I’m Sara, a gardener in Zone 9b Houston, Texas. Gardening in the middle of a huge city presents special challenges in terms of space, pollution, neighbors, and more. And gardening in Houston, Texas, provides another layer of challenge for anyone wanting to grow abundant food or beautiful flowers.

Here in Houston, summer is more of a dormant season than winter, as highs reach into the hundreds Fahrenheit while humidity smothers. Tomatoes won’t set fruit; the only happy things outside are my okra and my luffa. People aren’t happy outside, either; gardening grinds to something of a standstill.

Winter, meanwhile, is okay. Navigating a few freezes, we can grow fruitfully year round in Houston. There are cool-season crops to be grown all winter, of course, but I’ve also harvested eggplant into November and eaten a home-grown tomato sandwich, from a plant set out in February, in April.

Timing is everything in gardening, but especially in Houston, where we can’t rely on gardening advice that fits other regions in North America. If you’re gardening in Houston, I hope you’ll learn alongside me as I continue to deepen my understanding and grow my skills in gardening in a hot and humid climate. If you’re gardening somewhere colder, I hope you can ride along for a little gardening inspiration as we bloom and prosper during your dormant season.

Thank you for joining me on my gardening adventure!