By Fort Bend County Master Gardeners
Seventy people spent a recent Saturday morning learning about “Edible Garden Planning,” thanks to Fort Bend County Master Gardeners.
The free Grow Your Own class begins a new year of educational offerings by Master Gardeners, who also offer Landscape Success classes on different gardening topics.
Master Gardeners Peggy d’Hemecourt and Dan Lawlor presented the January program and answered audience questions.
d’Hemecourt told the group at the Bud O’Shieles Community Center that success depends upon having a plan, choosing a site, preparing the soil, planting at the optimal time of year and continuous care.
“If you don’t know where you’re going, don’t be surprised when you get there,” she said, emphasizing the importance of planning. “Planning begins with the end in mind. What do you want to accomplish?” she asked the group.
Her list of possible goals included fresh fruit and vegetables for their family, engaging the entire family in an outdoor project and replacing lawn with productive garden space. Questions to be asked by the gardeners include who will do the work, what do you and your family like to eat and how do you plan to use what you grow.
If a vegetable garden is the goal, the attendees learned that it needs a well-drained area, a nearby water supply, visibility from the home, a site away from trees, shrubs and buildings and 8-plus hours of direct sunlight. People who don’t have room for raised beds were asked to consider planting in containers.
d’Hemecourt of Richmond also talked about successful home fruit production and what requirements need to be met to accomplish that goal. “Begin with the end in mind!” she said. “Know before you grow.”
Lawlor talked about what is soil, its physical characteristics, improving soil structure, soil water, plant nutrients and soil pH, fertilizers and soil testing. Examining soil volume, he said half is pore space and half soil solids. Components are air, water, minerals and organic material. “Soil is alive,” he said.
In discussing soil texture, Lawlor said the average soil in the Richmond area was 40 percent to 50 percent clay, 15 percent silt and 35 percent sand. An ideal composition would be less than 20 percent clay, 15 percent silt and 65 percent sand.
“Soil is produced when unweathered geologic material is acted upon over time by climate and biological activity,” he told attendees. “Soil structure is almost always improved by adding organic matter.” Why is organic matter important? Lawlor of Sugar Land said it loosens soil, aggregates soil, is a nutrient source for plants, increases water holding and aeration, provides food for microbes, buffers soil pH, regulates temperature and helps prevent erosion.
He discussed humus vs organic matter and slow-release vs fast-release fertilizers. He identified 16 essential plant nutrients, discussed taking soil samples and why having soil tested for nutrients is important. Attendees picked up soil sample forms and bags in which to send their soil samples to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension testing laboratory. Soil Testing Lab – Soil, Water and Forage Testing Laboratory
Grow Your Own is a seven-class series about creating a productive edible home garden and is offered by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Fort Bend County and Master Gardeners. Other classes in the program include Fruit Trees, Feb. 1; Setting Up a Raised Bed/Planter, March 1; Warm Season Vegetables & Herbs, April 5; Vegetable Disease & Pest Management, May 10; Composting, June 14; Cool Season Vegetables & Herbs. Aug. 9. Learn more at https://fortbend.agrilife.org/grow-your-own-2/
Landscape Success also is a seven-class series. The first class is “Growing a Great Lawn” on Jan. 24 at 1 p.m. on Zoom. Other classes in the online series include “Landscape Basics” Feb. 28; “Flowering Plants for 4 Seasons” March 28; “Using Irrigation Wisely” April 25; “Shade Gardening-Ideas and Tips” May 23; “Tree Care Basics” June 27; and “Winter Protection” Aug. 22. Learn more at https://fortbend.agrilife.org/landscape-success/
Each series offers registrants a video of their class for future reference.
For questions and information, contact: Brandy Rader at 281-342-3034 or brandy.rader@ag.tamu.edu
Photos by Fort Bend County Master Gardeners
Master Gardener Peg d’Hemecourt shares information with 70 people who attended a January class called “Edible Garden Planning.”
Master Gardener Dan Lawlor talked this month about soil, its components and how to improve it to a group of 70 people interested in gardening.