Garden Update - Before & After

One benefit of living in Florida is the extended growing season. We are lucky that fairly mild winters make it possible for me to have a second planting...almost a second "garden."

Due to the heat of the summer, my garden started to slow in its production. The peppers remained the main staples that were able to brave and survive the heat. The volunteer watermelon did well, giving us four large watermelon. The tomatoes did fine too...that is until Lincoln broke into the garden and decided to romp through them, breaking many of the plants. We got one nice egg plant during the summer. The lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, potatoes and onions were a bust. Still operating on a Virginia planting cycle, I planted them too late into the season and they basically fried in the early heat wave we saw in May.

Below are photos of the garden at the close of summer -



Once the heat started to die down, I decided it was time to rip out the no longer producing plants and till under the overgrowth to prepare for my fall planting. I spent three hours one day pulling up plants, ripping out weeds, and tilling. Very therapeutic.

Here are some photos from my newly prepared-for-planting garden -




I have since planted three sections of green beans, with two types of lettuce and spinach in between. The broccoli and cauliflower that I started from seed have been transplanted next to my two sections of sweet potatoes. My egg plant decided to re-flower and currently has three fruit. The pepper plants (jalapeno, banana, bell, and cayenne) are still producing. I'm hoping to purchase a few tomato plants at the farmer's market this weekend, and will try to grow onions from seed again this fall. I am waiting for my garlic to arrive in the mail, and as soon as it does, I'll get it in the ground. The pumpkin plants that I started and transplanted, didn't make it. I think they got root bound before they were transplanted. I will miss having our own pie pumpkins this year, and am hoping that the farmer's market and/or our CSA will have some nice ones I can use to make pumpkin puree.

I am pleased with this year's garden. I am still working to learn the growing seasons down here. I figure as soon as I get everything figured out, it will be time to move again. I'm looking forward to seeing how this fall planting works out. I'll keep you posted.