Easy Gardening for Texas

When is "full sun" not full sun? When you're trying to grow vegetables in Texas. Because a full day of sun here can stress all but the toughest plants. For the rest, "full sun" in Texas means 6 to 8 hours mostly in the morning, and shade in the afternoon.

Gardening in Texas has unique challenges, but that doesn't mean you can't grow vegetables here. You just need to know what kind, when, and where. Enter Easy Gardening for Texas, which offers basic information on how to reap a bountiful harvest in the Lone Star State.

The book explains the fundamentals of planning, planting, watering, and dealing with pests in the garden. It lists the varieties that grow best in Texas and gives tips for growing, harvesting, and storing them.

Included are 224 pages, 351 photos, and information on more than 30 types of vegetables.

JOSEPH G. MASABNI is a vegetable specialist in the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. He holds a doctorate in Vegetable Production from Michigan State University and served six years as a fruit and vegetable specialist at the University of Kentucky Research and Education Center before moving to Texas in 2008.