[kingary49]

Hello, Gary from north Central Texas. Looking to learn something about gardening. Haven't planted a full garden in a good while, mostly due to age, 72. Can't hardly handle a tiller anymore. Tried above the ground for a while, worked okay for two or three years. Tried pots on the back porch for a while. Not a lot of luck. Had trouble growing tomatoes. Last year just planted a cactus, so far it's still with me. Our soil is mostly clay, seems to grow rocks.

 

[harrylee]

Welcome Gary, good to have you aboard. I am sort of in the same boat you are, getting up there (69), the legs ain't what they used to be (arthritis). Lucky for me, I have pretty good soil and I have a tiller on my garden tractor. That saves me a ton of work. This year, I built some raised beds and planter boxes from scrap wood I came across. Hopefully that will save my old back next year.

 

[01-7700]

Hey Gary! Have you considered trying hydroponic gardening? All you need is some 5 gallon buckets and $25 worth of fertilizers and salts. Top off the buckets once a week with fresh water and nutrients, no weeds, no pumps, no fiddling, you've got plenty of sun and heat to grow tomatoes with no problems in your area. Here's some cherry tomatoes I started inside in my sunroom November. They are going outside as soon as the snow melts and it stops freezing out at night.