Time to Plant Winter Vegetables

If you are a vegetable gardener in South Florida and you haven't planted your garden yet, its time to get busy. Unlike most of the world, winter is the prime growing season for most vegetables. Summers here are too tough on most crops. There are too many bugs and weeds and too much rain and humidity. November is the time to get stuff in the ground. Tomatoes, of course, are the most popular item with backyard growers, but you can also be successful with beans, carrots, onions, corn, eggplant, cucumbers or just about any other vegetable you can think of. With food prices rising and the economy slowing, more people will probably be trying there hand at growing their own food. If you are new to vegetable gardening, here are a few tips:

• Plant in full sun, in a well drained location
• Improve the Florida sand with compost if you have it. You can also mix in a little topsoil (muck) unless you are growing tomatoes. Tomatoes actually prefer sandy soil.
• Keep up with the weeds!
• Fertilize with a slow release fertilizer or weekly with a liquid fertilizer.
• Bugs are not as bad in winter but you still may have issues with caterpillars, or mites, especially toward the beginning and end of the growing season.
  
• Fungus diseases may be your biggest problem, especially if we get a spell of rainy, humid weather which sometimes happens here even in the winter. You can buy organic fungicides that are labeled for vegetables.
• Watering practices can be critical. Water as needed; don't try to follow a watering schedule. If its rainy or humid, water sparingly. If the humidity is low and its windy they will need much more frequent watering. Don't over water. Morning is best.

If all goes well you should have fresh produce on the table by New Years.
If you have any questions, comments or other tips, please post them below.