July is probably the second most consistently hot and dry month in the southeast Texas growing season. August being the first, with September running a close third. Like the old saying goes, “It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity,” or in our case, often a LACK of humidity, or to be more accurate, rain. While the number of vegetable varieties that can survive planting and early growth in our high temperature and often drought ridden summer climate are limited, food production is still possible. Already planted vegetables should be providing a steady harvest by now. Tomatoes, cucumbers, melons, beans, okra and squash (if the squash bugs allow it) can be picked almost daily, despite the heat. It’s just a good idea to pay rapt attention to irrigation, have some additional water conserving mulch ready, and be prepared to use some sort of shade cloth if the sun becomes too intense. Or… it may be a wet and cloudy season and plants will grow with little or no attention. You never know… that’s southeast Texas.
Believe it or not, it’s time to start getting ready for a fall garden. You can go ahead and clear out any spent and finished spring or early summer plantings. I have some lettuce plants that produced into early June, and then bolted from the heat. I also have some dill and basil plants that have seen better days. Pull them and toss them in a compost pile. Clear out any weeds that have taken hold, and add a good 2-3 inches of compost. Depending on how you garden you can dig it in, or leave it as-is. Add a 3-4 inch layer of mulch, and water it down. This mulch will protect the soil from rain erosion, discourage weeds from sprouting, and help prevent the soil from crusting over. The bed should be good and ready to plant a winter garden by fall.
Planting: Please note, there are often such a wide variety of vegetable cultivars (varieties) available that I will not be making any particular recommendations beyond the basic type. I am just giving a little advice on the best time to plant in general. Your experience may vary due to the particulars of your garden. crops to think about are Asian or Burpless/SeedlessCucumbers, Honeydew Melons(water intensive), Cream Peas (also called Cowpeas), Green Snap (Pole) Beans, Okra, Squash, Zucchini and Yellow Squash, Sweet Potatoes, and Tomatoes (second crop).
Irrigating: If the garden is not getting rainfall every 3-4 days,(or less if you haven’t mulched well), then supplemental irrigation is essential. Water early in the morning when the heat is less intense to prevent evaporation. Consider installing a drip irrigation system, or try to apply water as close to the soil as possible without disturbing the soil in order to keep the foliage dry. Wet or damp leaves encourage fungus and disease, and can increase the chance of sun scald when the sun hits the leaves.
Fertilizing: I’m not a big believer chemical fertilizers, or in spot fertilizing, but I do believe in slow regular applications of homemade compost to build the overall fertility of the soil. Compost is a topic that could fill pages, and I’ll write more on it later. If you like spot fertilizing, any time throughout the summer is acceptable. Just follow the package directions for chemical fertilizers, or throw a shovel full of compost around each plant.
My big To-Do project for this week and next is to set up some additional. more permanent compost bins. I’ll post about it once it’s done, and hopefully be able to provide some pictures of the process. I should probably mow, too, so the neighbors stay friendly. Plus the mowings will work well in the compost bins. That’s it for my first Monthly Schedule post. The more I learn the more informative I hope they’ll become.