Vegetable Gardening In West Texas

Asparagus can tolerate our salty, alkaline soil and water.

We never know what kind of weather we will have from one week to the next during West Texas winter — it may be warm and sunny, or a cold front may come through with frigid temperatures. But it's a pretty safe assumption that we will have pleasant weather some of the time. Though the extreme and changeable weather can make gardening difficult, we are fortunate that the ground doesn't freeze and we can keep gardening all year long. So take advantage of a pleasant day and grow some food in the landscape!

January-February is a great time of year to plant many vegetables. Start out in January with establishing some asparagus and planting onion sets. Asparagus is a great vegetable to grow for many reasons — it can tolerate our salty, alkaline soil and water, it is one of the few perennial vegetables that we can grow, and it's healthy and delicious! The only drawback to planting asparagus is that it does take time to get a well-established stand going before ever harvesting. Asparagus should be allowed to grow for two years from planting crowns without harvesting, or three years from seed. It seems like a long time, but it's worth getting started!

Purchase asparagus crowns from a local nursery or garden center, or order from a seed catalog. Dig furrows about 6 to 12 inches deep, and space the crowns at least 12 inches apart. Cover firmly with an inch of compost and two or three inches of soil. Over the coming season, finish filling the trenches as the shoots grow. Water thoroughly after planting, and water every week or so after emerging (depending on rainfall and temperature).

Onions are biennial, so if started by seed they take two years to produce a good-sized bulb. Transplants, also called onion sets, are a good way to grow full-sized onions in one season instead of two years. Onion sets can be found in local nurseries, through mail order catalogs and online. Choose short day varieties for planting in the south — some examples include Granex, Crystal White and Red Burgandy.

Then in February, it's time to plant potatoes. Potatoes are a cool-weather crop, but not a winter crop. They grow best when the days are warm and nights are cool, and don't like the heat of summer. But the top of the plant can't handle freezing temperatures. February is a good time to plant, as the seed piece starts out protected from cold temperatures in the soil, and the plant top emerges after danger of frost has passed.

Also consider adding some of these cool-season vegetables (there are lots of options that do well when planted from late January through February): beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, collards, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, radish and spinach.