Fort Myers novice

patty_2006

16 years ago

I'd like grow container strawberries on our lanai this year and start a vegetable garden outside (lettuce, spinach, cukes)

I'm not sure where to start as I'm a novice gardener - but have such high hopes!

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Comments (8)

cindeea
16 years ago
Welcome to the Florida gardening forum, patty! I am also in Fort Myers. So i guess that makes us neighbors! Where do you live? Have you been in Florida long?

First, decide what you want or like. Butterfly attractors, flowers, evergreens, perernial, annuals? See what people are growing where you are. Will you just be container gardening or do you have space for in ground gardens? Let us know and we will help you all we can!
patty_2006
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks for the warm welcome. We've been here for a little over a year now from NJ and love it! I've enjoyed reading this site and am looking forward to some fall planting. We live in one of the new developments off Winkler Rd.
I do have some room for a ground garden and was thinking of starting with a vegetable garden and container strawberries.
My husband has already built a container wall on the corners of our lanai -just putting dirt over the concrete and his sunflowers died but the annuals are doing good (thought he might need some drainage holes - he he!
I was thinking of volunteering at ECHO to gain some knowledge.
I guess my first question is how to prepare the ground outside for planting lettuce, spinach, cukes, tomatoes. Shall I have hubby build a box?
Second where should I buy containers and strawberries?
I think my kids will love picking them.
Thanks!
Patty
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manature
16 years ago
Welcome to the forum, Patty! You sound like you have some good ideas about what you want to do, and you are picking the right time of year to grow winter veggies, etc.

I don't have a lot of experience with vegetable gardens, so I'll let others help you with that. As for the strawberries, my local Home Depot gets some very nice ones in, but not until spring, usually. If you want to plant them now, and I'm guessing you do, check your local nurseries. Maybe Cindee knows some she can direct you to.

I've always want to try strawberries in one of those hanging tubes, but haven't done it yet, so I'll be interested in seeing how yours do.

Hoping others in your zone will jump in here with some help and ideas for you. I'm in Zone 9, and it is very different up here.

Good luck!
Marcia
cindeea
16 years ago
Hey Patty, you need to check out a couple of cool nurseries as well as HD and Lowes. On McGregor Blvd. somewhere between Colonial and Gladiolus, there is a really neat one. Also, in East Fort Myers there is Scrivners, and in Estero there's Driftwood. They have more unusual plants and pottery, unlike the big box store common stuff.

A raised bed for veggies is a great idea. This year I am trying some heirloom tomatoes, of all sizes. I usually just do container cherry and grape varieties. We will have to get together, maybe you would like to come by one day. Too bad you missed my swap last weekend. You would have gone home with a buncha plants!
barbcoleus
16 years ago
Hi Patty,
Welcome to Lee County. I'm in Cape Coral. I lived in NJ but I've been down here so long, I don't remember much of it. What part of NJ are you from?
You can raise your veggies in containers. The soil here is not so good. There are nematodes in the soil which ruin the roots of some plants.
cindeea
16 years ago
Hey Barb, we should invite patty to join us at the upcoming Yard and Garden Show in Naples. Patty, would you like to join a few of us locals. We will be going on Sunday, meeting up first for coffee and breakfast on the way. It's will be a few seasoned and novice gardeners that are going together to take in the sights, info and maybe come home with more plants (like some of us need more plants! lol)Here's the ino of when and where.

Southwest Florida Yard & Garden Show
Where: Naples, FL
When: Saturday October 27, 2007 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Sunday October 28, 2007 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
patty_2006
Original Author
16 years ago
I look forward to checking out the nurseries next week. John has the idea of building a few garden boxes in rows, to make caring for the plants easier...What do you think? Hmmm, & how wide?
We're from north Jersey Barb. It would be nice to join you & Cindeea for coffee and the garden show. Thanks
msmarion
16 years ago
Hi Patty Welcome to the forum. I grow my veggies in 4x4 squares using the square foot method. I find 4' an easy reach.
Happy growing.

Fort Myers novice

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