Transcript Introduction to Vegetable Gardening in Florida

Introduction to Vegetable
Gardening in Florida
Bob Prier
Master Gardener
Charlotte County
Site planning
• For convenience locate the garden near the
house
• Choose a well drained site
• Close to a source of water
• A location that receives at least six hours
of direct sunlight daily
• Where possible, rotate the garden from
place to place to help control soil diseases
and other pests. (or least rotate crops)
Vegetable Growing
in SouthWest Florida
• “The only thing that Florida soil is good for
is holding up the plants”.
Gene McAvov, 2009, UF Extension agent
Best success of growing vegetables in
SW Florida is with augmented soil
or
Alternative vegetable growing programs
Steps to improve soil
• First have your soil pH tested.
• The best pH range for vegetable gardens
on sandy soil is between pH 5.8 and 6.3.
If your soil pH is between 5.5 and 7.0, no
adjustment in pH needs to be made.
• If your soil pH is below 5.5, apply lime at a
rate recommended by soil test.
• If your soil pH is above 7, best solution is
find another site.
Augment Soil
• Add organic material:
– Rotted leaves
– Manure: raw manure a month in advance
– Prepackaged soil additives, Miracle Gro,Scotts, etc
• Top Soil (what are you buying?)
• Compost: make your own or purchase
commercial variety. Green Planet on Rt 17 (4694
Duncan Rd. 941-637-6053 has bulk garden
compost at reasonable prices.
• Worm Castings: BEST ADDITION TO SOIL
Worm Composting
• Composting with worms is easy and
produces an excellent soil additive
• Worm castings contain:
– Beneficial Bacteria
– Essential Minerals
• Worm castings help Control Nematodes
•Web Site: www.floridanativeplantseeds.com
•Google video at: backtenfeet.com:worm
composting with Rachael Singletary
Benefits of Organic Matter
• Improves water holding
• Supplies nutrients- slow release
• Buffers and conditions soil
• Helps fight nematodes and other pests
Vegetable Planting Season
• SW Florida has 2 vegetable growing seasons –
Spring and Fall
• Plant February/March for spring season
• Plant September/October for fall season
• Bonus 3rd Season: cool season crops, plant
November through January
Fertilizing the Garden
Plant Nutrients (16)
• Macro-nutrients
• Primary
– N (nitrogen)
– P (phosphorus)
– K (potassium)
• Secondary
– Ca (Calcium)
– Mg (magnesium)
– S (sulfur)
•Micro-nutrients
•B (boron)
•Cl (chlorine)
•Cu (copper)
•Fe (iron)
•Mn (manganese)
•Mo (molybdenum)
•Zn (zinc)
Fertilizer
• Broadcast complete balanced fertilizer
before planting: 6-6-6, 10-10-10 or 8-10-10.
• Better choice is fertilizer with
Micronutrients: ex. Sunniland or Lesco
• At planting time apply bands or rows of
fertilizer 2-3 inches from plants in furrows
• During growing season side dress with
fertilizer every 2-3 weeks
Watering/Irrigation
• Vegetables need frequent watering,
especially young plants and during hot
windy days, as much as daily.
• Covering seeds until germination
increases germination rate.
• Water soil, not the plants.
• Drip irrigation is best.
• Water early in day.
Weed Pest Management
• Cover bare soil: paper, cardboard, plastic
to cut down on weeds.
• Weeds grow very fast in Florida; try to stay
ahead of problem.
• Never let weeds go to seed
Insect Pest Management
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Scout and hand pick
Soap & Oil Spray, Bt, Neem Oil
Buy Resistant varieties of vegetables
Chemical insecticides:
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Foliar sprays: cover both sides of leaves
Systemic: once a season
Wear protective clothing
Follow the label
SOLARIZATION
Chemical Control
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•Non-systemic
–Horticultural oil
–Malathion
–Carbaryl
Pyrethroids
•Systemic
• –Imidacloprid (Bayer Advanced )
Animal Pests
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Birds
Moles
Rabbits
Squirrels
Armadillos
Raccons
Management Control
•Fencing
•Trapping
•Nets for birds
•Sprays ex. Bonide
SHOT-GUN REPELS-ALL
Earthbox
http://www.earthbox.com/
(Cost: $32.50 each)
Self Contained Watering System….similar to Earthbox
Available locally for $20 and up.
Home‐made Self‐Contained Watering System
Cost: $10-13 + soil + fertilizer
12” Raised Bed with plywood
Cucumbers
Raised Bed 16” with two 2x8’s
Vegetable growing tips
• Tomatoes: choose VFN for best resistance
•
Cherry tomatoes do very well
•
Pick fruit when it has just started to turn
pink, do not wait until fully ripe
•
Try to avoid spraying water on leaves or
splashing soil onto leaves
• Cucumbers: Poinsett good variety
• Radishes: radishes are easy but get hot as the
temperature rises.
Vegetable growing tips
• Sweet Corn: go to Publix or Winn-Dixie
• Greenbeans: Bush beans more tender
• Sugar Snap Peas: plant Nov-Jan but
might need frost protection
• Eggplant: attracts lots of insects
• Okra: best for summer garden, very
productive…check daily in hot season
• Cucumbers: plant every 2-3 weeks
Tomatoes
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Staking, mulching very beneficial
May not set fruit if nitrogen is excessive
Tomato cracking is from uneven watering
Use resistant varieties (VFN)
Better Boy, Celebrity
Sweet 100 Cherry variety
Remember to pick at first blush!!
Squash & Zucchini
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Plant Spring or Fall
Feed frequently: every 2-3 weeks
Mulch
Scout often for insects
– Caterpillars, vine borers, aphids
– Systemic pesticide is good for vine borers and
caterpillars
Cool Season Vegetables
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Plant late fall to early winter
May need to cover if freeze occurs
Cabbage
Broccoli
Collards
Lettuce – leaf lettuce
Lettuce – head: plant in late fall.
References and Resources
• Various references in presentation from
Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide by
Sydney Park Brown et al, UF/IFAS
• and
• Vegetable Gardening Basics by Gene
McAvoy, UF/IFAS extension agent
• http://www.edis.ifas.ufl.edu
Happy Gardening
• If you have problems, go to a Master
Gardener Plant Clinic
• Bob Prier
• 979-8632
• [email protected]