Plant Guide

Variety: Cherokee Purple is an indeterminate heirloom — meaning vines (not a bush), continuous fruit set possible, needs strong support. Central Texas Gardener (PBS Austin) names it among their favorite indeterminate types.

Fruit: Large beefsteak tomatoes, dusky purple-red with dark "shoulders," classic rich heirloom flavor. Typically 8-12 oz each.

Harvest window: ~70-90 days from transplant (so first ripe tomatoes around late July if planted May 16-17).

The Pflugerville reality

Heirloom tomatoes like Cherokee Purple are sensitive to intense heat. The Texas A&M AgriLife guidance for blossom drop is clear: when overnight temperatures stay consistently above ~75°F, the flowers drop without setting fruit. In Pflugerville, that typically means:

• May 16 to mid-June: normal flowering + fruit set
• Mid-June to late August: the heat-pause. The plant stays alive but stops setting new fruit. Existing fruit continues ripening.
• September to first freeze (late November): the fall flush — new flowers and fruit again as nights cool.

Knowing this lets us plan: we cover the bed with shade cloth in June, keep mulch deep, and don't panic when fruit set pauses.

How we care for it

• Trellis: 16-foot cattle panel + T-posts. Cherokee Purple vines reach 6-8 feet. Tomato cages are not enough.
• Spacing: 24 inches between plants (3 plants along the long side of the bed).
• Water: Soaker hose under mulch. About 1 inch of water per week, increasing in summer heat. Consistent watering prevents blossom end rot.
• Feed: Organic Espoma Garden-Tone at planting. Sidedress again at first fruit set (~4-6 weeks later).
• Shade cloth: Deploy when sustained 95°F+ arrives (typically mid-June).

Sources: Texas A&M AgriLife Texas Home Vegetable Gardening Guide + Central Texas Gardener

Variety: Jumbo Jalapeño — larger fruit than standard jalapeños, classic medium-heat flavor.

Heat behavior: Peppers handle Texas heat much better than tomatoes. Expect continuous production through summer.

Harvest: 60-90 days from transplant. Pick when peppers are 3-4 inches long, still firm and shiny. Leave on the plant longer if you want them to turn red (sweeter + slightly hotter).

How we care for it

• Placement: South end of the bed (gets earliest sun, away from tall tomato shade).
• Water: Same as tomatoes — consistent, mulched.
• Feed: Same Espoma Garden-Tone schedule.
• Harvest gloves: Capsaicin is strong on hands. Wear gloves or wash hands well after handling.

Variety: Prime-Ark Freedom — the world's first thornless, primocane-fruiting blackberry. "Primocane-fruiting" means it produces fruit on first-year canes (this year's growth), unlike traditional blackberry varieties that need a full year to establish before bearing fruit. Texas-adapted; heat and humidity tolerant.

Why thornless matters: Safer with Lulee and Rowan in the yard — no thorny canes to catch on.

First fruits: Expected late summer / fall 2026 on primocanes — so we should see berries within months of planting.

Why a separate container

Blackberries prefer slightly acidic soil (pH 5.5-6.5), while tomatoes prefer near-neutral (6.0-6.8). Pflugerville's native soil is alkaline (pH 7.5-8.0), so the blackberry lives in its own half-whiskey-barrel with potting mix amended with elemental sulfur to bring the pH down. This also keeps the perennial blackberry separate from the annual tomato rotation.

How we care for it

• Container: Half-whiskey-barrel (already on hand) with drainage holes drilled. 20+ gallon capacity.
• Soil: General potting mix + ¼ cup elemental sulfur per cubic foot of mix (about ¾ cup total).
• Sun: Full sun ideal, with afternoon shade in Pflugerville summer (similar to tomatoes).
• Water: Consistent moisture — containers dry faster than ground beds.
• Feed: Espoma Berry-tone (or Garden-tone) every 6-8 weeks during growing season.
• First-year pruning: Pinch cane tips when they reach 3.5-4 feet to encourage lateral branching (more fruit potential).

A second blackberry plant is planned for the fall budget — so we'll have two by next spring.

Role: Disease-indicator + pollinator attractor. Masabni notes basil shows powdery mildew and other diseases before they show on the tomato plant — making basil our early-warning system. (Despite the folk wisdom, AgriLife research found basil does not change tomato flavor — but it's still worth growing.)

Use: Pesto, caprese salad, tomato sauces. Pinch flowering tops to keep leaf production going.

Safety: Dog-safe per ASPCA.

Role: The strong scent deters the hawk moth that lays hornworm eggs. Marigold roots also release a compound toxic to soil nematodes (microscopic pests).

Placement: Around the tomato plants, established at the same time so they're ready when pests arrive.

Safety: Generally safe for dogs — mild GI upset only if eaten in large quantity.

Role: Classic tomato companion. Attracts beneficial insects. Use the flat-leaf variety — more flavor than curly.

Note: Parsley does best in cool weather in Central Texas — it'll thrive April-June, slow down in peak summer, and rebound in fall.

Safety: Dog-safe per ASPCA.

Role: Aphid trap (aphids prefer nasturtium to tomato — they sacrifice themselves). Bright orange/yellow flowers attract pollinators. Edible peppery leaves and flowers — great in salads.

Placement: Edge of the bed where the trailing habit can spill over.

Safety: Dog-safe.