Sad Time in the Veggie Garden

9 years ago

We've had so much rain that the tomatoes are splitting open. I guess I shouldn't complain because this is the first time that we have eggplants, keeping my fingers crossed because they are still small. We have LOTS of hot peppers, (jalapenos and poblanos) but that's it. The other stuff went kapoot a couple of months ago. I managed to scuffle hoe one row of weeds but not the last one and it is growing by leaps and bounds. It's just so hot I can't stand more than a few minutes at a time. Plus the ground is mushy from all the rain, (we have clay soil) so all in all, not much going on. I know, it's that time of year. I do have some okra seedlings going but they are slow to form the real leaves to transplant. Don't have high hopes for those, isn't it a bit late for that now? I had awesome sunflowers at the front of the garden, but the heads got so huge and flopped over, then the squirrels ravaged them. I salvaged some seeds for next planting. I have a few baby tomato plants that I saved the seed from some store-bought Tasti-Li's, surprisingly they came up, has anyone tried that?

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Comments (9)

pnbrown
9 years ago
Clay soil in FL? You are in the panhandle, maybe?

Anyway, that's a big advantage for the primary growing season when rainfall is low. Our garden in Lake county is over-run with thriving cowpea right now. Cowpea and pigeon pea are good edible crop choices for summer.
ritaweeda
Original Author
9 years ago
No, I live in Hernando County, sand hills to the East, sand hills to the West. Here you dig down anywhere from 3 to six inches and hit hardpan. Don't know which is worse. I had sand in Tampa and cursed it, now I would love to have it back. But, where my son lives (East of here) it's so sandy he can't keep planted trees alive. Of course the Turkey Oaks and Pines that are there already thrive in it.
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One way to decide how big your garden should be and how much you should plant is to jot down what veggies you like to eat and how often--an informl food log. Do you plan to give some of your harvest away or freeze or can it? From this estimate you can plan and plant your first garden and in a year's time you will gather your real-garden experience which will inform next year's garden--size and amount. Starting small is a good way to get your hands dirty without getting overwhelmed and discouraged. How long is your growing season? Will the crops you have in mind grow in your region? These are basics you can learn quickly by chatting with a neighbor or friend who has a veggie garden. What grows well in your area -- crops and varieties is useful information to collect before you plan and plant. Here's a list of very productive vegetables that require either little space or little effort or both. If you are growing just for you and your friend, then you can grow just a few of each of these and certainly feel as though you are the most productive veggie gardener on earth: Bush beans Dwarf beans Pole beans Beets Broccoli Carrots Cabbage Chard Chinese cabbage Cress Lettuce Mustard New Zealand spinach Onions (from sets) Radishes Rutabagas Spinach Summer squash Tomatoes Turnips You won't be growing all of these at once. Some are cool-weather crops for spring and autumn harvest. Some are warm weather crops for summer. Check out the days to maturity for each crop you choose and whether it favors cool or warm weather--then you can make a map of what you want to plant in spring, summer, and late summer for fall. That way you will get the most from your space. When you make your garden map--sketch in the size of each plant at maturity (the plant's footprint) and then you will know how much space you need: square feet or rows. Intenstive square-foot planting is not too difficult with a map and calendar in hand (use the calendar to plan how long each crop will be in the garden). If you are growing for two people, you probably won't need rows and rows of crops. Here is a link that might be useful: HarvestToTable.com
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Gary, This is really an issue of resources and conserving them. More municipal water is used (and wasted) in Dade County on lawns than for drinking and bathing or agriculture. Instead of watering a lawn, I devote some of that area to a mulched vegetable garden watered mostly with a rain barrel and with soil that is being improved every year with compost. So, some rain water doesn't drain off my property, running over oil-slicked roads and over-fertilized lawns before draining into the Bay - where it pollutes. Tax dollars end up paying for storm-water treatment, to keep the Bay clean and the fish and wildlife there surviving. Instead some of my excess rain helps me grow tomatoes, beans, herbs, cukes and the occasional melon. Kitchen and yard waste that would end up in landfill go into a composter and then it's all ultimately spread in my veggie garden, under newspapers that could also go in the landfill. This reduces hauling and landfill costs that all taxpayers share. No harsh pesticides are used on my garden because a) I don't want to eat stuff with pesticides on it b) I certainly don't want my garden to contribute to polluted run-off and c) I'm not a professional farmer skilled in the ways those chemicals should be used. I use soap and water. And I haven't exactly withdrawn from the global economy. Just got back from Publix, in fact, where I bought pork chops and paper towels and dog food along with my organic eggs. While other people have other hobbies, this is mine. It does nothing to harm anyone and does a little to reduce the resources I'm using - resources we all pay for. Then, when I buy a Florida grapefruit instead of a California one, I'm supporting my neighbors, and in some cases, my family. I'm descended from a long line of farmers, including a grandfather who saw his land fouled by a nearby phosphate mine. There are still citrus groves in my extended family. My grandfather would be proud of my hobby and pretty confused by your concern that I'm endangering the global food supply by growing a little bit of my own. I am too. S
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Kia ora, mauirose. Thanks for the link to the blog.
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Yeah the location in your second photo is what i was suggesting as it will get more sun longer in the day. 8 hours is the ideal, more is fine, but if you drop below 6 hours problems will develop. "I was hoping to have the bed be at least 2-3' high and I do plan to build it myself (whether elevated on legs or a raised box)." A 12-18" deep, 4 sided box with no bottom in it and sitting level directly on the existing soil is the cheapest and easiest and best for growing. Elevated beds up on legs with open air underneath them always sound good in theory to new gardeners - who wants to bend over if you don't have to? But they have all sorts of shortcomings those new to gardening don't know about yet. The air gap causes soil temp issues and shortens your growing season, depending on the bottom material they drain quickly and dry out too fast or they drain too slowly and you get root rot. It is difficult to maintain consistent soil moisture levels in them and the nutrients wash out every time you water. Depending on what is used for the bottom of the bed, if you get heavy rains then water ponding can develop in them and drown roots. For example the Garden Trugs one sees advertised are built with a V bottom shape in an effort to overcome the draining problems but they also hold much less soil. So as a general rule - a bottom in any garden bed is a bad idea and should be avoided if possible. You are better off in that case using large containers and setting them up on blocks to get the height you want. A 3 foot tall bed, unless you are close to 6' tall will be difficult to work the soil in - you'll lack the leverage needed. It will also have to be filled with a soil-less mix and amended regularly so the $$$ go up. If doing an elevated box, I would want it to be 3' high and 2' deep (top to bottom). Would this be insufficient soil for plants to root? I was a little concerned about drainage, as you mentioned, but was considering laying some sort of mesh bottom to let the water drain out but not the soil to fall through (like some of my indoor plants have)? Are these all bad ideas for growing veggies though?" We do what works best for us but if you just have to go that route then a double layer of 1/4' hardware cloth works best for the bottom but you will still have some soil loss and still have the nutrient and water issues. Like Dan said rather than jump in at the deep end with building and spending $$ try some soil amending first. Or even try some big plastic containers. Google 'poly bunk cattle feeder' to see what I am talking about. Legs, concrete blocks or other ways to elevate them are readily available, drill drain holes in the bottom, fill with a good mix, and grow (just one of many possible suggestions). Dave
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castorp
9 years ago
Do you have raised beds, Rita? I'm an in-ground gardener myself but I bet raised beds would be a big help with hardpan.

This year I tried lots of the unusual vegetables that actually like our summer climate, and I must say I'm enjoying them: Moringa, chaya, an old heirloom okra, Roselle, gotu kola, yard long beans, hot peppers and also mild aji peppers, papalo, basils. Bill
thonotorose
9 years ago
You should be fine with planting okra now for a fall crop.
zzackey
9 years ago
I've been harvesting my tomatoes early, when I first start to see some color. I had some split and alot rotted if I left them on too long. I finally put some lime on them yesterday. Probably too late. Every year is different! Don't give up! I still have to get my okra, green beans and flower seeds planted. Always something in the way this year. The tiller broke or it was raining when I was able to plant.
ritaweeda
Original Author
9 years ago
We grow the tomatoes, peppers and eggplant in containers. Hubby asked for some of those big food barrels that were empty at a food importer in Tampa, he cut them in halve. He also turned a water trough into a growing container. Beans, peas, and greens we plant in the ground. We also had squash in the ground, they did fine but got the pickle worms in them, someone on this site said we should have started them earlier. Or maybe it was the local farmer here that grows it. Anyway, I've had bad luck with squash ever since I started a garden here. Might try them in containers next time.
SusieQsie_Fla
9 years ago
Hi Rita
I'm having the same trouble with my container 'maters splitting from too much rain. The plants are still going and I need a step ladder to get up to check for hornworms on the new growth. I was shocked to see the new baby tomatoes setting way up there!

Hi, Maggie! I have to harvest early, too, and ripen on the window sill. I am wondering about what the lime is for - and how do you apply it . . .sprinkled on the top of the soil? Does that prevent splitting?

Here's a shot of my big yellow Kellogg's from earlier in the month during the drought. So far the rains haven't caused splitting in these, but they take SO long to ripen. I think I will grow them again next year since they are so delicious!

Susie
pnbrown
9 years ago
I see. We had a similar situation on a property in Bushnell, sand on top of a clay layer. It's the worst of both worlds - the sand dries out easily, yet in heavy rains the clay layer allows drowning.
L_in_FL
9 years ago
I have read on other forums where people talk about growing out seeds from store-bought Tasti-Lee tomatoes. There will be some variation because they are hybrid tomatoes, but you have a fair chance of getting something similar to the store-bought tomatoes.

If you really like Tasti-Lee and want to grow them specifically, you can buy seeds for them at several seed vendors; I know that Tomato Growers' Supply, Territorial Seed, Burpee, and Totally Tomatoes sell them. That way you will get the exact same tomatoes as those you buy in the store.

Sad Time in the Veggie Garden

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Sad Time in the Veggie Garden

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pnbrown

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