Tips for your Garden in May

as recommended by Charla Anthony

May is one of the best and busiest month in Central Texas gardens when the planting and harvesting times of many vegetables, fruits and herbs coincide.

Things to plant:
1. Seeds: lima beans, black-eyed peas, okra, pumpkin, summer squash, winter squash, cantaloupe, honeydew and watermelon seeds.
2. Seeds or Plants: Cucumber, Malabar spinach, tomatillo and basil.

3. Plants: peppers, chard and eggplant, bay laurel, lemongrass, lemon balm, lemon verbena, Mexican mint marigold, oregano, rosemary and thyme.
4. Plant slips of sweet potatoes.

5. Dill, cilantro and bulb fennel before temperatures reach the 90’s daily.
6. Edible flowers of day lily, Mexican mint marigold and pansy.

Potatoes, the most popular vegetable in America is fun and easy to grow either in traditional gardens or in all sorts of large containers. Planted in February in central Texas gardens, they are most often ready to harvest in May. When the foliage turns yellow and dies, it is harvest time and the fun begins.

I’ve fond memories of gently digging to unearth potatoes in my family’s garden. To children, it is like finding buried treasure as each potato is discovered and greeted with squeals of delight. The most common homegrown varieties – LaSoda, Pontiac and Kennebec – have paper-thin skins and lots of moisture inside, so they must be cured after harvesting. Do not wash them, just let them air dry 2 to 3 hours in a warm, shady spot. Carefully wipe most of the dirt off and store them in a dark location.

More information on growing potatoes can be found at this web address:
www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/vegetable/easy-gardening-series/

Charla Anthony is the horticulturist for Brazos County at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, 2619 Texas 21 W., Bryan, Texas 77803.
For local gardening information, visit the website: brazosmg.com. Gardening question? Call 979-823-0129 or email cmanthony@ag.tamu.edu