Category: Lake Conroe Area News

Vegetable gardening in Montgomery County really comes into its own as we move into the fall and winter season. It’s kind of interesting to note that even experienced vegetable gardeners in Montgomery County don’t know what a wonderful time of year fall is, for the vegetable garden.  Prolonged periods of mild temperatures ensures the production of high quality produce.
The diversity of plants that perform well in the fall vegetable garden always seems to amaze people.  Believe it or not, we begin fall gardening in July with the planting of fall tomatoes.  As we move into September the diversity of vegetables being planted grows exponentially.  
Green beans top the list of September planted vegetables.  I’d suggest going with bush types for fall because of their concentrated set and shortened time to maturity.  The quality of green beans in the fall garden is exceptional.  The plants grow during the warm temperatures of early fall and the bean pods mature during the milder temperatures of late October and November.  
You might even consider planting a few yellow or zucchini squash plants early in September.  Select early maturing varieties to ensure production before the first winter freeze.
The cabbage family comprises a large group of vegetables which includes: broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, mustard, collards, Brussels sprouts and kale.  All of these perform beautifully in the fall and winter garden and our mild winters rarely produce enough cold to cause any damage to these extremely cold hardy vegetables.  They can be planted with great success from September all the way through January.  It’s important to remember that these leafy vegetables are heavy nitrogen feeders, requiring regular light applications of a good nitrogen fertilizer.
Leaf lettuce should be included in all fall and winter gardens.  They are very well adapted to our winter climate, take up very little space and produce an abundant harvest throughout the winter season.  We’ve tested hundreds of varieties over the years with great success.  The main thing to consider when selecting a variety is your personal taste, the type you prefer (bibb or butterhead, romaine, crisphead, oak leaf, loose-leaf) as long as you stick with the leaf types.  
Iceberg lettuce does not seem to perform well for most gardeners in the Montgomery County.  Lettuce can be planted from transplants or seed.  If you decide to try growing lettuce from seeds, it’s important to realize that lettuce seeds need light to germinate so be sure to plant them very close to the surface.  I suggest planting the seed on the surface and lightly dusting them with compost or vermiculite. Also don’t get in a big hurry to plant lettuce.
It requires cool temperatures and generally that means waiting until well into October before planting.
Spinach is always worth a try.  Sometimes our winter season is too warm which can result in spinach bolting to seed.  Spinach like lettuce should not be planted until temperatures really begin to cool off.  Warm temperatures can delay germination and even result in death of young seedlings.  I usually find it necessary to wait until late October or even early November before putting spinach plants or seed out in the garden.  The quality of fresh spinach is wonderful here during the winter gardening season but two weeks of warm weather (over 80 degrees Fahrenheit) can cause the plants to bolt to seed.
Texas is known all over the country for its mild winter onions.  We grow short day varieties such as: Grano, Granex, or Texas Supersweet.  Many people try growing onions from seed which are generally planted in this area in November.  I recommend using transplants, which should be planted in January.  Feed stores and garden centers generally carry a good selection of onion transplants in January.
Lastly, is the candy of the winter vegetable garden, edible podded peas. These plants are generally not overly productive but the sweet, high quality fruit are well worth the time and effort it takes to grow them.  Edible podded peas are generally planted in late September or October and then again in January and early February.  Although hard freezes will generally knock off the flowers and developing pods, the plants are very cold hardy and will come right back into production as soon as the cold snap has passed.  Climbing varieties such as Sugar Snap and Super Sugar Snap are great. Don’t be surprised if most of these get eaten right out in the garden.
Don’t forget to send your garden questions to Plant Answers at 9020 Airport Rd., Conroe TX 77303 or e-mail me at mpotter@ag.tamu.edu.     

A new early education and daycare center is coming to Magnolia as the city continues to grow. 
The Learning Experience, which was founded in 2002, is a center that offers infant daycare, early childhood education and structured learning. With nearly 400 centers and 250 more in development, the Magnolia location off Hufsmith Conroe Road is expected to feature a building that could be as big as 10,000-square-feet with a playground that could reach 5,000-square-feet.
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David Slavny, the vice president of the organization, attributed the growth in the area as a reason for opening a location in the city of nearly 3,000.
“The Learning Experience also does research into potential areas to see if there is a growing demand for childcare/early education there in order to determine if it would be beneficial to build there,” Slavny said.
While the cost wasn’t made immediately available, the cost of constructing the building is estimated to be $3 million, according to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. 
The center is expected to employ as many as 30 staff members and certified teachers to serve upwards of 180 children between 6 weeks and 6 years old with daycare and early childhood education, Salvny said. 
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The opening of the new center comes after officials project the city could increase by 600 percent in 2039 and have a population of 53,000.
In January, officials launched a survey to help improve the city’s parks and recreational spaces in hopes to bring more summer programs for kids and families. In 2023, officials unveiled a planned $1.2 billion master thoroughfare plan to improve the city’s transportation network, which included roads, bicycle lanes, sidewalks and trails.
A $34 million Lone Star College center is being built in Magnolia as one of the college system’s last projects from its nearly $500 million bond in 2014. Expected to open its doors in 2026, the new center recently broke ground along FM 1486 on June 27.
For more information about the early education and daycare center, visit thelearningexperience.com.

In the midst of downtown Conroe’s revival in recent years, new shops and restaurants have emerged in the district around the Montgomery County Courthouse square. 
As the area continues to evolve, summer has brought some shifts to the downtown businesses. 
Here’s what to know about downtown retailers that have closed, opened, moved or returned this summer:
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A Game Changer closes 
Conroe’s first bar arcade on Metcalf Street A Game Changer has closed this month after opening in November. The closure was confirmed by the building’s owner this week. 
A trio of Houston hospitality experts brought the new concept for downtown to the old MoCo Food Hall at 109 Metcalf Street. The food hall was open from August 2022 to July 2023 after a major renovation of the historic building near the north/south train tracks. 
A Game Changer offered vintage arcade games and a variety of arcade-style games, dining and “A Bank Job” bar which was a hidden bar that ran the length of the venue. 
The last post on A Game Changer Facebook page was June 27 and invited patrons to enjoy downtown Conroe’s Fourth of July fireworks from their second-story balcony. 
No new plans for the building have been announced. 
Small Town Famous moves 
The storefront for the vintage Western wear boutique Small Town Famous at 312 Metcalf Street has closed and owners Farralyn Withrow and her daughters Libby and Katey now have booth No. 77 inside of Conroe Central Market at 225 N Thompson Street still in downtown Conroe. 
Katy native Withrow said she has always loved Western wear and vintage finds and Small Town Famous opened in the old State Hotel building in April 2023. The shop helped outfit Montgomery County residents for the Montgomery County Fair, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and more with unique styles. 
The shop specializes in pearl-snap shirts, vintage Wranglers, boots, belts, belt buckles, hats, leather purses and jewelry. An online shopping experience is also in the works for Small Town Famous. 
Withrow continues to host the weekly Main Street Market on Thompson Street from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 
Galavant’s Coffee is back 
Galavant’s Coffee stand is back in downtown Conroe. In early 2021, Brad Bailey opened the mobile coffee cart at Main and Metcalf streets. 
Bailey had worked at a coffee shop in Houston and a few others locally, but was ready to strike out on his own. The cart kept going through April 2022. After a hiatus, Galavant’s Coffee cart opened again in June at Clover House Antiques, 118 North San Jacinto Street.
“Thanks again for all the love and continued support y’all are the best,” Bailey wrote on the Galavant’s Coffee Facebook page in June. Visit the Facebook page for open days and hours. 
Kofe Num Pang out of commission 
Kofe Num Pang opened at 330 N. Main in downtown Conroe in June 2023. Prior to that the spot was Vernele’s Bayou Bakery and Café and has been a host of other restaurants over the years. 
Kofe is a nod to everyone’s favorite morning jolt. Num pang is a style of Cambodian sandwich. The location is operated by the Cheng family that also owns the Taste the Asian food truck and Dragon Bowl C Noodle Bar in downtown Conroe. 
The location is temporarily closed as they continue to make repairs caused by recent rains. No reopening date has been given. Earlier this year, the Cheng family opened a second location of Dragon Bowl C at Hop Scholar and Sabbatical Spirits in Spring. 
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Newer arrivals 
Paulette Café is a French restaurant in downtown offering breakfast, crêpes, pizzas, pastries at 406 N. Thompson Street. The spot opened in December 2023 on the first floor of the Moreland Professional Building. 
On July 1, Erika Prothow’s E.Free’s On Main had its grand opening in the former location of candle and soap shop Almost August across from the Crighton Theatre on Main Street. 
After launching her own loose-leaf tea brand, Teavotion, in the Houston area in 2022, in February she had the soft opening for her E.Free’s On Main tea shop in downtown Conroe that carries her Teavotion teas and other tea-related finery. 
Additionally the Conroe Collective has become The Collective in Downtown Conroe and has a new owner. The space has even more vendors and coffee is coming soon to the business at 213 N. Thompson Street.