Apr 24 2007
Vegetable Gardening in Florida
Vegetable gardening can be done virtually anywhere, but vegetable gardening in Florida has some extra benefits. The warm weather that the state enjoys means that temperatures should allow gardening year-round. This lack of snowy weather makes vegetable gardening in Florida a constant source of foods. Of course, the plants you grow are subject to the season. Here are some tips for vegetable gardening in Florida.
Join a Local Gardening Group
One of the easiest ways to get a good start on vegetable gardening in Florida is to join a local gardening club. This step will be perfect for getting advice on pests unique to Florida, as well as plants that grow there. For the beginner, this is the perfect place to learn how to avoid common mistakes. Even better, sometimes members of gardening clubs are willing to sell, trade, or give away seeds of crops they’ve had success with, a great chance to get something to work with.
Great Summer Vegetables
When trying vegetable gardening in Florida, again, make sure you pick hardy vegetables for the summer; ones that can handle the sometimes-intense heat in Florida. For instance, peas are always a good addition to the garden, but finding a Southern variety will ensure that it stands up to the heat. One interesting crop to try is peppers of all kinds, whether sweet or hot. Growing peppers while enjoying Florida vegetable gardening can give you a lot of pretty-looking plants that will spice up any meal.
Cool Weather, Great Veggies
When the cooler months hit, you don’t have to stop your vegetable gardening in Florida. The weather is still not likely to get so cold that some plants won’t grow. Your best bet for winter vegetable gardening is to grow things that are leafy and grow in the ground. Root vegetables like carrots, potatoes, and beets will work well when vegetable gardening in Florida.Â
Leafy vegetables such as lettuce and cabbage will do well also. Keep in mind that in addition to things that resemble cabbage, plants such as broccoli and cauliflower, while no longer resembling the cabbage that they were bred from, are also excellent cool-weather crops.Â
Be sure to pay attention to guides for growing winter plants when vegetable gardening in Florida, as some are more appropriate for the start of the cold season, when they start out in slightly warmer weather, and others are best to plan when it’s cool, for harvest when the days warm. But with a little work and knowledge, you’ll be able to enjoy your hobby of vegetable gardening in Florida for the whole year.
Related posts:
- Vegetable Gardening in Southeast Florida Corn Fields
- Simple Ideas for Fall and Winter Vegetable Gardening
- About Hydroponic Gardening in Southwest Florida
- The 5 Steps to Vegetable Gardening in North Carolina
- Tips and Ideas for Vegetable Gardening in East Tennessee
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Can you suggest any other vegetables besides peas and peppers to plant in central Florida now (
April) that will survive the summer heat?
Hi Gail,
It’s still not too late to plant these veggies. They do well in our hot and humid summer weather.
Basil
Eggplant
Lima Beans
Malabar Spinach
Okra
Sweet Potatoes
Hope your garden’s growing well,
Ann
HI;
Please point me to a Tampa/ Brandon area veg. gardening group. I am a beginner and would like some ‘hands on’ advice.
Thanks
I appreciate your informative website. We are preparing for the future and the potential of food shortages. What counsel or information do you hold on this topic?
Thank you!
M. Coppi
Central Florida
Collards do well in the FL summer. You can plant them earlier or later and just some base leaves and cut off the more tender and smaller new leaves. They will keep producing new tender leaves all summer.