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FALL VEGETABLE GARDEN PREP: Smith County master gardener says start now

If you haven't already, now is the perfect time to start prepping your garden for those fall vegetables.

TYLER, Texas — Many are already thinking ahead to fall and If you’re looking to start gardening, that might be in your favor. 

Experts say now may be the perfect time to start prepping your garden for fall vegetables. 

"We're fixing to be one of our major planting times right now,” Greg Grant, a Smith County horticulturist with the Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service said. “You can plant things like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, carrots, turnips, mustard, greens, snow, peas, English peas —  all these things that can tolerate frosty nights and eventually even a hard freeze."

Grant says keeping each of these plants alive is all about timing. 

Even though you can start fall vegetable prepping as late as September, he recommends starting early as possible. 

“A garden is all about starting the very beginning of the season, because in Texas, a door opens and then the door slammed in your face, and it's all over," said Grant.

Credit: Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service
Cabbage garden

If you're starting to prep as early as this week, keep in mind transplants and seedlings. Some plants do better when planted as seeds, while others do better as transplants. Grant says to do your homework on which is better for each plant.

"Beginning gardeners don't realize that some plants, you plant seeds in the ground and some plants you actually have to go to the nursery or a feed store or big box store and buy a transplant,” Grant said. “We don't typically plant a cabbage seed or a broccoli seed or a cauliflower seed, you go buy a transplant and put those out, but if you're planting radishes, or Spanish or turnip greens or mustard greens, we plant seeds directly in the ground because they're very easy to grow from seeds. You need to pay attention if it's a seeded crop or a transplanted crop.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension is not holding any in person classes due to COVID-19, but there are tips for your garden located on their website. 

   

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