Veggies!

Growing a great vegetable garden in Florida is possible, practical and rewarding.  You will have great bragging rights, fruits and vegetables for your table and to share.  If there is an over-abundance, you can freeze or can the excess to enjoy throughout the year.  Florida has two seasons in which you can grow a vegetable garden, spring and fall.  It's important to realize which vegetables grow best in which season. Many will do well in either season, but some, like eggplant, squash and melons will do best in a spring garden.  Spinach and most leafy greens will like the cooling weather of a fall garden. Our summer is like winter in the north, a time to rest your vegetable garden or perhaps solarize it and plan your fall and spring gardens. 

Our teacher for this session was Ed Thralls Master Gardener Program Coordinator for Orange County, among other duties. The Orange County Extension has demonstration gardens at their 6021 S. Conway Rd., Orlando location, and Ed invited Master Gardeners to visit.  Call ahead first.  Here is the number 407.254.9200.  He gave us two great handouts, Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide and Managing Insects in the Home Vegetable Garden. The guide has information on when to plant and what varieties do best in Florida.  Look for those with high resistance to insects and diseases.  We do have our share of insects don't we? One of our instructors mentioned that bugs like Florida as much as we do and for the same reasons. How true!

A very important item to consider when planning your garden is sunlight.  It must have at least six hours of full sun a day.  Access to water is also important.  If it's difficult to water, it probably won't be. Good soil and a willingness to work in it and tend it are also needed. That means watering and feeding when needed, inspecting for insects and diseases, controlling them and generally making sure your garden is growing well.  For a great garden test your soil, amend as needed, and add organics.

 Raised beds will reduce some of the major problems of Florida gardening.  In them, you can control the soil structure, provide water more easily and save your back from bending so far. They can also be a very nice addition to your landscape.  Raised beds can be made from many different materials.  They can be very elaborate or as simple as some decorative picnic ice buckets from Walmart like mine.  This is their second season, and they are holding up well.

Some have said that gardening improves the neighborhood, and I agree.  Having tomatoes to share is a great way to get to know your neighbors.  Maybe they will get interested in growing a garden too and eventually share something that you don't grow with you.

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