Late March into April is when young hearts turn to love, farmers to fields, and gardeners think about what and when to plant in their vegetable gardens.  Some gardeners still believe very strongly in the Farmers Almanac, and will only plant to the time periods shown in the book.  Others hold to the idea that you cannot plant certain crops before or after Easter.  Yet another group of gardeners believe that its great anytime you can get plants into the ground after the last freeze.  Unfortunately, this third group generally tends to plant a bit too early.
 

Another kind of bean is the Snap bean, which originates from Central America.  Like the Limas, they do not fare well in the hot Louisiana and Texas summers, and don’t typically survive during that time of the year.  However, the Snap bean can be planted in late August for a second yearly crop.   

Snap beans enjoy well-drained soil and do not like water standing around the plants.  They also require plenty of sunshine and a soil pH around 5.8 to 6.8 for best growth.  Some varieties of snap beans are easier to manage than others, like the Bush Blue Lake bean which does not need a trellis system. 

Tomatoes are one of the most planted crops by home gardeners, and generally produce about five pounds of tomatoes per plant, if done correctly.  The earliest planting times for the tomato are early March for Southern Louisiana and Southeast Texas, and late March for central Louisiana and the Lakes Region of Southeast Texas.   

Tomatoes prefer a soil pH around 5.8 to 6.7, and require at least 6 to 7 hours of sunshine daily.  Pollination problems can be caused by certain weather factors, such as daytime temperatures above 90 degrees, nighttime temperatures above 75 degrees, or nighttime temperatures below 55 degrees.  Many varieties of tomatoes can be grown locally, from the Cherry tomato to the Big Boy.  Just grow what you like to eat in your salad!