When we think “gardening expert,” a few local green thumbs might come to mind, but Dallas Arboretum’s Vice President of Gardens Dave Forehand certainly makes his way to the forefront. Each month, we’ll be sharing Forehand’s seasonal gardening tips and insight. Today, Dave’s talking herbs, vegetables, and fruits to plant now.
—
Summer supper just isn’t the same without vegetables plucked fresh and ripe from the garden. To have a summer harvest this year, Dallas gardeners need to work this month to get their herbs, vegetables and fruit in the ground, or resign themselves to “plucked fresh from market” instead.
What to Plant ASAP
Plant warm season vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash and eggplant. At this point in the season, plant the actual plant, as opposed to the seed, for tomatoes, eggplant and peppers. Once we hit the warm summer nights, plants like tomatoes will quit setting fruit.
What to Plant Later
Hold off until late April to plant watermelons, beans, okra, and cantaloupe.
What About Fruit Trees?
It’s still a good time to plant peach and pear trees, which do well in our climate. If you’re looking for a planting project with kids, plant blackberries, which are offered in thornless varieties. Unfortunately, raspberries don’t do as well in our climate, and blueberries can be tricky given their specific soil requirements.
If you plan to plant this April, take some time to visit www.dallasplanttrials.org to review some of your best bets for Dallas as tested by our rigorous seed and plant trials. You’ll find a lengthy list of varieties that have received the Dallas Arboretum’s sought-after FlameProof certification.
