The "dirt" in south Texas is more like a brick. This area has been suffering drought conditions for a prolonged period, and the ground gets so hard and dry that it cracks. After a hard rain, the ground softens into a sticky muck that Gary calls Texas gumbo. Rather than having difficulty getting the shovel to go in the ground, pulling it out again is the difficult part. After wrestling it out of the ground, the only reward is a thin layer of sticky clay which must be scraped off the shovel.

As all experienced gardeners already know, a garden is only as good as its soil. When we arrived last December, we were fortunate to receive some badly needed rain, and we waited for the ground to be just the right wetness to dig. First it broke into big clumps, and we spent many hours breaking up the clumps. To amend the soil, we added many bags of peat, sand, and manure. Gradually, the composition of the soil improved to the point that the shovels and heavy-duty pitchfork went into the ground easily. All the big clumps were eliminated. The bed in the "Getting Started" photo was dug several times before plants were introduced.

Later on, we added gypsum to the soil. A neighbor who was moving gave it to us, and Gary spread it over the top of the bed. It really softens the soil and appears to retain moisture. We will use it again in the future. After most of the plants were in the ground, a layer of cypress mulch went on top of the bed.

Mulch is so important to a garden. It inhibits weeds, retains moisture in the ground, and makes the area looked "finished." A garden is never finished, of course. Seasons change, things grow. Some things flourish, while others die suddenly or slowly. Even the best of gardeners lose plants. Those of you out there who think you can't grow anything because you've lost some plants along the way, don't despair. You just have to keep trying.

The first things planted were:

Tree ferns	Caladiums	Elephant ears
Papaya	Trachycarpus khasyanus	Lady palms

Gardening Page

Starting to Grow