WACO, Texas (KXXV) — With warmer weather comes home gardening, and Central Texans could get a head start with spring a week away.
- Prioritize soil health by adding compost or organic matter to ensure it is loose, well-draining, and nutrient-rich.
- Too much water causes root rot and kills plants.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
“You can get away with planting a lot of it right now," said Corie Tucker, a manager at Westview Nursery.
Cori Tucker, the manager of Westview Nursery, said with spring just around the corner, Central Texans don’t have to wait to start their home garden. But he said there are some things you should hold off on.
“Just know that your tender things like your tomatos and your veggies and your peppers and stuff that you might on those items just wanna repot to a larger pot…stage them for a couple weeks before you put them in the ground," said Tucker.
Fertilizing right now until early May is best for central Texas, but avoid over-fertilizing to prevent weak growth. But when it comes to mulch...
“You just want to keep a thick layer of mulch on top of the soil, water before any cold freezes, and you can always cover them. So, with that tender stuff below 40-45 degrees, that’s when you wanna care for those things," said Tucker.
But what type of mulch matters?
“Most people get hardwood mulch because mulch is more of an aesthetic thing. There’s a three-part purpose to it…locking in moisture…keeping thermal temperature regulated better in the ground and blocking out weeds," said Tucker.
