Category Archives: Vegetable Gardening in Dallas

A Top to Bottom Journey with Carrots

Posted on July 22, 2026 by Dallas Garden Buzz

July 22, 2026

It’s been six years since Dallas County Interim Extension Agent Jeff Raska advised us to let our carrots grow for two seasons.  We should have listened more attentively. So, this summer instead of harvesting the carrots first, my little Chantenay plants are going the distance. And now it’s time to share the good news.

While it is true that carrot tops and blossoms are edible, a very strategic decision had to be made. Why? Carrots quickly lose their sweetness and flavor if left in the ground too long. Once they begin to blossom the plant pulls energy from the root to produce flowers. As gardeners, we know this process as “bolting”, which causes the carrots to then become woody, somewhat tough and loose their signature sweet taste. At this point, they can even become bitter.

Chantenay carrots left in ground too long were no longer edible. Straight to the compost bin they went!

My decision to let the bolting stage happen naturally was made one morning earlier this spring when doing garden chores. While observing the carrots lush green foliage, I remembered Jeff telling us that all parts of the carrot were edible. Shortly after that, I discovered a recipe for carrot top pesto and gave it a try. Here is the recipe that called for one cup of carrot tops. It was my first time to use carrot tops as the main ingredient in a recipe but the results were impressive.

From Carrot Greens to Carrot Pesto

Fast forward to June 2026. As you can see from this photo (taken last week) my carrots were clearly in the “bolting” stage and the flowers were putting on a stunning show. Honeybees and other pollinators were enjoying the spectacle as well. It was time for a new culinary moment fresh from the garden. 

Honeybees get first “dibs” but the beautiful umbels also make great cut flowers

This slightly adapted recipe for a French-style carrot salad was so simple that I couldn’t resist. My adventure into the world of carrots has now come full circle as each part of this amazing plant has been totally experienced and embraced. Bon Appetit!

Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008

Carrot Top Pesto

Fresh Carrot Salad

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Watermelon is the Winner 

Posted on July 13, 2026 by Dallas Garden Buzz

July 13, 206

 Watermelon Carved Whales, front and back views      

Watermelon is the most popular holiday fruit with around 700 million pounds consumed during the week of July 4th. From “eating races” and seed-spitting” contests to “grower competitions”, prizes are awarded annually to participants across the United States.

Grammy and Sadie with our Watermelon and Blueberry Sparklers

If you are thinking about growing watermelon in your garden, here are some things to consider:

There are over 1,200 varieties of watermelon globally which are categorized into the following types:

Picnic:  Large, oblong or round melons. Typically weigh 15 – 45 pounds. (Charleston Gray)

Icebox (Mini): Round or oval melons. They weigh 5-15 pounds. (Sugar Baby)

Personal: Ultra-compact, single-serving melons, weight 3-7 pounds. (Mini Love or Golden Midget)

Seedless: Most common commercial variety specially bred to contain no mature black seeds.

Yellow/Orange Fleshed: Colorful interiors instead of red. (Orangelo or Yellow Doll)

In our Zone 8 climate, these are a few the varieties you might want to try:

Crimson Sweet: This variety is recognized as the most popular and is prized by home gardeners and commercial growers alike. The average weight is around 25 pounds. It features a light green rind with dark green stripes. The bright red flesh is firm and fine-textured and exceptionally sweet.

This is the variety I chose to plant in my garden about a month ago. It receives about 6+ hours of full sun daily. Just a baby now but with 80 days to maturity, it should be ready to harvest sometime in mid-August. 

Other top varieties for Zone 8 include: Sugar Baby, Charleston Gray and Jubilee. 

And finally, if you are craving watermelon, here are several reasons why:

*Watermelon is composed of about 92% water, making it one of the most hydrating foods available.

*Watermelon is a natural sugar fix. It provides natural sugars in the form of fructose, offering a subtle yet effective energy surge without the pitfalls of processed sugars.

*Watermelon is a rich source of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant known for its numerous health advantages.

*It is an electrolyte balance. Potassium, an essential electrolyte found in watermelon, helps regulate fluid balance, muscle contractions and nerve signals.

*Watermelon is a good source of Vitamin C, vital for skin health, immune function and the absorption of iron from plant-based foods.

*Dietary Fiber. Though it’s mostly water, watermelon also offers dietary fiber which aids digestion and promotes a feeling of fullness. 

Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008

Read Jon Maxwell’s article on Black Diamond Watermelon here.

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“How Carrots Won the Trojan War” by Rebecca Rupp

Posted on January 30, 2026 by Dallas Garden Buzz

January 30, 2026

The sub title is Curious, but True-Stories of Common Vegetables

It’s not terribly long but its divided into  21 chapters each covering one vegetable that everyone will be familiar with. Honestly its hard to beat for a garden person’s reading list.

How often can you combine some basic botany facts–most of us could use a little review–right?–with  amazing historical information  on vegetables.  This is serious research but presented in such an interesting way.  Each chapter stands alone so you can read a little at a time –no need to feel you will forget the plot–since there isn’t one of course!

No way to cover the whole book really there is something new and interesting on every page.  But a tiny sample to give you the idea. 

We can start with carrots–how many kids have been told to eat their carrots so they can see in the dark?  Where did that come from?  Well during the Battle of Britian  radar was just installed in England  a fact that the war department would rat, carrots are not able to give anyone amazing night vision but they are for sure good for you and no harm done!  By the way raw carrots only release a tiny amount of beta carotene cooking allows them to release far more–in fact lots of vegetables are more nutritious cooked –should have known this I guess.

 

On to lettuce.  Do you have trouble sleeping now and again?  Lettuce to the rescue.  Lettuce has been prescribed for sleep problems since ancient times.  It turns out there is some truth to this.  The white  sap released from lettuce leaves was dried and used in sleeping potions in  Medieval times.  An extract made from wild lettuce leaves was used in hospitals  through the second world war.   

Now  we  must completely rethink radishes.  No one takes them seriously enough it seems.  There is lots to learn about the little radish.  In the 9th century they were considered a powerful treatment for coughs.   Before that  Romans used them to punish those found guilty of adultery–how?  Well that you must find out for yourselves!

Book reviews can’t go on too long–its hard to stop because there is so much covered in How Carrots Won the Trojan war.  You will be amazed as you read each of the 21 chapters–vegetables are clearly  amazing and how we come to have them is something rarely discussed–and it should be–we benefit from so much work and knowledge gained over in some cases thousands of years.

So–why read this book?  You will learn alot–and it won’t be hard either.  It’s an enjoyable–even fun experience.

But wait–there is more!  

We want others to grow their own food–which means of course growing vegetables.  So we are involved with formal and informal  education.  

A few fun facts can bring any interaction to life–throw in a few things you don’t hear everyday.  Your audience will wake up enjoy and remember what you said.  You need look no further –you will find all you  need in this little book.

Susan Thornbury, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008

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Say Cheese!

Posted on January 12, 2026 by Dallas Garden Buzz

January 12, 2026

Harvested from my garden on January 4, 2026

Here’s something that we hope will make you smile-a yellow cauliflower, named for its resemblance to the yellow-orange color of cheddar cheese. Developed for its appealing color, this cauliflower contains high levels of beta-carotene and is richer in Vitamin A than white varieties. From a flavor perspective, it offers a slightly sweeter, nuttier taste and retains its vibrant color even after cooking. 

If you’re ready to elevate the taste of cauliflower and enjoy it as simple side or an elegant main dish, here’s a recipe that will deliver a palate pleasing experience. 

From this…

to this!

Let’s see some smiles!!!

Cauliflower Cheese Gratin Recipe

Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008

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Growing Eggplant in Texas

Posted on October 11, 2025 by Dallas Garden Buzz

October 11, 2025

The Raincatcher’s Garden vegetable gardening team has enjoyed growing several varieties of eggplant.

They have found them to be easy to grow as long as they remain vigilant about controlling the flea beetles with diatomaceous earth.

These long purple eggplants are called amazingly enough long purple eggplant.

Aswad eggplant pictured above is an Iraqi heirloom variety known for its mild sweet flavor.

Mark your 2026 calendar to start eggplant by seed February – mid-March. Transplants should be set out in mid-May through June.

While eggplant may not be your favorite vegetable, it’s nice to harvest something new after summer crops have withered in the heat. There are many varieties and ways to cook eggplant. Tonight, at our house we’ll have eggplant apple quesadillas; find the recipe here.

For more growing information: Easy Gardening-Eggplant

Ann Lamb, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2005 with Beverly Allen, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2018

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Revisiting A Fairy Tale

Posted on October 9, 2025 by Dallas Garden Buzz

October 9, 2025

Last summer, 2024, I grew Fairytale Eggplant for the first time. It produced adorable little tear-drop shaped eggplants for over three months. During that time, most of the harvest was used for Apple and Eggplant Quesadillas, a simply delicious treat. 

For 2025, a new recipe that we’ve enjoyed over the past few months is “Roasted Fairytale Eggplant Salad with Fresh Tomato”. Inchelium Red organic garlic had cured from my late spring/early summer crop, while fairytale eggplants, English cucumber and mint were growing in my garden and ready to use.

It’s now early October and my two Fairytale Eggplants are producing almost double the amount as last year. Here’s an example of what gets harvested every day.

Fairy Tale Eggplant
English Cucumber
Spearmint

Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008

Roasted Fairy Tale Eggplant Salad with Roasted Tomato

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Carrots, A Report from the Raincatcher’s Garden

Posted on April 18, 2025 by Dallas Garden Buzz

Carrots are not the easiest thing to grow in our part of the world. Our past efforts resulted in lower yields than we had hoped. 

This year we tried something different. We placed burlap over the area we had just planted and sprinkled it once a day to keep it moist until the seeds had germinated. 

We usually water other seeds by hand once a day until they germinate but that didn’t satisfy the carrots. Soaking the burlap daily provides the continuous moisture they need for a good germination rate. 

There was a hard freeze during the germination period.  We left the burlap in place and covered the area with frost cloth.  

We were concerned that the seedlings would stick to the burlap when we removed it but that was not a problem. 

The germination rate was excellent and after a few weeks we had many delicious carrots to share with the NDSM food pantry and visiting preschoolers.  Next year we will confidently devote more space to carrots using this technique. 

Harvesting, photo by Ruth Klein

Prepping for NDSM food pantry, photo by Beverly

Beverly Allen, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2018

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Greetings from the Raincatcher’s Vegetable Gardens

Posted on March 26, 2025 by Dallas Garden Buzz

March 26, 2025

We are enjoying the mild weather and it appears the vegetables are too. Last year was productive both in vegetables donated and new lessons learned.  We came pretty close to doubling our yield from the previous year (from 966 to 1833). 

The tatume squash was the star producer with 727 pounds donated to North Dallas Shared Ministries.  We would have had more but the stink bugs cut the harvest short by a few weeks. 

We left a large volunteer hybrid squash in place as a trap crop for squash vine borers.  An infestation of stink bugs quickly followed the borers on this weakened plant and spread to the tatume despite our best efforts to control them. This led to the early demise of our tatume plants and many long sessions of spraying soapy water to rid the garden of stink bugs. We are grateful to the Master Gardener interns and new volunteers who kept working with us despite this challenging (and frankly, gross, infestation).

The best advice for controlling stink bugs in small gardens is to remove the eggs and nymphs as soon as they can be found.  They can be brushed off into soapy water or vacuumed.  We missed some early opportunities but ultimately were able to get it under control in time for fall vegetables. 

Z

Image of brown marmorated stink bug eggs and nymphs from stopbmsb.org

Learning to identify stink bug eggs and nymphs
Tatume squash harvest in June
Crop loss in July

Beverly Allen, Dallas County Master Gardener class of 2018

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ARUGULA 101 NO MAKE THAT ARUGULA 102

Posted on November 27, 2024 by Dallas Garden Buzz

November 27, 2024

Winter may be coming on but gardeners never give up—opportunities are out there iif we look.   After all this is an important time to protect against the horrible germs and viruses that WE don’t spread around—-but “the others”  do.

We need healthy food—vitamins and antioxidants to protect against dangers lurking everywhere.

Gardening opportunities—need for healthy food.  Its perfectly clear how these things go together  —grow arugula—in your own yard where you can eat it every day.  It is loaded with the vitamins and minerals and antioxidants we want and need and—it honestly wants to grow here—and this is the time it grows best.  We are talking now about salad arugula or garden arugula.

This is regular arugula, a familiar salad green.

Its Latin name is Eruca Sativa.  This is important to know when you are buying seeds or plants and this is the plant you want to grow—keep it in mind for later.  This is the peppery green most often found in spring mixes available at the store.  Just as the mixes contain lots of different greens you need to plan on mixing your arugula with hopefully—homegrown lettuce for salad.  Pick your plants early and often using the outer leaves—the plant will just keep growing.  

Salad arugula is very heat sensitive and will bolt but don’t worry the unusual and pretty flowers are great in salad and let some go to seed you will have new plants to use..  When it does get hot  the seeds just stay in the ground and come up when conditions suit them you can have arugula for years.  

 Of course winter isn’t the only season for healthy eating.  Once you realize how useful your salad arugula is—you want more you want some in summer too.  

There is a plant for that!  Amazingly it is called Wild or Rustic or Italian Arugula.  However it isn’t arugula really it actually isn’t closely related to salad arugula although the taste is similar.

It’s Latin name is Diplotaxix Tenuifolia it is a brassica but it is a perennial native to the Mediterranean.  It is far more heat tolerant and uses lots less water.  So although it is a very different plant it is a very good thing.  

A little in salad—especially the very young leaves  will be fine.  It’s flavor can be fairly intense so use carefully.  Its wonderful for sandwiches no mustard needed!

For a real treat pick a nice bunch chop and dress lightly with olive oil and vinegar—pile on to a nice cheese pizza just out of the oven—you won’t be sorry.

So two different plants both called arugula and both so welcome in the kitchen garden.

Italian Rustic or Wild Arugula


Salad arugula flower
Wild arugula flower with seeds forming

Both arugula flowers pictured above are beautiful and edible and great for bees and small butterflies, however they are very different. Both plants are called arugula and we are going to acecept that and grow them both!

Susan Thornbury, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008

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Cool as a Cucumber

Posted on July 25, 2024 by Dallas Garden Buzz

July 25, 2024

Did you know that not all cukes are created equal? To simplify, there are two main types of cucumbers, American and English. Both can be used for pickling and slicing. This year I decided to try the English variety in my raised garden bed. Also, to save space, I used a trellis type support system for growing it vertically. That proved to be a very good decision.

13 inch long English cucumber ready to be harvested from my garden

After about two and a half months in the ground, my little cucumber transplant has covered the trellis and produced over a dozen cucumbers. English cucumbers generally grow thinner and straighter than their American counterparts and can grow in the range of 12 to 24 inches long. So far, I’ve been harvesting them at around 12 to 14 inches in length. 

English cucumbers have a sweeter flavor and delicate skin that is less bitter than that of other cucumbers. Many sources say that English cucumbers tend to have very few seeds but, as you can see from the photo, mine had a generous amount. 

A person peeling cucumber on a cutting board Description automatically generated
Seeding an English cucumber with a serrated grapefruit spoon

Tips for growing:

*Plant in an area of the garden that receives a minimum 6 hours of sunshine daily. 

*Prepare the soil by tilling well while adding aged compost to a depth of 6 inches.

*On average, cucumbers require: 1 inch of water per week in moderate conditions, twice per day when temperatures exceed 90°F. 

*Add a 4-inch layer of organic mulch around base, but not touching the stem.

One of my favorite cucumber recipes is from a place in the Texas hill country where my husband and I, for over 35 years, always enjoyed having lunch. It was an absolutely charming restaurant in Fredericksburg known as ‘The Peach Tree Tea Room’. The Pedregon family opened their new venture in the fall of 1984. It brought in diners from all over the United States and internationally, as well. Sadly, it closed a few years ago leaving a void in the Fredericksburg culinary scene. Thankfully, over the years, I purchased all three of their wonderful cookbooks. The recipe I’m sharing is from their first cookbook, published in 1990. It is the recipe for ‘Chilled Creamy Cucumber Soup’. 

Making the recipe over the weekend brought back cherished memories from those early days in Fredericksburg. It was especially rewarding to use three of the ingredients called for in the recipe from my garden; English cucumbers, parsley and garlic that was curing in my pantry. 

A bowl of food on a plate Description automatically generated
Chilled Creamy Cucumber Soup Garnished with Freshly Chopped Parsley and Tomatoes

Hope you will be inspired to take a cool and refreshing break with ‘Chilled Creamy Cucumber Soup’. In the meantime, chill out with these tasty, sliced cucumber appetizers.

Cucumber slices with flowers and a small glass vase of herbs on a wood surface Description automatically generated
English cucumber slices topped with Herbed Cream Cheese, Salad Burnet and Borage Blossoms

And, just in case you were curious about the title…’Cool as a Cucumber’. I did a quick online search and learned something new. First, the inside of cucumbers are approximately 20 degrees cooler than the outside air. And the phrase ‘cool as a cucumber’ first appeared in a poem by the English author John Gay in 1732. It expresses the narrator’s angst regarding a woman with unreturned love! Today, that phrase is used to describe someone who tends to remain calm, assured and composed in any situation.

Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008

Chilled Creamy Cucumber Soup

Cucumber Slices Topped With Herbed Cream Cheese

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