Zone 8 NE Texas Vegetable Garden Update: August

by Texas Homesteader ~

Whelp, it’s August y’all. In TEXAS! August typically means hot and dry weather. And typically the end of the garden too.

Usually this is when I quit fighting the garden altogether and let it go dormant. When it’s this hot and dry – even if I can keep the plants alive – nothing wants to set fruit anyway.

But this year I’m actually still in the garden most days. Not to harvest, oh no! But hopefully to squeak things through for a fall garden. This year all has not been lost. Come see.

Garden Pests Eating Cantaloupe

I found eaten cantaloupe in the garden and knew we had a garden pest. So we set the trap with the remnants of the cantaloupe and waited…

We caught the cute little thief. So we removed him and relocated him far away.

I used plastic baskets weighted down with bricks to protect the remaining melons. I’ve harvested several since then and they’re DELICIOUS!

Watering Woes

Of course gardening in a Texas summer isn’t without its irrigation struggles. During our typical Texas summer the rain taps turn completely off. Then it’s impossible to keep the garden watered.

But this year, although still incredibly dry, we got the blessing of a little rain in July. Not only did it water my garden thoroughly, but it helped replace some of my Rainwater Collection.

I use three rain barrels for watering. But for the garden I rely on rainwater routed into a deep underground cement cistern. Typically when that water is used up, my garden is done for the year.

As it stands, this one rain event at least lightly replenished some of that rainwater. So I’m hoping to be able to keep the garden watered a little longer.

Looking Forward To A Fall Garden

We’ll see how far I’m able to squeak along my garden this month.

Plus, being the eternal optimist that I am – I’m looking forward to planting some things for fall and harvesting into the cooler months as well. Growing Your Own Food Is Like Printing Your Own Money, #amiright??

Green Beans are Replanted

Green beans tend to be a powerhouse in the garden. And RancherMan & I love fresh green beans. The green beans this year at least provided a small handful of garden deliciousness from time to time.

But now the green bean plants have petered out. So I’ll sow more green bean rows so I can shoot for a fall harvest as well. They typically grow pretty vigorously in the fall if I can get ’em that far with enough water.

Tomatoes Overcoming Adversity

My tomatoes are planted from seed. You see, my parents had their house leveled several years ago and an heirloom tomato plant sprouted. My mom allowed it to grow and gave me a tomato from it so that I might enjoy those sentimental tomatoes.

We lost mom a few years ago and it’s even MORE sentimental for me to grow these Amish Paste tomatoes in her memory.

The torrential flooding this spring followed by immense hot & dry summer weather has been a challenge to keep them alive, but I’ve been successful with 4 small plants.

Now I’m just trying to limp the plants along until fall when I’m hoping to get a short flush of tomato harvest from them.

Watermelon Vines Do Double Duty

I utilize watermelon vines as living mulch to shade the ground around my tomatoes. The vines keep the ground shaded to keep it cooler and slow evaporation. And, you know, I get watermelon!

These are Sugar Baby watermelons. They’re smaller melons so it’s just enough for RancherMan & me to enjoy – icy cold!

How’s your garden doing this month?

~TxH~

This post categorized in

My Favorite Garden Hacks

Garden Planning

Seed Planting

Soil Health

Garden Styles

Garden Plants/Harvest

Water/Irrigation/Drought

Weed Control

Garden Tips

4 thoughts on “Garden Update: Gardening In Texas In A Hot & Humid August”

candace ford at

Well I wish you were here in western Oregon to help pick and eat and put up blue berries. These are from the bushes that are older than I am and probably from which I picked as a child. My pa had told me that he remembered that blueberry farm from may years before. When the people I knew sold and moved into town the bushes were going to be bull dozed and pa and my brother went out one “evening” and dug 4 bushes and brought them out here where I now live. Friends came a couple of days ago and today and picked. The bushes are just loaded. Of course out here almost everyone has blueberries in their gardens so I’m glad to have a few friends who want some. God’s country!!!

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1. Texas Homesteader Post author at
  
  Extra blueberries? Oh my, how I’d love it. I’ve planted (and killed) more blueberry bushes than I’m willing to admit. Currently there’s a miniature-type blueberry bush planted in a galvanized tub at the porch that’s still growing great, but the others have long since gone. ~TxH~
  
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ColleenB.~Tx. at

I say you where truely blessed with what you did receive from your garden.
Them grapes sure do look delicious. Make you some freezer grape jam. I made some freezer strawberry jam just the other day (just too hot to can) Super easy in making freezer jam with only a few ingredients. For freezer jam I do use the freezer pectin. I had found the freezer pectin on clearance at Ace Hardware so I bought up what they had.
Take care, stay safe & stay cool.
Oh, how are your bees doing?

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1. Texas Homesteader Post author at
  
  I agree Colleen, I’m thrilled with anything the garden offers this year. Now that the problem tree has been removed I’m sure next year will be AWESOME! The bees are chugging along just fine, although we’re not able to harvest honey this year. There were various hive issues that reduced our number of available hives, plus a rogue spring storm with high winds toppled all of our hives and rain soaked into the boxes. That set our honey making way back this year. Looking toward next year’s harvest. 🙂 Y’all stay safe too, girlie! ~TxH~
  
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~Texas Homesteader~

Working To Provide For Ourselves On Our Texas Homestead

Garden Update: Gardening In Texas In A Hot & Humid August