The raised beds / square foot gardening is a great way to increase the productivity in a small area. A lot of work upfront, but one huge advantage is if you get too much rain in a short timeframe it has no problem draining. I've seen many old fashioned flat gardens where 1/2 of it drowned out. Most plants can't handle soil that is soaked for very long.

I have a large garden, but still use the raised beds becuase the logs hold the raised soil & the mulch in place. Definitely the way to go for maximum productivity.

Chisel,

Roughly where in Texas?

Like Micah stated, "raised bed" gardening is the way to go, especially most places in Texas. Our weather extremes and generally poor soil are two big strikes against us. Along with the raised beds I'd also set up some rainwater collection devices. I use three 55-gal plastic drums catching the runoff from my roof. These drums have gotten awefully low but never emptied while watering my garden.

I have a bunch of books and weblinks about gardening in Texas if you want to be buried in information. Let me know if you want the info (websites, not my precious books!). If you are in the Houston area I might even lend you the books.

Pictures of my backyard

-Blast

That's very interesting on the fact that those drums will last you through the dry spells. I wouldn't have thought that it would be enough.

I live on a large hill and have the rainwater off the front of my house running into our garden and it helps a lot as there is a large strip of the garden below that spout that does better than the rest of the garden even though I still water the whole garden once it gets dry.

I need to get some 55 gallon drums for sure.

Micah,

When it rains in Houston it RAINS. 2"-6" in a single storm are not uncommon, even in the middle of summer. This keeps the barrels full. We did have a long drought this summer but even then the barrels didn't get completely empty. The raised beds definately help, as does careful watering (put it only where it needs to be).

The main thing is being careful when you plant stuff. I can plant in February and have it harvested before the summer burns come. Then in September I plant again and reap until the January frosts. The hot summer months I focus on daylilies, herbs and assorted wild edibles.

The soil recipe from Square Foot Gardening needs to be watered just about every dry day, but only a cup-full per plant. It's very water-economical but slightly time consuming for large plots. Also, you do need someone there everyday. My wife didn't water enough while I was stuck working in Mexico so we lost our peppers. <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

I'd love to try jerulsalem artichokes but I'm afraid they'd run rampant here. If anyone has a few tubers they could send I'd like to try planting them in some undeveloped lots.

-Blast

I should have no problem sending you a couple tubers. Just PM me what address you want me to send them to. You just have to update me next year on how they did... <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

So what wild plants do you have there locally that you forage from during the summer?

I plant potatos in mid march here. Onions & tomatos in mid April - though I have to cover them if we get a late frost. Then another round of tomatos - plus zucchini, cucumbers, beans, etc. in early May. About that time I start harvesting asparagus, but not a huge volume as I don't have that many plants. Also wild WinterCress & Chickweed start coming on strong then as well. Late in May I'm getting strawberries, raspberries & new potatos which I cook with frozen new peas that I cheat & buy at the store.

Of course I'm always counting down the days until my first vine ripened tomato - I've picked my first tomato on June 18th two different years. Last year was a cool late month of May so didn't get the first until early July. I'm already looking forward to this years. <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

The heat in late July/early August takes it's toll on the 1st round of tomato's, but the ones I plant later usually come thru strong about that time. I've rambled enough for now...

Micah,

PM sent.

My wild foods include things like dewberries (aka blackberries), bamboo shoots, wild onions, wild purslane, beech leaves, hibiscus flowers, wild grapes (tart!), elderberry flowers, fiddlehead ferns (spring), chickweed, chickory, wood sorel, acorns, etc...

-Blast

p.s. Has anyone ever dehydrated blackberries? Any tips?

There are other interesting crops to grow ...

Thanks Blast

Id love a few weblinks that offer simple guidelines with some pictures if possible. I really dont have time to go through books. However, I can print a few pages from www and read them in my spare time.

Let me tell you soemthing from my gardening "resume". I know only that much , that anything that should grow needs water, fertilizer and plenty of sunshine. Third one was no problem. Water .. OK. I can hose it a few times a week, or better, a garden hose connected to a leaking faucet was a natural irrigation system. Fertilizer ? Sometime ago, I had put two water bowls there and started to toss some food scraps in the "garden". Birds started to stop to eat and drink, and hopefully either they would fertilize the land in return, or -if not eaten- the food scraps would rot and become fertilizer .

Great resume isnt it ??? <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />
Now you get the idea, hopefully can post the "right" kind of weblinks that will enable the most gardening-disabled person on the planet to grow some tomatoes and other stuff..

Thanks

Chisel,

As I mentioned earlier, start with Square Foot Gardening (click the "How to..." link on the left side of that web-page) to learn where to put your garden and how to prepare its soil. Following this method you don't need to worry about fertilizing which is a very good thing. If you read only one site make it this one. Lots of pictures and simple diagrams!

For what to plant when in Houston, I use this site. It's a gardener here in Houston that has month-by-month lists of what to plant, what to harvest, etc... This data is appropriate for most of the gulf coast and east Texas areas. Other areas have heat/water issues that would require some experimentation.

Next, we have Neils Perry, the Texas garden guru. His faqs on Texas gardening have a lot of info. You might also want to sign up for his free electronic newsletter. I find he's more of an "old-school" gardener that relies on a lot of fertilizer, pesticides, etc...

For basic gardening information check out . IGarden Time Online They cover EVERYTHING though it isn't Texas-specific. The basics do apply everywhere though.

For help with designing an "edible landscape" check out this garden forum.

Good luck and may the Farm be with you.

-Blast

Yes, though I would like to grow more, gradually expanding my garden. Mostly eaten fresh, though I have quite a few winter squash left, and a good sized bag of hickory nuts left 8^)

you might find this article interesting:
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/clay62.html

and there is some interesting info on minor fruits here:
http://www.hort.cornell.edu/extension/commercial/fruit/mfruit/index.html