BCMG Lunch and Learn presented by Kathy Breniman, BCMG
March 2024
Summary by Sara Sherwood, Bexar County Master Gardener Intern
On February 9, 2024, I had the pleasure of attending a Lunch & Learn presentation by BCMG Kathy Breniman entitled “Starting Your Home Vegetable Garden.”
A vegetable gardener throughout her life, Kathy Breniman has grown vegetables in Iowa, California, and Texas. Growing up in Iowa, Kathy’s family had a vegetable garden, and her preferred chore was caring for the garden. After moving to California, Kathy continued her gardening journey. To account for California’s longer and drier growing seasons, Kathy learned new approaches to vegetable gardening, such as developing plans for more efficient irrigation. Once Kathy moved to Texas, she joined the Bexar County Master Gardeners (BCMG) where she learned effective approaches to gardening in San Antonio that she now shares through BCMG programs, such as our monthly Lunch and Learn program for the public.
Kathy launched her presentation by answering the question, “Why grow vegetables?” She noted that in addition to bragging rights and the delicious taste of home-grown vegetables, growing vegetables can continue family gardening traditions and become a fun family project that educates everyone about gardening and health.
To begin a home vegetable garden, Kathy described the key steps to take:
- Select and prepare the vegetable garden site: Gardeners should locate their garden where it will receive 8+ hours of sun each day and access to water. An irrigation plan is critical whether the gardener will hand water each day or ideally, utilize a drip system. High quality soil plays a major role in gardening success as vegetables require high levels of nutrition. Adding compost and fertilizer will enrich soil and planting your vegetables in raised garden beds allows gardeners to control the type of soil that is used.
- Choose the right vegetables for the right time of year: Once the site is selected and prepped, it is important for gardeners to grow vegetables at the right time of year. San Antonio has 2 growing seasons that occur across 10 months. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension provides a detailed list of fall vegetable varieties and spring vegetable varieties that typically grow well during each season.
- Determine whether to use transplants or seeds: Gardeners will need to decide whether to use transplants or seeds. Transplants can save time and may increase the odds of success, while seeds are less expensive, allow for more options/plant varieties, and may leave the gardener feeling more satisfied.
- Engage in pest control: Gardeners need to be prepared for pests. They should remember that “the most important thing in the garden is their shadow.” Gardeners should actively monitor and manage pests throughout the year by using manual controls or safe products specifically designed to manage pests. Remember to always read and follow a product’s printed instructions! This recorded webinar by Entomologist Molly Keck, from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, “Fall, Warm Weather, Veggie Pest Management” provides very helpful information about identifying and managing pests!
After providing information about how to start and manage a garden, Kathy provided an overview of how potatoes grow. Then, using seed potatoes from a local garden center, Kathy provided steps for preparing the potatoes for planting. Each in-person attendee had the opportunity to take home free seed potatoes for their own garden so that they could “start getting their hands dirty.” If you are interested in growing potatoes this free download “Path to the Plate: Potatoes” from Texas A&M AgriLife is a helpful resource and even includes recipes.
We encourage you to attend our monthly “BCMG Lunch and Learn” hosted by Bexar County Master Gardeners. Information about upcoming events is available on our Calendar.