegetables can be planted in late summer for a fall harvest. They might even continue producing well into the winter, depending on the severity of your local climate.

Cabbage: Plant cabbage in late summer to early fall for harvest in the fall or early winter. There are different varieties of cabbage, including green, red, and savoy.
Peas: Depending on the specific variety, you can plant peas in late summer for a fall harvest. Peas like cooler temperatures and can produce well in the early fall.
Bush Beans: While taller pole varieties do well in the summer, bush beans produce heavily over a shorter period and are a great addition to your fall garden.
Garlic: Fall is an ideal time to plant garlic cloves for a summer harvest the following year. The cloves establish roots during the fall and winter, resulting in larger bulbs come summer.

Onions: Some varieties of onions can be planted in the fall for an early summer harvest. These overwinter and produce bulbs in the following year.
Herbs: Certain herbs like parsley, cilantro, chives, and dill grow well in the fall garden. Just be sure to provide protection if frost is expected.
Cover Crops: If you’re not planning on growing food crops during the fall, consider planting cover crops like clover, winter rye, or hairy vetch. These crops help improve soil health and prevent erosion over the winter.

When planning your fall garden, be mindful of the average first frost date in your specific location as this varies across the 806. Planting times can vary based on the specific conditions of your local climate. Providing protection like row covers or cold frames can help extend the growing season for certain crops. Always check the seed packets or plant tags for specific recommendations on planting and care.

Prep Tips for the Perfect Garden

Courtney Dietz — Sat, 31 Dec 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Prep Tips for the Perfect Garden

Kristin Rodin

Sunshine and warmer weather make spring the perfect time to break out your green thumb. Whether you’re looking to spruce up your flower beds or plant vegetables and herbs, prepping your garden is a must. Check out these tips to ensure you have a successful garden!

Fertilizers for soil types

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service reports Lubbock county is made up of silty loam and silty clay loam soils. What does that mean for your garden? You’re in luck! Loam soil, made up of silt, sand and clay, is ideal for most garden plants, as it’s well-draining and holds nutrients well.

Still, your garden bed may need some help to keep your plants thriving. Fertilizer can help provide beneficial nutrients for your plants. Use a slow-release in early spring for flowers, and a liquid fertilizer for produce gardens. Adding a layer of compost and mulch can help protect the top soil and plant roots from extreme temperature changes and helps with water retention.

Best plants for spring time

Planting is the fun part! Starting in March, you can begin planting carrots, chives, parsley, and spinach seeds outside. This is also a good month to add compost, if you’re using it. Come April, you’ll be ready to plant beans, cucumber, tomatoes, and ornamental grasses. Sweet potatoes and annual flowers should be planted after the last freeze. For all your beautiful ornamental flowers, such as marigolds, petunias, daisies and dahlias, May is the perfect month to plant.

Prepare for weather changes

There are few things as unpredictable as weather in West Texas. While warmer weather is sure to come, the average last freeze in spring is around April, according to the Lubbock Master Gardeners Association. Before a cold snap, deeply water your plants’ roots, cover with wood or hay mulch, and cover your garden beds with sheets or blankets, then a tarp, for insulation. Remove them first thing in the morning to prevent condensation, and you’ll be ready for brighter – and warmer – days.

While April showers bring May flowers, prepping your garden for the spring planting season doesn’t hurt, too. With these tips, your garden will look better than ever!