Tag Archives: planting

Tips from an Urban Farmer

Photo by Koen King Stokes

Koen King Stokes of Veg’d Out Urban Farms, a new urban farm just 15 minutes south of downtown San Antonio that grows using organic and sustainable practices is trying to prove that putting plants in the ground can be, not only functional, but pretty darn easy.

“If you’re wanting to connect with nature again, you don’t have to go to a park to do it. You can put the essence of nature in your yard. Not only can it be less maintenance than your turf, it can also be productive, as long as you know what to put in the ground and when,” said Koen, who offered a few easy tips.

Kill Your Grass

This might sound a little scary at first, but according to Koen, grass is the #1 weed for urban farms, and completely useless. “I know it’s radical, but I like being radical,” he said. You can kill your grass either quickly or passively. He recommends getting a digging fork or broad fork to break up and aerate the soil afterwards, so that the roots of the new plants can breathe. You want to go down about 6-8 inches.

Learn Your Landscape

This is nothing more than simple observation. Study your planting area. Where are the shady spots? Which spots get the most sun? “These are called microclimates,” said Koen. You might find a section that’s already sheltered from a northern wind. If you’re going to plant something more susceptible to frost, for example, you’ll want to put it on a Southeasterly exposure. “That’s why I have bananas and lemons over here and not over there,” he explained.

Make Mulch Your Friend

Koen encourages any interested urban farmers to fall in love with compost and mulch. “When you apply compost to any soil, it brings it back to a conducive environment for plant growth,” he noted. When you apply mulch on top of compost it helps to maintain that environment. Mulch, which can be made up of anything from leaves to wood chips, pine needles and coffee grounds, is a shelter for compost.

What & When to Plant

You know what vegetables and herbs you like to eat, right? The big questions are if the things you like to eat will grow well in a South Texas climate, and what season is best to plant in. Koen suggests starting with something simple like perennial herbs which, once established, can go virtually unattended. He likes thyme, oregano and mint varieties, although he’s currently growing about 50 different kinds of herbs. Herbs can also be as decorative as they are delicious, therefore a great introduction for a new urban farmer. Koen recommends shopping at Fanick’s or Shades of Green to get your herbs and other plants. He also suggests exploring online resources for more information, such as Texas A&M’s planting calendar.

However, if you prefer to just eat the veggies and herbs, rather than grow them, you can check out Veg’d Out Urban Farm’s delicious produce on Sundays at the Pearl Farmer’s Market. If you need a beautiful dream home to build an urban farm around, just give us a call at 210-494-5400.

Vegetable Gardening in Texas – Tips and Tricks

Veggie Garden

Veggie Garden

Gardening is just one delicious and eco-sustainable way to enhance your landscaping. It may only be April, but savvy South Texas gardeners know that this is the best time to start planning your garden because spring is, well, here!

If you’re a first time gardener, be aware there are a lot of factors which determine the success of your plants – your soil, sun and shade, plant food, and the type of plants you’re trying to grow. While it’s always good to consult with the nursery where you purchase your plants or seeds, you should also do your own research to ensure you’re giving your plants the right amount of water and sunlight.

Not all plants do well in the heat, which is why planting early, after any potential frosts, is a good way to go. In Texas, we’re able to plant in both the spring and fall because of our long summers.

Picking a spot for your garden that offers the right amount of shade but can also be seen from the house is important. What’s the point of planting the garden if you can’t enjoy it, right? Also take into consideration when the sun hits your site. Afternoon sun will be hotter and more drying than morning sun.

Most vegetable plants flower, adding an extra aesthetic beauty to your yard. You can even identify which ones have just the right color palette, and if you don’t find what you’re looking for you can always intermingle non-edible plants with your vegetable garden to give it that extra flair.

A few extra tips to help with your new garden:

-          Plant a little extra for the animals. Even if you plant deer-resistant plants and spray the heck out of your garden, it’s almost impossible to avoid having some of them eaten. Of course, planting an organic garden will be even more challenging (although certainly well worth the effort!), so planting a little extra will avoid future frustrations.

-          Tomatoes need calcium to achieve their full flavor potential, which is something often lacking in our soils. To supplement, you can use dry egg shells. When planting your tomatoes, add about 4 or 5 egg shells crushed to a powder in the bottom of the hole before planting. This will provide all the calcium they need and prevent blossom end rot.

-          There are some veggies you only need to buy once and they’ll continue to grow indefinitely. By using the scraps of certain vegetables, you can regrow to your heart’s content. These include scallions, carrots, bok choy, garlic, celery, basil, cilantro and romaine lettuce.

If you want to dig a little deeper, check out Dough Welsh’s Texas Garden Almanac and Cheryl Hazeltine’s Central Texas Gardener. You can find both of these books at our San Antonio public library.

Of course, if all of this just seems too overwhelming, you can also choose to grow hydroponically and do away with concerns over weather, bugs and even dirt!

For assistance on planning and building your next stunning custom home and garden, please call us at 210-494-5400.