Vegetable gardening 101
South Florida’s planting season is generally from September through March. Some hardy vegetables and herbs might make it through summer, but it’s best to let the soil rest in the hottest months to prepare for the fall. Here are seven tips to get started.
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Plant in above-ground beds. Free plans for a frame are available at Yellawood.com/projects, or you can buy resin frame kits at building supply stores, such as Lowe’s and The Home Depot. A 4-by-4-feet kit sells for less than $50 and is big enough for a garden to feed a family of four.
Line the raised bed on a garden cloth to prevent weeds and pests from taking over. Place the bed in an area that gets 4 to 6 hours of sun per day, preferably morning sun. Or fit it with a shade cloth overhead if in full sun.
Use containers if a raised bed sounds like too much work. Be sure that every container has good drainage. A five-gallon bucket will hold one or two tomato or pepper plants, or two bush beans. Buckets must be cleaned with bleach and rinsed very well. Don’t reuse them from season to season.
Fill the bed or pots with soil mixed with peat and/or manure. Consider composting if you have the room to create your own material.
Visit a local nursery that specializes in plants bred for our climate (Zone 10 on the USDA Hardiness Zone map) and soil. Or research suitable seed varieties online.
Grow only what you like to eat. Stagger planting throughout the season to harvest vegetables all season long.
Accept that every garden is different. If something works for a friend across town, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get similar results. Mother Nature is fickle that way.
—Jan Norris
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