Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

To: rarestia
When to plant and what to do by month for Hillsborough County.

Varieties of various veggies for Florida. There are three pages you have to click around.

I'm just getting started and trying to figure out what works, where and when. I don't know much, but I'll share what I do.

Tried onions last winter. Now that I think of it, I wonder what happened to them. Have seeds, but no room left in the garden. Never tried shallots. Planted asparagus last winter and about half of them seem to be doing well. From what I've read we're too far south, but I really like asparagus so I thought I would try. I've got sweet basil all over the place, partially to keep down the mosquitos. Onion chives, thyme and oregano all thrive (I'd keep the oregano in containers so it doesn't take over everything). Sage and dill have done okay, but not like the thyme and oregano that grow a lot faster than I can use them.

I really like my hydroponic setup. Compared to growing in the dirt, it's just not even fair. You might be interested in the place on Linebaugh.

I, too, am quite limited on space, so I'm looking for stuff that produces well, and then determining just when to plant it (and, harder for me, when to yank it out). In addition to the tomatoes and peppers, so far I've had good luck with Ichiban eggplant, okra, New Zealand "spinach" (not a big fan, but it grows like a weed and I need greens for the dog food anyway), parsley in semi-shade (again, dogfood), Simpson Black seed lettuce, Southern Curled mustard (yuck, only plant I ever pulled up and composted just because I wouldn't eat it), Kentucky Wonder pole beans, and asparagus beans.

Calabrese (or something like that, seed package is gone) broccoli and Snow Crown cauliflower did okay last winter. I'm planting a lot more of them this year just because they tasted so good. I'm also trying a bunch of different greens this year, a lot of which I've never eaten but are healthy and I know if I grow them I'll eat them. Maybe I'll find something I really like.

I've been putting in some fruits as well. I've learned that we need to be careful with varieties. Different varieties need different amounts of chill hours to produce fruit, and our location just doesn't produce enough of those for a lot of the varieties I've seen in the store.

Think I'll cut down most of the palms in the front yard this winter to make room for some more fruit trees. Oh, and because they suck.

28 posted on 11/04/2011 9:05:38 AM PDT by Darth Reardon (No offense to drunken sailors)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies ]


To: Darth Reardon

WOW! Thank you so much Darth! I’m in Pinellas, but I’m certain the county disparity is nil.

I’ve heard absolutely great things about hydroponics, and a friend of mine used hydroponics to grow *ahem* a member of the mint family, if you catch my drift. Systems can range from simple to insanely complex, but having liquid cooled several PCs in my day, I’d imagine I can maneuver my way around some pump and tubing hardware.

Interesting bit about the asparagus. I was always under the impression that we could grow pretty much anything, but having seen how poorly certain veggies grew in my future mother-in-law’s garden, I figured I’d stick with FL natives, if at all possible.

I’m marking this post for reference. Thank you so much again, Darth!


30 posted on 11/04/2011 9:14:45 AM PDT by rarestia (It's time to water the Tree of Liberty.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson