Gardening in West Texas: A Journey of Adaptation and Regeneration
Gardening in West Texas has been one of the most humbling and educational experiences we've had in over 15 years of growing our own food. After spending more than a decade gardening in Fort Worth, we assumed we had a solid foundation, but the soil, climate, wind, and sun here proved to be a whole new world. In many ways, it has felt like starting from scratch.
Year One: Getting Our Bearings
When we first moved to the property, our focus wasn’t on gardening—it was survival mode. Year one was all about getting the house repaired and reclaiming the land, which Johnson Grass and neglect had overtaken. Gardening had to take a backseat to chainsaws, shovels, and basic restoration.
Year Two: Testing the Waters
By our second year, we were able to put a few things in the ground. We experimented with basic spot gardening, testing locations, soil response, and sun exposure to see which plants could survive and thrive. We also began the long process of soil revitalization, using cover crops in the areas overrun by Johnson Grass. That grass has been one of our biggest challenges, but we’re slowly gaining ground—literally and figuratively.
Year Three: Getting Serious
2025 marks our first full year of intentional growth on this land, with established infrastructure. We now have multiple 20x20 growing plots and have moved to drip irrigation, which has been a game-changer. Unlike the inefficient soaker hoses we tried previously, drip irrigation allows us to conserve well water and deliver it precisely where it’s needed. No more watering bare dirt!
We also began using cover crops on a larger scale. Cereal Rye and Annual Rye were broadcast planted and sectioned into three experimental areas. All of it grew beautifully. In one area, we let the Annual Rye die, then harrowed it flat and broadcast Buckwheat into it. Not only did the Buckwheat thrive, but planting seedlings directly into the dead rye also proved incredibly effective. It retained moisture, blocked weeds, provided mulch, and eliminated the need for more tilling, keeping the soil covered and preserving the essential microbial life plants depend on.
Not Every Experiment Succeeds
Of course, not everything worked. In one section, I tried high mowing the Annual Rye instead of harrowing it flat before planting Buckwheat. The result? Poor growth due to dried-out soi,l and now, the dreaded Johnson Grass is creeping back in. Lesson learned—this area will be tilled again in the fall, replanted with cover crops, and we’ll return to the method that worked best.
In the third area, we left the tall Cereal Rye standing and broadcast Buckwheat directly into it. It’s growing, but the coverage is spotty because the seed didn’t distribute well through the tall grass. Next year, I’ll harrow this plot flat before broadcasting for better results.
A Different Approach to Soil Health
Our long-term goal is to develop a low-to-no-till system that prioritizes soil regeneration, not just production. We've seen what the commercial growers in our area do: deep plowing, heavy chemical fertilization, planting, harvesting, then repeating the cycle. The soil lies bare for months between rotations, exposed to the punishing sun and relentless West Texas wind. Dust clouds are everyday, visible reminders that their topsoil is literally blowing away. We don’t want to go down that road.
Instead, we're focused on building healthy soil biology through constant cover cropping, minimal disturbance, and layering both live and dead plant matter. It’s slower. It takes more observation. But we believe it's the only way to build a sustainabl,e growing system in this environment.
The Journey Continues
We still have a long way to go, but each season brings us closer to understanding. Gardening in West Texas isn’t just about growing food—it’s about growing with the land, respecting its challenges, and finding ways to work with nature instead of against it.
We’re learning every day—and that, in itself, has been the most rewarding part of the journey.
