Well, it’s almost that time again. Around here, Valentine's Day isn't just for chocolates - it’s the official "Green Light" to get onions in the ground. Some folks plant sooner, some later, but I've found that February 14 is the perfect time for me here in our sandy Texas soil.
I’m gearing up to do my planting mid-February, but I’m trying to game-plan better than I did last year. I’m dealing with two major headaches in my garden:
The sand vs the wind! My soil is incredibly sandy. It drains so fast that the onions barely get a drink before the moisture is gone. I’ve been using rotary sprinklers, but if you live around here, you know the wind is relentless. Half the time I feel like I’m just watering the weeds in the next row over while my onions stay thirsty. I'm thinking about switching to drip tape, but I've never used it. Has anyone had luck with drip lines in heavy sand? I used a few drippers last year on other veggies, but never tried the drip tape before.
The nightmare that is fire ants! This is the big one. Last year, the fire ants absolutely destroyed my garden. It wasn’t just that they messed with the roots; trying to harvest was a pain (literally). I got bit every time I tried to pull a weed or harvest a cucumber.
I really don't want to dump harsh chemicals right where I'm growing food, but I can't have that again. Does anyone have a fire ant remedy that is safe for vegetable beds but actually works? I started using a rotary spreader and spreading some fire ant killer around the outside of the garden last year but I'm not sure if that made a bit of difference.
Let me know what you guys are putting in the ground for February!
I’m gearing up to do my planting mid-February, but I’m trying to game-plan better than I did last year. I’m dealing with two major headaches in my garden:
The sand vs the wind! My soil is incredibly sandy. It drains so fast that the onions barely get a drink before the moisture is gone. I’ve been using rotary sprinklers, but if you live around here, you know the wind is relentless. Half the time I feel like I’m just watering the weeds in the next row over while my onions stay thirsty. I'm thinking about switching to drip tape, but I've never used it. Has anyone had luck with drip lines in heavy sand? I used a few drippers last year on other veggies, but never tried the drip tape before.
The nightmare that is fire ants! This is the big one. Last year, the fire ants absolutely destroyed my garden. It wasn’t just that they messed with the roots; trying to harvest was a pain (literally). I got bit every time I tried to pull a weed or harvest a cucumber.
I really don't want to dump harsh chemicals right where I'm growing food, but I can't have that again. Does anyone have a fire ant remedy that is safe for vegetable beds but actually works? I started using a rotary spreader and spreading some fire ant killer around the outside of the garden last year but I'm not sure if that made a bit of difference.
Let me know what you guys are putting in the ground for February!