Gardening in Florida

Hypoestes, Polka Dot Plant

Many Blessings holds true. Oh How it grows!! Starting with My family as my number one garden. I love my garden and as it grows it changes. I have found out through my past that life is what you make it. Never look back on what you have sowed. It’s how you have sown it. Starting with love, handle it carefully with lots of prayer. God will do the rest if we do our best.

(Jeremiah 31:16,17)

Thus saith the Lord; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.

And there is hope in thine end, saith the Lord, that thy children shall come again to their own border.

My most frequent visited websites are

WWW.GODSWORDTOOYOU.COM http://www.sermonaudio.com/main.asp

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I started out using  the Grier’s Almanac years ago. I was taught this from my father who through the years had done the same.

My experience now using the Almanac  have found it to be my a #1 guidance with all my planting, weeding and fertilizing.

As a child most of my gardening experience was a hands on experience such as helping my father.  And now as I look back memories of Dad and I realize those times in our small garden were some of the  greatest times we had together.  My Dad could grow most anything, some would call him as having a green thumb.  Over the years I have taking a lot of tips on Gardening from him.  I highly recommend going by and getting yourself a Almanac and give Gardening a try.

Almanac Book planting is using the 12 signs of the the Zodiac and their relation to the body. The moons sign is given on the monthly pages and is used by many for guidance to planting, harvesting and other activities. The Suns Sign is given on a  chart at the times indicated.

Now lets get back to TBerry’s garden.  I started planting March the 18th. Right away right after I had pulled up my fall garden.  Which I haven’t even mentioned it yet, I will put in a few words on it later time.  My fall garden turned out to be such a success, such a blessing to me and  many of my church friends who loved fresh greens. This was my first fall garden and I enjoyed it more than my spring garden.  Mainly because bugs in the fall and winter are not as bad.  I had plenty of greens to share with everyone.   Fall gardening was such an  injoyment.  I can’t wait to do another one.

Now  lets get back to my spring garden.  TBerrysFlorida Garden and on with the planting after pulling up all my collard greens, mustard’s,turnips, and spinach. I started preparing the soil for planting. March 18Th, this year I decided to plant this Spring garden different than all my other gardens, such as instead of planting seeds in raised beds, I planted in a valley bed (a trench).  Why did I want to do this after all these years you might ask.  Reason is it being Florida and the past years I have had to water lots by hand under almost drought conditions, hot weather with no rain for months. I know from experience.  This year I hope this years planting in a valley will help with not having to water as often.  Planting in a valley sure helps with my water bill.  I do this by place the water hose at the end of a row with the water barely running out of the hose.  This gives the water a chance to soak to the roots gradually as it runs along the side of the plants.  I let water run down the trenches along the sides of the vegetables and every 2 weeks I fertilize with a slow release fertilizer.  This way it doesn’t burn the plants.  Burning my garden with fertilizer is has been a bad experience for me and very easy to do when their is no rain in the forecast.  So far so good on this method of valley planting.  It seems to be much easier than trying to water the sandy hills.

I PLANTED  MARCH 18, 2009

• Blackeyed peas
• Speckled Butter Beans
• Okra *cow horn
• Bell Pepper (plants)
• Tomato’s (celebrity)
• March 19, 2009
• Squash seeds (yellow)
• Cucumber (seeds)
• March 20, 2009 (all seeds planted in pots)
• pepper (dattil) (Cheyenne)
• cumquat’s, not sure if they will come up.
• Mary gold flowers
• Red climbing fern (from a friend) not sure what it will look like.

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This picture is just one week later. Peas and Okra planted in valley’s Valley planting 03/25/2009

March 25Th

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This is a picture I took just weeks later 4/30/2009  TBerrys Black eyed Peas are GROWING SO FAST.

Collard Greens

November 18th Today is the day I am harvesting the first mess of Collard from my garden.  Boy, that sounds very southern talk to me.  These Collard like the Turnips this time of year are growing very well here in Florida.  I am happy with my small garden with  2 small rows of Collard Greens.  My first harvest is going to friends.  The only thing I am doing is cutting the tops off (leaves).  I am leaving the roots of the collard plants and in about 2 to 3 weeks they will be ready for cutting again.  This time of year they are normally growing pretty fast.  But, of course to me they seem to grow faster with cooler temperatures.  Our temperatures here in Florida have reached the high 70’s and low 80’s at time.  Cool at night.  All my greens haven’t been touched by the frost yet.  I can’t wait till cooler temperatures.

Harvest: This  first mess of Collards I am so happy to give to my brother. I can guarantee frost or no frost, when he gets through cooking these they will be tasty.

Note: I am so glad that when I planted these that I did my best to drop only one seed into the ground at a time.  This sure made it easier when it came time to thin them out.  By being carefully precise on dropping each little seed.  I had very little work to do on thinning them. So much easier.  Last year I had not knowing no better, had drop 5 or more seeds in one spot. By doing this, they don’t have the room to grow.  This year I have each collard plant spaced at least 8 to 12 inches apart.  They are really growing.  Pat myself on the back !  I go Girl !

Turnip Greens

November 18th Today is the day I am harvesting the first mess of turnips from my garden.  Boy, that sounds very southern talk to me.  Turnips this time of year are growing very well here in Florida.  I am happy with my small garden with  2 small rows of turnips.  My first harvest is going to friends.  The only thing I am doing is cutting the tops off (leaves).  I am leaving the roots of the turnip plants and in about 2 to 3 weeks they will be ready for cutting again.  This time of year they are normally growing pretty fast.  But, of course to me they seem to grow faster with cooler temperatures.  Our temperatures here in Florida have reached the high 70’s and low 80’s at time.  Cool at night.  These turnips like my mustard greens haven’t had no frost.    Picture below November 2nd 2009

Harvested Today I harvested a big  13 gal plastic garbage bag.  1 whole bag full.  I rinsed them off in my wheel barrel till they were squeaky clean and given away to friends.  I always give my first harvest away. Happy friends I have ! I love this part of gardening.  Thanksgiving is here and I am so thankful.

 

Broadleaf Mustard

November 18th. Today I harvested all the mustard from the garden (cutting just leaf). Thanksgiving is right around the corner.   I was thinking about waiting till we had our first frost here in Florida.  Maybe 2 days before Thanksgiving Thursday.   I changed my mind because these big leaves were falling over starting to get too big. I decided to harvest and give away to friends. The leaves of these mustard greens I was so proud of. They are huge. I didn’t want to wait till the bugs started to get to them. Temperature here in Florida still in the high to mid 70’s. These greens are too beautiful to let the bugs have them. I do see a few aphids on the leaves of some, but they haven’t did any damage yet. I manage to harvest a 1 and a 1/2-13 gal garbage bag full.  I rinsed them off in my small wheel barrel til they were squeaky clean.

Weather Today the weather outside is beautiful.  I couldn’t have picked a better day to harvest my vegetables. Mid 70’s.  I am now hoping for the cold weather to start.  Maybe by the time I pick my next mess of greens a frost will have come and gone.  A light frost on the greens seems to sweeten them up at cooking time. They don’t have that bitter taste.  But, I have taken my greens before and washed them put them in freezer bags and its does the same thing.  They frost right up!  Florida for ya.

Thanks to the American Soldier

A Soldiers daughter

This day while strolling through my garden.  My thoughts ramble back to my Dad who was a gardener and I am very proud to say he was American Veteran. Thanks Dad who was in the Korean War.  And to all the American Soldiers who have fought for this Country in the past and present.  Thoughts of my Dad who served in Korean War. Today  I have more respect for all he went through now that I am older. This is just my opinion and many may not agree with.   I see so many veterans not getting the respect that our veterans so rightfully deserve.

Dad is no longer here but all his stories stay at heart are still with me.  Once again I would love to have the chance to re listen to my dad his stories and ask my dad his opinion on some of the things happening in this world today.  So many questions  he could help me to understand.  I am sure my Dad and I would share in the same issues, burdens and most of all prayer in need of for this Nation.

Proud to be an American

Thanks again to you all who served this country.   I today know just how blessed I am for Your Service.   Thanks to you and to  God for your dedicated service. Thanks for the  freedom for which this country still stands as One Nation Under God!

Thank you !! My prayer is for God to Bless and comfort every American soldier this Veterans Day.  I pray for you to receive  the love and respect that you so rightfully deserve this day.  I pray for many of you that when you are in  stress, or feel lonely, that you get a Warm Hug of appreciation and receive the comfort you need.  I pray for you all.    Please remember God is always with You.  My prayers and thoughts are with you. Thanks Again…….to you, my dad and other soldiers.  From An American Soldiers Daughter, I proudly stand and salute you. 

In Gods Love, THANK YOU!!

 

If interested here is a website that I ran across for the occasion

How To Salute And Pay Respects To Officers

Spinach “Oh Boy”

Growing Spinach in Florida, Oh Boy!

Normally speaking of Spinach.  Most people go Yuk with a frown of hatred for it.  I planted Spinach last year for the first time.  This vegetable was never a vegetable that my father planted.  I am sure if I had of told him that I liked it, he would have planted it just for me.  Especially since I was a little girl, very skinny and could have used all the nutrients that Spinach could offer.  When I was a little girl I didn’t like vegetables.  My Father being a serious gardener that he was, would have planted anything I wanted. He had a green thumb.  His fall garden  consisted of Turnip, Mustard, Collard, onions. I don’t think my parents were too fond of  Spinach.  I am much older now and I love it.  So does my son.  Last year when I planted 2 small rows.  My son kept asking for more.  It being my first year I had  a lot to learn on growing Spinach.  I still have lots to learn. With gardening, I have learned to expect the unexpected.  Every year gardening can go well. Sometimes gardening can turn out as a failure.  Such as mine to this years crop of tomatoes.  Too much rain and I lost all my tomatoes.  If your interested you can read my post  “Oh No, Not My tomatoes” !  I am praying for the better this year.

New England Spinach planted September 26th

I am looking forward to a good crop of Spinach.  This year I planted 4 rows of it.  If all goes well and the Lord is willing, I’ll  more than enough.  This year I planted New England Spinach different from last years.  I can’t remember what kind of seed I planted last year.  Possibly Savoy Spinach.  The only thing I can remember is that the Spinach I planted was a very small seed. The leaves were sorta curled.

NE Spinach is a much larger seed.  And from all I have read is supposedly a larger leaf. By the picture below so far so good. It seems to be doing well. Difference in it from last year is that it has a larger leaf.

NEW ENGLAND SPINACH (collected information below)

Spinach is a hardy cool weather crop, ideal for an early New England market. Temperature for optimum production and high quality is 55°F to 60°F with day length of approximately 12 hours. Seed will germinate at soil temperatures of 32°F to 60°F and the young plants can withstand temperatures as low as 15°F to 20°F. Under the hot temperatures and long days of summer, spinach will bolt (develop a seed stalk and go to seed), which makes it unmarketable. The tendency to bolt varies with the cultivar, some being more resistant than others.

Spinach is grown for use as a cooked green vegetable or for greens in a salad. Growers who want greens for the market in the summer should consider beet greens and/or Swiss chard as substitutes. They produce well under high temperature and long day conditions.

There are two main types of spinach: smooth leaf and savoy (crinkled leaf). Both grow equally well and are marketed the same, but the savoy type, because of its crinkled leaf, is more difficult to clean.

Spinach can be seeded in the spring as soon as the soil can be worked. Sandy soils are generally preferred because they drain early and warm a little quicker. Two main crops are generally grown, one in the spring, another in late summer, seeded about six weeks before the average first frost. Growers in New England are having some success with overwintering spinach. A floating row cover can be used for protection. For overwintering spinach, particularly in northern areas, an early September seeding date is suggested. Survival of the early crop has been satisfactory following a mild winter with good snow cover.

Normally, plan on 40 to 50 days to harvest under good growing conditions, with 60 to 70 days for very early plantings. Good yields for fresh market will range from 5 to 7 tons/A and 10 to 12 tons/A for processing. Market spinach is usually washed before marketing, and if cut early in the day and iced, can have a storage life of 10 to 14 days. The most common containers are bushel baskets, tubs or crates, each holding 18 to 25 lb.

Spacing and Seeding

Desired plant stand is 6 to 8 plants per foot of row and 12” between rows. This requires 8 to 10 lbs of seed per acre (1/2 to 1 oz per 100 feet of row). Seed 1/4” to 1/2” deep depending on soil moisture and temperature. Deeper planting is suggested in a warm dry soil. Growers should attempt to seed to a stand as thinning is generally not recommended.

Lime

Apply lime according to soil test results to maintain soil pH at 6.5 to 6.8. Soils with low pH will result in slow growth and chlorotic leaves.

Fertilizer

Because of sensitivity to magnesium deficiency, older spinach leaves may tend to show yellow color similar to a nitrogen deficiency. Low levels of magnesium in the soil can be corrected by using high magnesium lime (dolomitic) or by adding magnesium to the fertilizer. Do not automatically apply more nitrogen to try to develop the desired deep green color. Rather make a topical application of 10 to 15 lb magnesium sulfate (Epsom salts) in 100 gal water. Spray to wet the foliage.

If magnesium was deficient, you will see a color change to dark green overnight. Spinach will accumulate excess nitrates if nitrogen is used in an attempt to induce green color. It is always best to check for magnesium problems before applying extra nitrogen if plants have chlorotic pale green color or yellow lower leaves.

Promote efficient nitrogen use by sidedressing nitrogen when crop need is apparent. Avoid putting fertilizer directly onto crop foliage.

Less nitrogen fertilizer will be needed if manure or legume sod was plowed down (see nitrogen credits).

Harvest

Spinach can be harvested from 37 to 45 days after seeding. The entire plant can be cut off just above ground level when there are five to six leaves. Higher yields result when plants have 10 to 12 leaves.

Spinach should be kept cool and shaded after harvest. Spinach harvested early in the day, then iced will have a much better shelf life. Storage life is 10 to 14 days.

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Planted Left over Spinach seed from last year. October 24th.

In between the NE Spinach I planted some seed of the other kind that I had good luck with last year.  The NE Spinach with all the space in between didn’t seem like a lot of spinach.  So I thought I would plant this in between all the New England plants.

This picture taken yesterday, shows it sprouting up quickly.

Here NE is the larger.  Fresh small sprouts of the seeds just planted  is already showing .

(look closely it looks like small blades of grass)

Thanks for reading my Blog

Broadleaf Mustard Greens

“Greens” Broadleaf Mustard

Today while roaming through my garden admiring the Mustard Greens that I planted back on September 26th .  I am proud.  They are beautiful. The weather here in Florida isn’t as cool as it needs to be for these Mustard.  They are so big.  To me they are ready to be harvested but I am going to wait a couple more days. I just watered them yesterday, because they were looking on the wilted side by noon time, this is tipical once the temperature outside reaches the 70’s. And this time of year it always does.  I always water early morning hours, before the sun comes out.

Of all the greens to plant, these are my favorite in their beauty. I can see now why they are called  Broadleaf Mustard.  They are such a small seed that when you sprinkle them into the ground they are hard to see.  One seed provides many leaves that grow to many and wide leaves.  The seed being so small when sowed makes it hard if you apply too many seed in one spot.  This is what I normally do, such as too many in one spot.  Then I have to thin them out, giving their leaves room to grow.  I found out last year when I planted too many seed in one spot was very bad.  I learnt a good lesson.  I don’t like to thin out the greens.  Lesson learned.  This year I was very careful to try and drop one seed at a time. I sowed them very thin.  Then I didn’t have do transplant plants so much. Great Job I did.  Pat myself on the back.   I only had to  transplanted a very few plants.  Much easier on me than last year. When I think of a Mustard Seed. I think of where Jesus said we should have the faith as a grain of mustard seed.  That’s a lot.

Matthew 17:20 Reads:   And Jesus said unto them, “Because of your unbelief:  for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard see, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

Broadleaf  Mustard (Florida) Date of Picture 11/02/09

The ‘Florida Broadleaf’ Mustard plant is a large, semi-upright plant that can be grown by anybody. Not only can the plant reach up to 10” in height and 22” in spread the rich green leaves emit a fragrance that will entice everyone. This variety is very popular in the South.

Flavor Mustard is widely known for its sharp flavor. This characteristic flavor is an essential component of many dressings and sauces world-wide. Unlike other “hot” flavors, the flavor profile of mustard does not linger. Rather it presents itself quickly, dissipates, and leaves little or no after-taste.

For more info on  BROADLEAF MUSTARD GREENS.

Florida Fall Gardening

http://tberrys.wordpress.com/2009/11/02/fall-gardening/

Fall Gardening

Florida

The time is now to plant my Fall Garden. Here in Florida entering the end of September.  I am excited about planting this year.  I learned so much last year at planting my fall/winter garden last year  that I wanted to give it another shot this year.   This year I must confess I cheated at the tilling it up getting it ready for planting.  Yes I cheated. I had my boys do the job.  The tilling is the hardest part especially if you hoe it like I do.  It is the hardest part of gardening to me.  So many people will not tackle having a garden just because it is a lot of work in the beginning at getting it all prepared for planting.  Spring and Fall gardening no matter what the season, hardest part is preparing your ground for planting.

PREPARING THE SOIL

I had my son and his little friend to help me prepare my garden for planting.  They  hoed and raked the weeds.  The weeds had taken over where I had just let it all go.  It was a true mess, full of weeds.  My son wasn’t happy about him helping me that day.  We discussed it as he grumbled with the labor of it.  He complained and ask, ” why do we have to have a garden”?  Then I had to refresh his memory back to last years garden.  He remembered how much better the fresh Spinach was straight from the garden.  He had commented about how much better it was.  Then he grumbled less about helping me.  But, he loves fresh spinach.  He bragged so much about Moms spinach from the garden.  “It’s so much better tasting he would say”.   He is only 12 and like all kids his age are going to grumble when they  find real work to do.   After  he found out the hoe was a real stick and not a game, a joystick, a video game.  If you know what I mean.  This hobby of mine was not his way of  fun at all.  Sorry, I just had to throw that in there.   ok,  I  won’t go there.

I sure hope they learned something  that day.   After all, Gods word does say “Train up a child  in the way he should go and he will not depart from it”.  I sure hope they one day will return and remember the day of all the hard work.  What can I say,,,,those boys did a great job.  Of course I had to pay them.  I Thank God they didn’t charge by the weed though.    The boys were done with the small garden area within 2 hours which was done at their normal after school play time.  My son only likes the Spinach.  Thank God for those boys for a job well done.   They seen on that day, gardening wasn’t as easy as it looked.  Especially when they were working the hoe.

Ready for Planting The boys did such a great job.  I have never seen the garden this clean from weeds.

PLANTING TIME

September 26th

1. I planted 4 rows of NE Spinach,
2. 2 rows Mustard Greens,
3. 2 rows Turnip Greens,
4. 2 rows Collard Greens.

Banana Spider Yikes, I will be glad when they are gone. Now in November cold weather hasn’t reached Florida. They are still hanging in there.

Grass Hopper I couldn’t resist the Fall Colors.  This type of grasshopper can eat a lot, doing damage to a nice looking crop in no time.  I heard the best way to kill these is to  SMASH THEM !!! In the past I have seen hundreds of their babies that were so quick at getting away, that by the time I get a spray they have scattered all over the plants.  They are a Gardener’s # 1 enemy.  They can do damage quickly. So take a guess to what happened to him, right after his picture was taken.  “SMASH em Good”!!!

This here is a Luffa Gourd Sponge

I took a picture of this thinking it was cucumbers left over, that was still trying to grow.  But the Luffa Gourd flower looked  in size much bigger than a cucumber.  This plant came up all by its self this year.  I had planted some Luffa Gourds about 4 years ago.  I hadn’t planted any this year.  But, here it is.  I took a picture of it.  This Luffa Gourd attached to one long vine on my fence.  Flowered blooms are many, but I don’t think it has time to produce the fruit. It is too late in the season.                                                                                                                                         

This Luffa Gourd Flower

FALL GARDEN 11/02/2009

Rainy Days!

I haven’t posted to this blog in quite awhile now.  I have a lot to catch up on.  And as far as my garden. .I haven’t been into doing any gardening at all, due to rainy Days.  Yes,  It’s still raining here in Florida.  Every day is just another rainy day.   Right now everyone is watching Hurricane Bill out in the Atlantic.  It’s all my husband can do to keep up with mowing  the grass.   My yard  is so soggy and wet.   I am looking forward to the soil drying out just enough so the ground can be tilled up again for fall planting.

Seeing red and white POLKA dots

Hypoestes, Polka Dot Plant

Today I finally looked up the name of this plant.  Grows well in the shade.  This In my notes for next year.  I plan on putting more of it to grow in my window boxes even more in my flower beds.  At this time it is very pretty  I  just NEED MORE of it for its bright red color.   Hypoestes, Polka Dot Plant   TBerrys Garden.