4 minute read
THE LOCAL FLAVOR
Garden Goals
// BY MELISSA PETERSON
Last spring, when the world shut down and everyone stayed home, one of the hobbies many families took up was gardening. If you’re ready to make this a permanent xture in your backyard or even if this is your rst rodeo, now is a great time to start your spring vegetable garden.
We’ve got all the details from Maxine Hunter, a UF/IFAS Extension Marion County urban horticulture agent and the Master Gardener volunteer coordinator.
Before you plant your seeds just anywhere, spend a little time making a plan. Where to start your garden and, even more, whether to start seeds in the ground, grow plants indoors before transplanting them outside or purchase young transplants are all considerations. According to Maxine, it really depends on the vegetable.
“Some plants, such as beans, watermelon and squash, do not handle being transplanted well,” she says. “I prefer to start seeds indoors for tomatoes, eggplant and peppers, which transplant easily. Sowing seeds directly is less expensive as seeds are cheaper to buy than transplants. Direct seeding does have some risks, as some seeds will not come up and over seeding means extra work thinning them out.”
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of seeds when shopping, don’t overthink it. Read through the details on the back of the packet or in the description on the website, and don’t be afraid to be a little adventurous.
“There are wide varieties of seeds available online and from seed catalogs,” says Maxine. “Playing with seed varieties can be really fun.”
If you do decide to start your plants indoors, transplants will generally be ready to be moved to an outdoor garden within four to six weeks.
Your next decision is where exactly to start your garden. Maxine has some helpful advice on the matter.
“I like containers for my tomatoes because it is easy to put fresh soil on them each season and recycle the previous soil to other crops,” she says. “Raised beds are great if you have poor soil that cannot be easily amended or need to make accessible garden areas. Lastly, in-ground gardening can be great, but don’t forget to add organic matter and rotate your crops.”
Regarding the location, keep your garden near your house on a well-drained site close to a source of water and in a location that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight. If you’re not using containers or raised beds, rotate your garden from place to place each season to help control soil diseases and other pests.
When choosing the soil, the details matter. Look at the source of where the organic material comes from and what percentage of organic material and fertilizer is contained in the soil.
“You want soil that is light and u y, not dense or hard,” says Maxine. “Drainage is important. Soil that holds too much water will need to be mixed with pine bark, perlite or sand to improve drainage.”
You’ve probably heard the phrase FloridaFriendly Landscaping. The practice involves protecting the environment through the choices you make in your yard. Using the right plant-right place method, proper irrigation, fertilizer and mulching practices can improve the success in your garden and prevent overuse of our natural resources. The beginning stage of planning your garden is the most appropriate time to consider these practices.
And speaking of irrigation, knowing how often and how much to water can feel tricky. Everyone knows that too much—and also too little— water can be detrimental to your garden. Maxine advises to remember that vegetable gardens are a little di erent than our lawns and shrub beds.
“Vegetables will need more frequent watering when they are rst planted and to keep them growing well as our temperatures increase,” she says. “Usually, it is best to water daily when rst planting your garden and then every few days after the plants get established. Watering in the early morning hours is best and micro-irrigation or drip lines can save you from over watering and fungal infections.”
Another consideration is controlling pests. Florida and insects go hand in hand, and you can never be too careful with what chemicals you use when growing plants your family will consume.
“We use an approach called Integrated Pest Management, which incorporates cultural control methods, natural predators and preventative methods before applying chemicals,” Maxine says. “Also, planting diverse crops and using trap crops, such as sun owers, is a great method to draw pests away from your desired crops.”
When it’s picking time, remember that knowing when it’s time to harvest is not really an exact science.
“First, look at the seed pack or label from transplants for ‘days to harvest,’” says Maxine. “Secondly, our Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide has estimated days to harvest, but this may vary by variety. Lastly, use daily and weekly inspections of your garden to visually inspect fruit for color, rmness and size.”
Hopefully all your planning and research will reward you with a large crop of veggies this season. Happy picking!
CHECK OUT THESE ADDITIONAL ONLINE RESOURCES FROM UF/IFAS.
• UF/IFAS website: sfyl.ifas.u .edu/marion
• Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide: edis.ifas.u .edu/vh021
• Florida-Friendly Landscaping: .ifas.u .edu
• Free mobile Florida Fresh app: m.ifas.u .edu
• Social media: facebook.com/
MarionCountyMasterGardeners, facebook.com/groups/VictoryGardeners, @ orida.mastergardeners on Instagram
