Tips and Facts about Vegetable Gardening in Denton County:

Ready to join the fun?   Check out Denton County Master Gardener Al Kirchhoff's Getting Started Guide for Denton County.   

And here's a handy printable Beginner's Guide to Vegetable Gardening in Denton County--everything you need to know in five easy steps.

Interested in the experiences of other local gardeners?   Denton County Master Gardener "Veg Heads" blog about their latest veggie gardening trials and triumphs.

Denton County Weather Facts:

• Spring average last frost date (50% probability of no more frost):  March 18
• Spring date of 90% probability no more frost:   April 6
• Fall average first frost date (50% probability that a frost has occurred):  November 16
• Fall date of 90% probability first frost:  December 4
• Denton county straddles the boundary between USDA hardiness zones 7b--in the most of the county--and 8a in the southeast corner. Check out the USDA hardiness zones map.
• The 30-year normal precipitation for Denton County, from the National Weather Service, is shown below:

   Texas Vegetable Gardening Resources:

Veggie gardening basics from Texas A&M and the Texas AgriLife Extension

• Easy Gardening series :  Tips on planting and caring for commonly grown vegetables.
• Organic Gardening:   Information on gardening using organic methods.

Selecting a site and bed prep

• Container gardening:   Short on space?   Growing vegetables in containers could be the answer.  Containers can make planting, maintaining and harvesting easier for physically challenged gardeners.
• Raised beds:   Planting in raised beds is often recommended for gardening in Denton County.
• Square foot gardening:  Also called intensive gardening, square foot gardening suggests growing plants close together in a grid pattern in small, raised beds.   The square foot gardening site is not associated with Texas A&M University.  It is maintained by the author of a book on the subject.  Come back soon and read Master Gardeners' experiences with square foot gardening in Denton County. Yes, we have had to make exceptions to his rules.
• Lasagna gardening:  Lasagna gardening is a no-dig method of bed preparation.  The bed starts with sheets of wet newspaper, followed by layers (hence the name 'lasagna') of organic material which decomposes to form compost right in the bed.   There is also a book on this gardening method.

Plant and seed selection

• Recommended vegetable cultivars for North Central Texas from the Texas AgriLife Extension.   It's important to select proven veggie varieties that do well in our tough Texas climate and soil.   Not all of the varieties that you may find in large garden centers are well-suited for our area.  
• Specialty veggies for Texas that you might try.  
• Suggested herbs to grow in Texas.   How about some herbs to go with those vegetables?
• Coming soon:   suggested vegetable varieties from Denton County Master Gardeners.

Taking care of the plants:

Now that you've prepared the site, and selected and planted your vegetables, your plants will appreciate some TLC.  

• Watering is especially important and can be a challenge in our heat.  This article discusses how often and how much to water.  Drip irrigation is one option that saves water and time.   A homemade irrigator is another way to keep your plants happy with a little less work.
• The amount and type of fertilizer required will depend on the fertility of the soil, so get a soil test prior to planting.   There are many vegetable fertilizers on the market, so it helps to understand fertilizers and their uses before you shop. 
• Weed control can be an issue in a vegetable garden.  Manually pulling weeds or using a hoe may be all you need.   Mulching the garden or planting the vegetable plants close together may also help.   If you choose to use an herbicide, be sure to read the label and use it only according to directions and on varieties that are listed on the label.
• Mulching is a great way to reduce water needs and help control weeds and disease.

How do you know when it's time to harvest your bounty?  Here are some tips for harvesting and handling vegetables from the Texas AgriLife Extension.

Solving Problems:

Sometimes things don't go exactly as planned.   If you notice that your plants don't look healthy or there are bugs or other critters feasting on your crops, here are some tips:

• Tomato problem solver
• Cucurbit (squash, melons and cucumbers) problem solver
• Plant covers:  one option for plant protection
• Veggie Info and Q&A

Remember:  if you choose to use chemicals to solve problems, please follow label instructions exactly.

Fall Gardening:

Spring isn't the only time to plant vegetables in North Texas.   Check out the Fall Gardening Guide and 10 Commandments of fall gardening success for tips.

Winter Gardening

Coming soon:  Gardening over the winter in North Texas.

Fun stuff

• Our Vegetable Travelers: This site has some interesting historical facts about the cultivation and use of vegetables that are familiar to us today.
• Building a greenhouse:  Instructions and a demonstration of building a greenhouse.

Some other useful links

• Kitchen Garden Planner from Gardener's Supply Company has suggestions, tools and information for designing your vegetable and herb garden
• Texas Home Fruit, Nut and Vegetable Gardening from the Texas AgriLife Extension
• Texas Home Gardening Guide from the Texas AgriLife Extension
• Vegetable Crop Guides from the Texas AgriLife Extension.  Detailed information about vegetable crops.
• Producing, Preparing, and Processing Vegetables for Health from the Texas AgriLife Extension.  Tips for growing, nutrition information and recipes!
• Greater Ft. Worth Herb Society website has lots of information and links about herbs

Questions?   Our Frequently Asked Questions list may have the answer.   If not, send a request to our Help Desk at master.gardener@dentoncounty.com, or call the Help Desk at 940-349-2892.