By:Luis Arjona Photo: Rachel Benavides
After speaking on the phone with Justin and Kayla, itbris difficult to not pick up on their charismatic personalities. Both arebrcontributing editors to The Bend already and have an abundance of knowledge inbrtheir respective interests. Both welcoming conversation over the phone as if webrwere by a campfire, Justin and I discussed gardening tips for beginners lookingbrto get into the craft. After our conversation, Justin did us the honor ofbrresponding to some questions I had penned for him. The Q&A exists to servebras a jumping-off point for those curious about starting their garden in thebrCoastal Bend.
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Luis: With the COVID pandemic spiking inbrTexas, an article about at-home gardening seems relevant. An independent food supply from tending a garden can bebrboth beneficial and therapeutic in times of stress. Are there any beginner tipsbryou would like to give to the locals?
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Justin Butts: First, don’t wait to garden; beginbrimmediately! No matter what time of year in South Texas, you can always start abrgarden. The sooner you start, the faster you will harvestbrvegetables, improve soil, and build your knowledge. Even if you only start withbra cover crop of beans or vetch, start now!
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Second, soil health is 90% of successful gardening!brDon’t worry about becoming an expert in plants; become an expert in soil. Everything you do should contribute to healthy soil.
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Third, plant the right plants for the current season.brThere are windows for growing certain plants. Growing in season gives morebrsuccess and more fun.
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Any resources you would like to recommend?
The Bend’s website honestly is an excellent resource for localbrgardeners. Search old issues and articles on their page or flip through an old issue for tips on preparing the soil andbrtechniques for growing many plants.
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The Grow Biointensive website is one of the bestbrresources on the web for gardening. Additionally, The Dirt Doctor is anbrexcellent site for improving soil health.
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Are there any favorite fruits andbrvegetables that do better than others in our climate?
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Nearly every vegetable and herb grow well in thebrCoastal Bend. Run a Google search for “plant hardiness zone 9” for a list ofbrplants that grow in our area. The list of produce is exhaustive. Next, click on each of your favorite vegetables orbrherbs to learn when to plant each one. Investigate further to learn tips for the cultivationbrof each plant.
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For those caring about sensibility, howbrabout people designing their garden beds? Is there a source of inspiration youbrwould like to mention?
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The most important element of designing a garden bedbris locating the bed! A vegetable or kitchen herb garden must receive at least 8brhours of direct sun per day. Insufficient sunlight is a chief reason thatbrgardens fail in the Coastal Bend, due to shady plantings.
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Next, make sure the garden is protected from thebrrelentless Gulf breezes in the summer, which dry out the soil.
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Finally, always employ companion planting. Companionbrplanting is the close spacing of two or more plants that benefit eachbrother.
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Routine for beginnerbrgardeners?
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Planting boxes and lumber borders are not necessarily needed! Skipbrthe carpentry and get right into actual gardening in the dirt. Lumber bordersbrcan be added later, if at all. Start immediately by improving the soil andbrgetting plants in the ground.
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Similar to the baking frenzy, I believebrthat gardening will also take a strong trend throughout the country during these times while we are all home more often. What arebryour thoughts on this take?
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Gardening is currently one of the fastest-growingbroutdoor activities! A desire for fresh produce, healthy exercise, and simplybrreconnecting with nature is driving this trend. As new gardeners build theirbrsuccess, this trend will only increase.
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We hope the conversation helps anyone looking to beginbrtheir independent food source or are seeking a therapeutic activity to keepbrthem productive at home. Good luck with your garden!
