GROW YOUR OWN

It’s officially the season of harvest. When the fall weather drops from 95 degrees to a crisp 90, all I want is butternut squash soup and oversized sweaters (even if both of those things make me sweaty). Whether you’re a gardening greenhorn or blessed with a green thumb, Master Gardener Volunteers and staff with the UF/IFAS Extension of Polk County have food growing tips you’ll dig.

We spoke with Residential Horticulture Extension Agent for the UF/IFAS Extension of Polk County, Anne Yasalonis, to guide us on our food growing journey this fall. Her job is to educate the residents of Polk County on the research-based information related to horticulture including gardening, landscaping, and water conservation.

Yasalonis also manages and coordinates the Master Gardener Volunteer Program in Polk County. “Master Gardener Volunteers have been trained by the extension agent in their county using the University of Florida IFAS curriculum. They have intense training and then give back to the program by volunteering,” she said. Polk County has about 90 volunteers who act as arms of the program.

TIME TO GET GROWING

The best part about growing most fall veggies is you don’t need acres of land to do so. Depending on what you’re looking to grow, you can use something as small as a Tupperware container. In fact, starting small is key, says Yasalonis. “It’s work, and you’ve got to maintain it and put money into it,” she said. It’s best to start with one plant like lettuce, see how you like that, and continue from there versus planting all the ingredients for your favorite salad at once (if this is your foray into farming, that is).

“There’s quite a lot that you can plant in the fall in Central Florida,” said Yasalonis. “I like to grow things like lettuce, arugula. I like a lot of the greens. I feel like there’s always a use for collard, kale, or turnip greens.”

Yasalonis and I spoke in late July, the time fall planting would start for vegetables. That involves getting them started by seed and ready for transplanting later. “The earlier you start, you can get started with seeds,” she said. In October, November, and December, you can plant and harvest things like beans, broccoli, collards, bunch onions, radishes, and more. “When you’re talking about starting a seed – you’ve got to start from the seed, allow it to grow bigger, and then you’ve got 100 more days to grow it. If you’re starting very late, you might not have the time for the seeds. It’s very dependent on the vegetable or fruit that you’re growing.”

This is where transplanting comes in handy. Yasalonis referenced the Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide. “It gives information about when to plant, spacing, and if you can transplant them. Some plants like to be directly sown by seed in the ground and not moved, and some are easily transplantable.” Where do you get seeds or transplants to plant? “Any garden center is fine,” said Yasalonis. She recommends double-checking the seed packet or transplant label for recommended varieties for Florida. UF/IFAS Extension Polk County has a list of these you can take with you as a reference when shopping for seeds or transplants.

SO, WHERE DO I START? “The good news is, you can start anywhere,” Yasalonis said. “You can put a few seeds for lettuce in a small 12-inch container, and that’s a garden. You can sit that on an outdoor table, and you can harvest that, cut it, and make a salad.”

The main thing you need is at least six hours of direct sunlight for almost all vegetables, whether in a container, raised bed, hydroponics, or in the ground. If using a container, drainage holes are a must, as well as a well-drained potting mix. Also, be sure you have enough space for whatever you are growing.

If you’re planning to plant something this fall, remember frost and freeze can be issues throughout January and February. If you’re concerned about this and don’t want to cover your plant, a container is a good option as you can move it inside, according to Yasalonis.

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A CHAT ABOUT COMPOSTING “It’s great, particularly for vegetable gardening, because you’ll get an organic amendment that’s important to add into your soil mix or whatever you’re using for your vegetables,” she said.

Composting can be as easy or time-consuming as you want it to be. For example, she composts to avoid items going into the landfill but doesn’t use the compost too much. “The bonus is, if I am planting something, I have access to compost for free.”

If you are actively using your compost, Yasalonis says you can manage it by adding to it continually and often, creating compost more quickly. Mix it frequently (once a week) and make sure it has proper moisture, “not too wet, not too dry,” she said, describing the ideal texture like that of a wrung-out sponge. The third key to killer compost is adding a good mix of high nitrogen (usually something green such as grass clippings and veggie scraps) and high carbon materials (dried leaves, peels, coffee grounds, branches, etc.).

“If you optimize those, you’ll get compost more quickly,” said the Residential Horticulture Extension Agent for the UF/IFAS Extension of Polk County. WHO YOU GONNA CALL? THE PLANT CLINIC!

If you find yourself in a plantmergency, have no fear! UF/IFAS Extension Polk County maintains a plant clinic. You can call, email, walk-in, or video call with the plant clinic to troubleshoot plant problems; soil pH testing; insect, disease, and plant identification; Florida-Friendly Landscaping recommendations; and vegetable and fruit tree growing assistance. “We get all sorts of questions related to plants and insects you’d find outside. There are no silly questions. [...] We always encourage people to contact our plant clinic before they start trying things that could be expensive or damage their plant. We can always help,” said Yasalonis.

Visit the links below for timely educational opportunities on a variety of horticulture topics. “There’s really something for everybody,” said Yasalonis.

Happy planting!

Plant Clinic

(863) 519-1057 • polkmg@ifas.ufl.edu

UF/IFAS Extension Polk County website: sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/polk UF/IFAS Extension Polk County blog: blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/polkco/ Gardening & Landscaping workshop registration page: polkgardening.eventbrite.com Twitter: twitter.com/PolkGardening Facebook: facebook.com/polkgardening/ Instagram: instagram.com/polkgardening/ YouTube: youtube.com/user/PolkFYN/

Adapted from the Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide by Sydney Park Brown, Danielle Treadwell, J. M. Stephens, and Susan Webb. Read the full article at edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/VH021.

While this guide provides recommendations primarily for traditional home gardens, the information may be useful in other situations, such as community gardens, market gardens, and unconventional approaches like container and raised bed gardens.

Steps to create the perfect Garden:

SITE: For convenience, locate the garden near the 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 daily. With proper care, vegetables may also be included in the landscape among ornamental plants. Coastal sites are also suitable. Where possible, rotate the garden from place to place to help control soil diseases and other pests.

PLAN: Before planting, draw a garden plan that includes the name, location, and planting date(s) of the vegetables you want to grow. Make a list of supplies and order or purchase seeds early if you intend to grow your own transplants. Vegetables that are difficult to transplant should be seeded directly into the garden or started in containers first.

SOIL PREPARATION: Gardeners often plant on whatever soil type is available, but it is usually worthwhile to improve the garden plot with additions of organic matter. Spade or plow the plot at least three weeks before planting. At planting time, rework the soil into a smooth, firm surface.

ORGANIC MATTER: Most Florida soils are low in organic matter and therefore benefit from the addition of organic matter such as animal manure, rotted leaves, compost, commercial soil mixes, and/or cover crops. Composted organics may be applied at planting time; un-composted organics (such as fresh grass clippings) should be mixed into the soil at least a month before seeding. Due to low and inconsistent levels of nutrients in compost, accompanying applications of inorganic or organic fertilizer may be beneficial. Thoroughly mix liberal amounts of un-composted organics in the soil well in advance of planting, preferably at least a month before seeding. Animal manure if used should be spread at a rate of 25–100 pounds per 100 square feet and should be worked into the soil 90–120 days before harvesting any vegetables.

COMPOST: Create your own “garden gold” by converting yard wastes to compost. 1. Buy a compost unit or build one from recycled wood pallets, concrete blocks, sturdy wire, etc. The minimum size should be 3’×3’×3’. 2. Make successive, 12-inch-thick layers of plant waste—such as leaves, lawn clippings, shredded branches, and wood chips. Kitchen scraps may also be used. 3. Animal (not pet) manure, finished compost, blood meal, or fertilizer can be added to each layer if desired. 4. Moisten each layer and keep the pile moist. 5. Turn the pile frequently to add oxygen and help the decomposition process. 6. Depending on how intensively it is managed, compost should be ready for use in two to twelve months, when plant parts are decomposed. 7. Cover the pile to keep rain from leaching nutrients from it.

ADJUSTING SOIL PH: Soil pH is important because it determines how available nutrients are to plants. 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.

FERTILIZING: Unless very large quantities of organic matter are applied, commercial synthetic fertilizer is usually needed for Florida gardens. Gardeners find it convenient to use commonly available fertilizer grades such as 10-10-10. A soil test will provide guidelines for the amount of phosphorus and other nutrients to apply.