Growing your own food no matter what the season
Did you know that fall and early winter in Dallas are great times to grow some of your favorite vegetables? Even if you don’t have a lot of space, you can take advantage of the mild Texas climate to enjoy fresh produce all year.
Home Garden Options
The best place for a garden is somewhere that gets a lot of sun, contains fertile soil with good drainage, and can be watered easily as needed. You can plant in your front yard, backyard, or even in containers on your porch.
Urban gardening requires getting creative with the space you have available. This may mean utilizing window boxes and hanging baskets or building raised beds. As long as you can give your plants the light, water, and nutrients they need, you’ll be on track for a bountiful harvest.
Benefits of Gardening
Making space to garden in and around your urban home offers a variety of benefits. The most obvious is the availability of nutritious produce grown without the aid of chemicals and harvested at the peak of freshness. Planting in the fall simply extends the season.
The relaxing nature of gardening has been shown to ease stress and alleviate symptoms of mood disorders such as depression. With your attention on nurturing delicious veggies as they grow, you don’t have time to think about the things that usually stress you out. You’re also getting low-impact exercise when you garden, gently working different muscles and improving your range of motion.
Foods to Grow in the Cooler Months
When planting in the fall, choose vegetable varieties that mature quickly to ensure that they’ll come to fruition before the first frost. Some fast-growing fall veggies include:
• Beets
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Carrots
• Greens such as lettuce and spinach
• Kohlrabi
• Radishes
• Turnips
As the weather turns colder, you can move your gardening efforts indoors. January is the perfect time to start longer-growing spring and summer plants such as peppers, tomatoes, cauliflower, and cabbage. A setup that includes the proper lighting gives seedlings the environment that they need to grow strong enough to be transplanted when the weather gets warm.
Smart home gardening includes pest control methods to keep your vegetable plants safe as they grow. If you need a little help banishing pesky bugs, give ABC Home & Commercial Services in Dallas a call. Our seasonal pest control services cover insects, rodents, and other potential threats to your garden. With these pests kept at bay, you can enjoy a bountiful harvest any time of year.