Vegetables in the Gainesville Garden

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Leonard Wilson
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1 Vegetables in the Gainesville Garden W E N D Y W I L B E R U F / I F A S M A S T E R G A R D E N E R C O O R D I N A T O R W I L B E W U F L. E D U

2 A Great Resource... Author: Jim Stephens University Press of Florida ~$17.00

There s an app UF/IFAS: http://m.ifas.ufl.edu Android: https://play.go ogle.com/store/apps/deta ils?

3 There s an app UF/IFAS: Android: ogle.com/store/apps/deta ils?id=edu.ufl.ifas.plantin g ios: us/app/floridafresh/id ?ls=1& mt=8

4 Introduction 1 million gardens in Florida Spring most popular Summer least popular Fall/ winter great time Average size: sq ft Retail value: $ 1.00 per sq ft Major problems: infertile soils, pests, and disorders related to weather

5 Why Do You Garden? Homegrown flavor Save $ Hobby, Pleasure Getting outside, Exercise Organic-control over what you eat Self sufficiency Pride, Satisfaction

7 Containers Pots Buckets Earth boxes Plastic bags Barrels and drums Container Gardening

8 Earth box

9 Grow Boxes/Raised Beds Construction 4- feet wide 4-8 feet long 6-12 inch high 24 inches high for wheelchairs Materials variable Lumber: no pressure treated; use cedar or cypress or plastic *

10 Site Selection Near house & water source Full sun (> 5-6 hours/day) Away from competing tree roots Well-drained soils Get a soil test? *

11 Garden Planning Considerations Which vegetables do you like? What will you do with surplus? Do you have the right tools? Labor? Money?

12 Garden Design Start with Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide Draw a plan on paper Maximize space

13 Warm Season Vegetables Bush beans (Mar.-Apr.) (Aug.-Sept.) Pole beans (Mar.-Apr.) (Aug.-Sept.) Corn (Mar.-Apr.) Aug Cucumber (Feb.-Apr.) (Aug.-Sept.) Eggplant (Feb.-July) Okra (Mar.- July) Peppers (sweet & hot) (Feb.-Apr.) (July-Aug.) Squash (Mar.-Apr.) (Aug.-Sept.) Tomatoes (Feb.-Apr.) (August) Pumpkins (Mar.-Apr.) (Aug.) Watermelon (Mar.-Apr.) (July-Aug.) Cantaloupe (Mar.-Apr.) Sweet potato (Mar.-June)

14 Garden Design Garden Planning Crop Arrangement Group by family (for crop rotation) By planting/maturation dates By plant size (tall, medium, short) Similar spacing (ex: diff beans/same row) Herbs and long season crops together

Bush Beans and Pole Beans Full sun Regular water and fertilizer Watch for caterpillars Quick to germinate Succession planting gives you a long season Be

15 Bush Beans and Pole Beans Full sun Regular water and fertilizer Watch for caterpillars Quick to germinate Succession planting gives you a long season Be ready to harvest daily Bush: Bush Blue Lake, Contender, Roma II, Provider, Cherokee wax, Pole: McCaslan, Kentucky Wonder, Blue Lake, train to trellis, or fence

16 Corn Full Sun Heavy feeder Plant in blocks for pollination 3 rows at least Fertilize again Succession planting if possible Harvest in the morning for sweetness Silver queen, How sweet it is, Sweet Ice, Early Sunglow

17 Cucumber Full Sun Train to trellis or fence Regular water and fertilizer Varieties Sweet Success, Poinsett, Ashley, Straight Eight, MarketMore 76 Pollinator dependent You might have to be the bee

18 Peppers Full sun Easy Water and fertilizer Sweet banana, Cubanelle, California Wonder, Red Knight, Big Bertha Jalapeno Cherry bomb Ancho, Thai, Anaheim Chile, Habanero, Cayenne, Datil.

Summer: Summer crookneck, Early white scallop, patty pan, Zucchini:

19 Squashes Full sun Regular fertilizer and water Bush plants-need plenty of room Trellising helps with air movement Scout for squash vine borers Summer: Summer crookneck, Early white scallop, patty pan, Zucchini: Cocozelle, Spineless beauty, 8ball, yellow Pollinator dependent You might have to be the bee

20 Tomatoes Full Sun Regular fertilizer and water Put the cage on early Allow for good air movement between plants Scout for hornworms, leaf foot bugs If in a container the volume needs to be minimum 5 gallons No fruit if sustained temps go over 85F Your large fruit crop should be done by July

Tomatoes Large fruit Celebrity, Heat Wave II, Better Boy, Beefmaster, BHN444- Southern Star*, Amelia*, BHN 640* Small fruit Sweet 100 s, Juliet, Red Grape, Sun

21 Tomatoes Large fruit Celebrity, Heat Wave II, Better Boy, Beefmaster, BHN444- Southern Star*, Amelia*, BHN 640* Small fruit Sweet 100 s, Juliet, Red Grape, Sun Gold, Sugar Snack, Sweet Baby Girl Heirloom Green Zebra, Cherokee Purple, Eva Purple Ball, Brandywine, Mortgage Lifter, Delicious * Resistant to Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus

22 Cherry tomatoes Plant in spring and summer They will still set fruit when temps are about 85 (others won t) Full sun, water and support; use tomato cages Fertilize every 3 weeks Pick often to avoid having split fruit Sweet 100s, Grapes, tiny toms, Sun Gold & BHN 624

23 Eggplant Heat lover Plant in full sun, average soil Water well; use a mulch Fertilize every 2-3 weeks Harvest when glossy Choose Black Beauty, Calliope, Dancer, Ichiban, (Rosa Bianca was a flop for me)

24 Sweet potatoes Plant in May and June- we plant slips Full sun (remember crop rotation) In 10 inch x 12 inch tall mounds that you have enriched with fertilizer Water well, but stop watering two weeks before harvest It takes up to 150 days so don t give up Choose Beauregard, Hernandez and Picodito (Boniato)

25 Okra Plant from March to August In full blazing sun Direct sow seed one inch deep 24 inches apart Water well Harvest pods with clippers often- If you leave old pods on the plant will stop producing Select Alabama Red, Baby Bubba, Clemson, Spineless, Ever tender, Little Lucy

26 Herbs in the spring Basil Oregano Mints Rosemary Sage Thyme Culantro

27 Soil Most soils here are very sandy Ideal ph is 6.5 a soil test is a good idea Add compost, manures to increase fertility and water holding ability

28 Seeds or Transplants Seeds give you a good selection and they are inexpensive Transplants give you an instant garden, they are expensive and your selection can be limited

29 Water the Garden 1 to 2 inches of water a week Water in the morning Avoid splashing by using drip irrigation

30 Fertilize the garden Broadcast before planting Side dress with fertilizer every 3 weeks during the growing season

31 Garden Care Scout for insects Keep an eye out for diseases Protect from invaders Harvest the bulk of the crop and then remove the plant & Wendy says. Do not let the area/container go to weeds in between seasons.

32 Pests Tomato horn worm Nymphs of Plant bug Leaf footed plant bug Red Imported Fire ant Squirrel

33 Strategies for making it through Water early in the morning; don t get the leaves wet Weed often Control pests with botanical sprays like Neem or Organocide- Not in the heat of the day Use disease resistant varieties when ever possible Use generous spacing to increase air flow Fertilize regularly Plant lots of pollinator plants to keep the bees and beneficial insects on your side

34 Don t forget the pollinator plants Heliotrope Gaillardia Mexican Sunflower Dill

35 Let me know about your success! Wendy Wilber

Vegetable Gardening. Pam Brown, Gardening Coach pamperedgardeners.com

Vegetable Gardening. Pam Brown, Gardening Coach pamperedgardeners.com Vegetable Gardening Pam Brown, Gardening Coach pamperedgardeners.com A Great Resource... Author: Jim Stephens University Press of Florida www.upf.com ~$17.00 Vegetable Gardening in Florida Spring most