Hello Friends and Neighbors! Now that the nights are starting to cool - a little - there are many delicious things you can plant right in your own back yard. All you need is an area with at least 6 hours of daily direct sunlight and easy access to water (a hose, drip line or a way to fill a watering can). 

We have raised garden beds, but you could use any type of large and deep flowerpot or container (with good drainage) or plant directly into the ground. In containers you can use any fresh planting soil, but if  planting directly in the ground, you will have to prepare the soil first. You can find information on soil preparation in the Florida Vegetable Growing Guide: https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/VH021

 

Once you know where your vegetables will grow, you can select what you will grow (the fun part!). We suggest planting only those things that you really enjoy eating just in case you get a bumper crop or be prepared to share with friends and neighbors. There are some fall vegetables that will grow well from seeds, like peas, beans, carrots and cucumbers (find the planting depth and spacing directions on the back of the seed packet). Remember, cucumbers require something for them to climb on. 

Other vegetables - like kale, lettuce, peppers and tomatoes - will do better if you start with transplants. Most home and garden centers will have lots of vegetable transplants. 

Don’t fertilize your new seeds and plants right away. Give them a few weeks to adjust before using a good general purpose vegetable fertilizer (always follow the application instructions on the package). Information on fertilizer use can be found here: https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/care/fertilizer/applying-fertilizer-to-vegetables/

 

Growing your own vegetables can be fun, educational and healthy. There is a sense of accomplishment and pride when you can eat something delicious that you grew yourself. If you’d like to share your plant or garden story, or if you have photos of your vegetable garden, please contact Andrea.Knight@n2co.com so we can feature them in an upcoming article. 

 

That’s all for now, happy vegetable growing!

Donna and Paul