The first year I tried gardening in Sugar Land, Texas, in the Houston suburbs, I harvested a grand total of four tomatoes. The fifth and final year I gardened at that house, I had so many tomatoes I had to buy a canner. In the interim, I learned that Southern gardens can be wonderfully productive, but it takes some planning.
Heat and humidity dominate every aspect of gardening in the South. High levels of rainfall can lead to fungal problems and acidic soils. Summers are hot enough to prevent many popular garden plants from setting fruit. The high heat and humidity together are ideal for all kinds of insect pests. Fortunately, there are ways to cope with all of these issues that don’t involve chemical sprays.
When planning your garden, ask yourself: How high is the drainage table? To avoid pooling and fungal
