I am thrilled to introduce my guest today because I had a listener who had some questions about gardening in zone 9 in Texas and I reached out to some gardeners in Texas and here is Oma!
Tell us a little about yourself.
I live in the north central Texas.
Why I’m Oma, everyone calls me that, that was my daughter it was a little ridiculous
I love gardening! I just want to enjoy the natural things in the world!
it’s one of those things
simultaneously
overcome them and actually win
come up with that great crop
what
Tell me about your first gardening experience?
My great grandparents, they lived in aniline Texas
got off the road
They only had 2 acres full of everything you could think of
I remember a big tree off the back of the watermelon patch. Those melons are about to fall off the vine!
all of us kids to get into
the view of having that
18-19 experimenting
vision of that beautiful field
everything burned
through it all in the east side
in zone 8 or 9
full sun
doesn’t mean the same thing
can fry a plant
all the things I had planted
you kind of have to learn what really works
that was my first take on the north west east sides of my home
did’t deter me
a little more wanting
took such the wrong turn
learn from what
How did you learn how to garden organically?
I used the tier method
trial
error
research
my first attempt off the gate
learned things
watching my grandmother
baking soda
orange peels
through things in the whole bed
didn’t necessarily think it was anything special
out in the field with their plants
rows in between
throw their peels in it
do it’s job
the tea bags
coffee grinds
put it in the dirt
research
without going to the library
some of the other things
not being afraid to try things
vegetables around my flowers
st angelo
didn’t have a lot of space
saw these pictures of rainbow chard
through them in the bed
flowers bring your bees
colors are there
combine and plant together in order to make the beauty of your space
see it
Tell us about something that grew well this year.
I actually had a really good year the best thing that’s taken of is the sweet potatoes
coming up
for another few weeks
cucumbers
love the heat in our area
zu
fought the squash bugs
haven’t seen them
had a really light winter
squash bugs are really everywhere
good batch
count that as a success
tear them down at some point
all of the rain
longer then normal spring period
lord help us right in the 100s in June and July
high 80s spring worked really well this year
southern states
tomatoes
really like the heat
squash vine bores
pumpkins and squash
neem oil works well if you stay at it while their young
keep the plants coated on the base where they go to the ground
before the larvae crawls into the plant
can spray it inside
hallow in the center of them
knocking them out while they
miss that window
diatomaceous earth
trying to catch them like they’re small before they are full grown
some kind of insecticide
first year I’ve tried to go
it’s a challenge
have to stay on them
think like a bug
get down at
Is there something you would do different next year or want to try/new?
I want to try BT for the squash as well
Another thing I read about
vertical growing with my cantaloupe
you can do that and it works really well
let it sprawl let
around the plants
I didn’t get my okra around the ground
focused on the corn
still doing well
earlier
spring and a fall crop
I don’t have a big spot
I have a quarter acre
how many gardeners would like to have more land
never have enough
use the space that you can
use the spots
pumpkins growing behind a shed
if it gets
those zones that have that heat
sun at the middle of the day
plenty of sun if they are shaded
by the evenings and the mornings
quite a bit of good plants
where you put your stuff
space using your space wisely combining your plants in a tight area
people who live in big cities an have wonderful containers all over
Tell me about something that didn’t work so well this season.
my cantaloupes
the animals seem worse this year
right beside the fence
made em vertical on top
they are but they will grow well vertically
put them on
baskets in between
I’ve seen people use that for your cucumbers
hang women’s stockings
between
wooden fences
hang them in between the slats
they will grow right up the side of them
rope
same concept on there
definitely will grow
ladies don’t have a lot of money
vining growth
will hold
Which activity is your least favorite activity to do in the garden.
Im sure everybody hates weeding.
keeping the weeds out
make sure that you keep your weeding down
combine your plants
perfect balance
how close can put them so they
don’t get the sun
not so close that they can get the air and oxygen
look at my site
fairly close together
room to walk or air
come out across
sun can’t get down by the base of them
throw your sweet potatoes
around your flower beds
let them grow
make a barrier of weed protection all around the base
quite a beautiful way to
three sisters
pumpkins and squash around the corn at the base
corn as the bean poles
don’t have to have as many poles
using your space
makes sure you have
don’t have to do those things that often
even find your own joy
go pull a few weeds as you walk through your yard…
suppresses them weeds are pretty smart
you almost have to hand it to them
they’ll find that patch of light
nothings gonna hold me down
find that piece of sun
plant them together like that
everything is lush but hidden so you don’t have that disease in there
its’ beautiful
What is your favorite activity to do in the garden?
Probably designing the new bed It’s like starting with a new canvas.
kind of sad when august and July come in plants are starting to die
rebirth what can I clean out
what can I put there next year
try to rotate your plants as often as you can
I put
problems with my cantaloupe
unwanted animals
put it some
I just think it’s exciting
where you can move your things
‘never fails
rolling the dice
other years
the bugs new exactly
absolutely
truth is they’re gonna find them anywhere
its the smell
try to keep them guessing
where did the move this stuff
nematodes
left your plants
rotating
that aspect is fun too
what it’s gonna look like
what you’re gonna pair
what if you move those sunflowers
corn over there with that
move the marigolds
try the squash in another area
rebirth of discovering something
never stops
thinking about your perennials versus your annuals
where are you going to plant those plants that don’t’ change
I have a chair
my basket
is my magazines
let’s try this
take your paper out
put it down and put your plants
What is the best gardening advice you have ever received?
You know it has to be
it’s all about balance
being perfect
little bit of bug
non beneficial insects
lady bugs come after the aphids
insects
wasps
scary sometimes
sign of a good garden
balance
see the ladybugs
lacewings
insects that are good for your garden
healthy
happy
soap and water is an amazing thing you can use with your plants
right
washing them with soap and water
really freaking out on them
leave it alone for a few days
can also hurt your lady bugs
dries out their coat like the other insects
relax
maybe you have a balance problem
within the next week
there was a buffet in the garden
I thin I had every ladybug on my plants
I kind of learn from that
don’t stress out so much
A favorite tool that you like to use? If you had to move and could only take one tool with you what would it be?
I have a pickax but it’s the most rugged piece of a tool
I have had it since I was like 19
back
our macaroni days
can only afford
dollar bag of seeds
one pick ax
I would use that to weed
to plow the art
put up
felt a little bit rich
if I had to choose
antique looking
I’ve probably left it out in the rain
that one thing
that’s always been their
I told OPA the other day
A favorite recipe you like to cook from the garden?
I love using the tomatillos! My tomatillos rock this year!
through the summer heat
that good of a result
rotation
put them in the perfect spot
Ill just move them
they just worked
nothing as good as taking your tomato
peppers over your grill
good green salsa with our
fresh off the vine vegetables
A favorite internet resource?
yeah
I really like the home guides
sfa stuff?
often seed them
north Texas garden association
things like you’ve got out there
like to do this thing called garden
search for things
short
quick
little items all kinds of info on them
magnitude of things
started seeing them show up in site
little quick
3-4 paragraphs
organic gardening
plants and flowers
non-organic
perspective
kind of really easy read
A favorite reading material-book, mag, blog/website etc you can recommend?
I had to really think about that
I’m probably the OCD grabber
I;ll grab everything
small books Ive found over the years
go back to consistently
novice gardener
reminder
beginning gardeners
learn about gardening
605 Secrets For A Beautiful, Bountiful Organic Garden: Insider Secrets From A Gardening Superstar
by Sierra Bright
handbook with literally
605
paragraphs items
baking soda
milk
epson salt
early gardeners
starting to try to understand the different things
not too long
200 pages
fairly quickly
there’s something in there I thought I saw
forgot I can try that again
have it on hand if you need it
companion planting
the vegetable guide
James Paris
electronic
have them on your phone
different companions plants
what plants work well
promote your beneficial insects
taste better
grow stronger
have on hand to
when your doing your planning
can I not plant this with it
what am I limited to
or if I put these together
in m perennials
more them around
thing about it
your not supposed to put tomatoes with our potatoes
call the same bug
not that they same bug
give it another
be aware of that’s what your doing
made that fora
through he sweet potatoes
try to show up an try to eat them
both happy and growing well
more about space and knowledge
problem with
past that and work
It depends
out in west Texas
more problems with snakes
don’t want to not have snakes
Texas has a lot of rat snakes
they do what they’re called
kind of a good thing
draw them to them
keep them out
if they have a rattle
don’t go near them
I’m not sure what snakes she’s fighting
make sure you don’t have wood piles
deliberately draw snakes have a home away from where you want to be
types of bugs as well
giving a spot to draw them away
fennel instead of dill
pile of something that they would naturally nest in that
if you find one
don’t touch
what kind of snakes
what she has around her
does she have a lot of straw
perfect place to hide and shade and moisture
what else can you
there has never been a cuter enemy
just go away
we just moved to our current location
literally be conventions of squirrels
they didn’t touch it
get to this house
one tree
more spaces for things
won’t get out of my stuff
100 squirrels
Final question-
if there was one change you would like to see to create a greener world what would it be? For example is there a charity or organization your passionate about or a project you would like to see put into action. What do you feel is the most crucial issue facing our planet in regards to the environment either in your local area or on a national or global scale?
I think that
I just recently just took
I just graduated from college
little slow on the uptake
but it finally happened
very last class that I took was biology
really
found more joy in parts of that class
when it came to the environment
it’s unbelievable the damage that things like pesticides
smogs and emissions in our sky then we caused
it was more eye opening
when you really stop and look in the smog in the air turns into the acid rain
pesticides
run off in the rivers and waters
fish that you eat
birdseed
world called life
opened my eyes
the importance of trying to garden organically
what your creating and growing
how you’re doing it
you can use things and tools that will help keep the world safe
a little shocked
about some of the things
I thought this
Do u have an inspiration tip or quote to help motivate our listeners to reach into that dirt and start their own garden?
I think the best thing is
always try something
don’t be afraid to try something different
don’t be afraid to combine
companion
you might have the perfect shade loving
gardening is a lot like art
what can you match and what can you pair
beauty is breathtaking
don’t be afraid to try something different
don’t be afraid to combine
can get beautiful results combining vegetables and daisies
can e frustrating and everything
enjoy it do
How do we connect with you?
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Mike's Green Garden 