There is just something special about juicy and ripe tomatoes fresh from your own back yard. That first cool bite on a warm summer day is a delicious treat. Get started with our helpful Vegetable Garden checklist and grow vegetable plants with success!
VEGETABLE GARDEN CHECKLIST
#1: PLANTS
First, which vegetable plants do you want to grow. Here is a list of delectable vegetables to help!
TOMATOES
A popular summer plant, tomatoes are versatile vegetable plants that can be used in many dishes and cuisines. They can be enjoyed fresh from the vine or cooked, sliced or diced. Tomatoes contain beneficial and rich vitamins. They are full of vitamin C, potassium, folate, and vitamin K.
Explore the variety of tomatoes we have to offer. From slicer varieties to plum and cherry, you can grow the perfect tomatoes for every dish.
To grow with success, plant in an area that receives full sunlight because they need the sun to help produce their delicious flavor. When placing in your garden, tomato plants should be about 2-3 feet apart, leaving room for tomato cages, trellis, or staking to support them.
PEPPERS
Peppers are popular warm season vegetable plants in Texas. Red and green peppers are good sources of vitamin C, vitamin A, and some minerals. Peppers can be eaten fresh or cooked. They make for a colorful snack or shine as the main dish!
Can you pick the perfect pepper? Enjoy the spectrum of flavors with a variety of choices like bell peppers, sweet peppers, and spicy jalapeno peppers!
Peppers need at least 6 hours of sunlight each day. Plant each pepper about 1 ½ feet apart in a row. Space rows at least 3 feet apart.
OTHER FRESH VEGETABLE PLANTS
Squash and Zucchini can be fun and easy to grow. They are vigorous vegetable plants and each one should produce several fruits a day during the peak season.
Plant in full sunlight and at least 2 feet apart as these plants can grow to be about 1 to 3 feet tall!
What is summertime in Texas without watermelon? Melons are vining crops that require a lot of space, especially watermelons.
Melons require full sunlight to thrive. For smaller melons, plant about 6 to 8 ft apart and for larger melons like watermelons, plant about 12 to 16 ft apart.
For tips on how to grow vegetable plants in containers, learn how to create your small space edible garden!
#2: GARDEN SOIL
Calloway’s Organic Garden Compost will give your edible garden a healthy start. Organic Garden Compost revives your soil and replenishes the organic matter that your plants need. The organic ingredients, like composted rice hulls and earthworm castings, help promote aeration of the soil for rapid root growth, and they provide organic matter to enhance water and nutrient retention. Mycorrhizae transports and increases nutrient uptake to plants. Calloway’s Organic Garden Compost is ideal for flowerbeds, vegetables, herbs, fruits, and berries.
How – To Use Organic Garden Compost:
- Spread 3 inches of Expanded Shale onto the soil.
- Till top layer of existing soil with 3 inches of Organic Garden Compost.
- Smooth surface and add vegetable plants.
- Water in thoroughly.
For planting vegetables in pots, use Calloway’s Organic Container Potting Soil! It is made from the highest quality ingredients. Our .2-.04-.04 formula is ideal for all potted plants, vegetable gardens, indoor plants, and hanging baskets! The water saving ingredients include expanded shale and coconut coir for added moisture control. Additional organic ingredients include composted rice hulls, pine bark, earthworm castings, and peat moss to add good aeration organic matter to the soil for rapid root growth. Beneficial ingredients include silicon, lime, and organic fertilizer to improve overall health and to feed your plant naturally.
How – To Use Organic Container Potting Soil:
- Choose a container with a drain hole.
- Fill container with Container Potting Soil, leaving room for your vegetable plant.
- Create a hole in the soil larger than the root ball.
- Loosen the root ball and place your plant.
- Add more soil, leaving 1-2 inches from top, and pat firmly around the plant.
- Water in thoroughly and let drain.
- Add more soil if needed.
#3: GARDEN TOOLS
To grow with success, use the proper gardening tools for you and your plants.
PLANT SUPPORT
Vegetable plants, like tomatoes, bear heavy fruits and need support. Using a trellis, tomato cage, or stakes will help the plants stay upright.
This will help them stay healthy and allows the fruit to have sunlight and room to grow.
WATERING TOOLS
Watering your vegetable plants is extremely important to help maximize production and keep your plants thriving. Before you plant, make sure to determine your plan of action when it comes to watering.
Flexon™ Heavy Duty Hoses, watering cans, and watering wands are just a few of the watering tools we have to offer. Explore our selection in store or online!
PLANTING TOOLS & GLOVES
To get your garden ready for planting, you need the proper gardening tools. Plant like the experts with hand tools and more from Corona®. Explore our selection of trowels, shovels, garden hoes, and more!
Protect your hands with quality garden gloves. Find the size that fits in the design or color that you love! We have many styles, patterns, and materials of gardening gloves to fit any gardening project.
#4: PLANT FOOD
Always remember to feed your plants! Try Calloway’s Natural Lawn & Garden Food to feed your lawn and garden the organic way. With our new and improved 10-3-1 formula, our food contains nitrogen, phosphate, and soluble potash. It also contains COFFEE-K™, an activated organic product made with GeoJava’s™ real coffee grounds. It is infused with Sigma Agriscience Biologicals™ to create a living environment for beneficial microorganisms to flourish! Calloway’s Natural Lawn & Garden Food increases soil organic matter, provides beneficial fungi and bacteria, and promotes organic chelation of iron.
Espoma® Organic® Garden-tone® Herb & Vegetable Food feeds your plants a natural & organic granular fertilizer for a bountiful harvest! This product can be used on delicious cool and warm season vegetables like lettuce, kale, tomatoes, peppers & squash. This granular fertilizer has 100% natural & organic ingredients with no fillers or sludge and gives a long-lasting, slow-release feeding with our exclusive Bio-tone Microbes. Use Espoma® Organic® Garden-tone® Herb & Vegetable Food to grow your nutritious & flavorful veggies and herbs!
SHOP FOR PLANTS WITH EASE
At Calloway’s and Cornelius, we have convenient ways to shop for your vegetable garden! To best serve you, shop our open-air stores or shop online for Curbside Pickup or delivery!
Stop by today and explore the beautiful selection now! Have questions? Ask our Texas Certified Nursery Professionals; they are here to help!
