Texas vegetable gardening planning and production is a very challenging project. Unlike vegetable gardening in other areas of the United States, Texas vegetable gardens are very different. Because of the soil, insects, disease and unusual weather patterns, Texas vegetable gardening planning needs to be taken very seriously. With the temperature changing 40 degrees within three hours, and the threat of droughts, floods and hurricanes, the challenge seems almost insurmountable. But taking the time to make a Texas vegetable gardening planning guideline will prove to ease the difficulties facing your Texas vegetable garden.

Texas Soil and Sunlight

Because of the different soil types in Texas it’s rather unusual to find many home vegetable gardens dug directly into the soil. Most Texas vegetable gardening planning begins with a square foot garden. The height should be raised about 11 inches with the square footage dependent on the area and location. Direct Texas sun will surely kill almost any vegetable in the garden if grown at the wrong time of the year or in an area that gets more than six hours of direct sunlight.

Be sure to have a diagram in your Texas vegetable gardening planning of exactly how you want your garden to look. Keeping it away from buildings and overhanging trees is a good idea. Texas vegetable gardening planning also should start with a good soil mixture that is made especially for Texas vegetable gardens. Most of the local Texas nurseries will have the right mixture of soil for the vegetable gardens.

Texas Insects

It seems that all vegetables grown in Texas have a pest specifically for that particular vegetable. Unlike the gardens in the rest of the United States, the insects seem a lot bigger here. The popular saying, “They grow everything big in Texas” is certainly true in the insect department. Your local horticulturist or extension office will help you fight these pesky mites. This is where your Texas vegetable gardening planning comes in very handy. Choose vegetable plants that are insect and disease free. At least try and buy the varieties that won’t die from the little critters if eaten too heartily.

There are multitudes of Texas vegetable gardening planning books written to help the new Texas transplant with his or her garden. Texas natives have grown up in this weather and have learned how to live with these critters. But transplant a Yankee down here and gardening is a brand new challenge. Texas vegetable gardening can be fun but only with careful Texas vegetable gardening planning guidelines.