The Volunteer Garden

03/02/2025

We had a few people who weren’t able to join us yesterday so we are going to have the seed starting again today at 1 PM, March 2, 2025. Please bring a chair and be aware there are no public restrooms. 3702 37th by the blue building.

01/14/2025

Want to know when to start seeds? We have covered it a bit, but here is what I do. In zone 7 of Lubbock Texas, our average last freeze date is about mid April. My mom always said wait til May 1 but that was more than 40 years ago. I take my planning calendar, and write the weeks backwards. So for example, if I start at April 15, then on April 8 I write 1 week (1 week before projected last freeze average) and on April 1 I write 2 weeks, and do that all the way back to mid January. Then I look at when I think I can put out cold tolerant plants in March and count back from those, making the distinction of it from the first count.
The next thing is to gather the seeds you plan on planting and checking to see if you sow them inside or outside and when. Most of them say a certain number of weeks before the projected last freeze average date. Sort them by when to plant them inside and outside.
Since I have a full time job I will be planting on weekends, starting next weekend. If it is your first year or two, don't get too complicated in your planning and if you are a few days or a week or two late getting it done, you will probably be alright, just expect a later harvest. I do have to say the below freezing weather over several days has stoked my enthusiasm mentally but physically, I want a hot cup of tea and to sit in front of the fire with a blanket and read a book.

01/14/2025

Warning: Garden Ramble!
This year is going to be different for the garden. Many new and exciting things are coming about. We are working toward a meeting area inside, no heat yet or AC but at some point there will be. A grow room is in the planning for next year. We do have a new building that will be the "store" for all goods grown and made here. At some point in the next year there will be a fence around the majority of the garden (based on the city code that is a bit ambiguous for the property). So, we are considering a new name for the garden. It has been really difficult to get reliable volunteers that come a regular basis the last few years, so not sure how much longer it will be a volunteer garden. That doesn't mean there won't be classes on gardening or hands on practice, just that we may just run it by ourselves. If you have great garden name ideas, leave them in the comments. If you have other ideas for us, let us know.

01/05/2025

It is going to be chilly (near and below freezing) in Lubbock Texas for the next week. This is a great time for garden planning.
Usually I plan my next garden in October and purchase my seeds then, as it helps me with the grieving of the garden that I had for the last 6 months. This year, the seeds were ordered but I haven't planned the planting, but I have a good idea of what I wanted from the last several gardens.
If you haven't already planned your garden for the 2025 season, or you are thinking you may want to start a garden. Here are my tips for planning.
1. Make a list of foods you will eat or others you know will eat.
2. Look at online seed companies or their catalogs and choose some varieties. Check local folks or programs to see what varieties grow well where you are. (yes, it makes a big difference, especially as a new gardener)
3. Look at the size of the area where you want to put your garden. It would be good if you know how many hours of sun it gets during the day. You can tell some of it even in January but know the sun will flood some shaded areas in the summer as the earth tilts down toward the sun.
4. Check your seeds, should be available in the catalog or online, to see how much sun they need. If they say full sun, in Lubbock Texas, that is about 10-12 hours, but you may want some shade, esp. late afternoon.
5. Draw out your plan for where your garden will be and where you want to plant different plants. Make sure they will be ok next to each other or look at companion planting. I keep an entire planner just for my garden and chickens. This is the planner I like, but you can do what works for you. It helps me keep up with when to plant, when they fruit, etc. I also note the moon but that is another post.
6. Regardless of the size of your garden, it is going to be helpful to follow these steps.

01/02/2025

Happy New Year! Did you have black-eyed peas yesterday? I did. I had some in the freezer from the garden, but had also picked some up at the grocery store in fresh produce just in case I didn't have any in the freezer. I cooked them yesterday with some bacon, onion and spices. They are yummy.
Since I grow bep's (black-eyed peas) in the garden, I like to ask others if they eat them on New Year's Day and many don't like them. Sometimes I think they just try them in a can, or don't add any seasoning or onion, pork etc. Well no, they don't taste good then. I have also figured out, that like other things I have grown, different varieties taste differently. My two favorites are Pink eye Purple Hull and California. Many companies call them cow peas, some have varieties that say cream peas or beans.
My favorite to eat are purple hull peas.
If you don't want to shell them, eat them, or sell them, they can still be good for you. BEP's are a great cover crop. Even if you pick the pods, the plants are good for your soil. If possible, I compost the plants right where they were grown.
A cover crop is grown to enhance soil in between other seasons.

Things to know about growing BEPs: They grow well in the Lubbock area and at least 100 miles in all directions. They love heat, need a great deal of full sun and plenty of water. I have not had issues with nemesis bugs (any bad bug infestations), unless they are the ones that cause it to look like soap suds but a good water spray usually takes care of it. The pods are ready to be picked when you can feel the pod and tell the beans or peas are loose inside. It is best to shell them as soon as possible after picking. You may choose to rinse them and freeze them, however, I usually just bag them and freeze them as soon as they are shelled.
Please post how you like your peas and let me know if you have any questions. Of course, this information is from my experience and life-long experiences.

12/31/2024

Most people think that gardening is only done during the summer. It is truly a year round activity. Here we are at the end of the year, literally, December 31, 2024. It has been a warmer than usual fall and beginning of winter. People who don't garden are just now gathering up their leaves to have them hauled away or put them in a dumpster. It makes me cringe every year. For a few years, I asked for others to bring their leaves to the garden. I would use them in the top of the raised beds and cover them with cardboard after having at least 8 inches of leaves on each one. For a couple of years I had a leaf mulcher and used it to make them more dense. Water them down heavily to start the decomposition or composting of them, and cover them with cardboard held down with anything heavy enough to withstand the West Texas wind.
If I had chicken compost or other compost, I used it as well with the leaves.
It sits all winter until I am ready to prep beds for planting in March/April.
I don't ask for leaves anymore, because I got a batch with bind w**d in it. It spreads like wildfire even if you are diligent on trying to keep it out. So my cautionary tale is get your leaves from people you know or just use the ones you have. You can also just use compost from your own garden and kitchen. I also have chickens and soon to have rabbits, for more natural compost along with eggs.
Here we grow!

11/27/2024

Taking the train

10/19/2024

It’s pumpkin time! When you are done celebrating all the things pumpkin, please bring your pumpkins to the garden and drop them off on Louisville Street in the driveway. Carved pumpkins, whole pumpkins, rotten pumpkins, but please if they are painted wash them before you bring them, the paint is not good for the animals or the soil.

09/10/2024

For those of you looking for a fall plant sale, you might wanna drive to Midland. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/RUJJrWoBbU7ekP6D/?mibextid=K35XfP

09/07/2024

The garden is ready to prepare for next spring. We will have a pumpkin collection area after Halloween and Thanksgiving for you to drop off your used pumpkins. In November we will have a seed/plant/cutting swap.
Watch for more posts coming soon.

04/07/2024

Hello Everyone. I haven’t posted things this season so far because the garden is going to be left fallow for a season. I am having a total knee replacement in May and will be out of commission for several weeks. I appreciate you coming by the page to see what is growing on. I will be available to answer any questions about gardening.

01/01/2024

It is New Year’s Eve about 9 PM and Gracie is still not home. We drive around daily for at least four hours looking for her and calling her name and passing out flyers and no one has seen her. The number of hours I spent on my phone daily has tripled since she got out on December 15 and didn’t come home. She is friendly, but she might be timid. She is 10 years old so she might not be moving very fast. She usually knows her way home so every day when we’ve been out and get home, I hope to see her on the porch but she’s not here. And it brings tears to my eyes to not know where she is and if she’s OK. There is a $500 reward for her return of questions asked. Please share and help bring Gracie home. She was last seen at 37th and Louisville Avenue and if you’d like to return her there it’s the house with the turquoise shutters. You can put her in the backyard if we’re not home. You can call at 210-309-7199 or text. I will drive wherever I need to to get her if necessary I will not stop looking and everyone in the neighborhood will know that because they will hear me calling her name. Her pups miss her too, and they understand I think what we’re doing when we go out to look for her, because they go with us. She is a medium size dog weighing 45 pounds so she’s about half the size of a regular German Shepherd.

11/22/2023

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! When the turkey and dressing is gone and the pumpkin pie is no longer looking like breakfast of Champions, and you are ready to have the pumpkins, gourds, straw gone, bring them by The Volunteer Garden, we would love to have them.

LUBBOCK, Texas – When your decorative pumpkin display starts to decay, it’s easy to want to toss it in the trash. It turns out that many people do just that. According to the U.S. Department …

11/02/2023

We are ready for all the Jacko lanterns you can bring so we can get them composted! Look for the sign by the curb on the west end of the garden. 3702 37th street