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SP 103 Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide1 J. M. Stephens, R. A. Dunn, G. Kidder

SP 103 Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide1 J. M. Stephens, R. A. Dunn, G. Kidder, D. Short, and G. W. Simone2 1. This document is SP103, one of a series of the Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date, December 1991. Revised March 1994. Reviewed May 2003. Revised December 2008. Visit the EDIS Web Site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu. 2. J.M. Stephens, professor and Extension Vegetable Specialist, Horticultural Sciences Department; R.A. Dunn, professor and Extension Nematologist, Entomology and Nematology Department; G. Kidder, professor and Extension Soils Scientist, Soil Science Department; D. Short, professor and Extension Entomologist, Entomology and Nematology Department; G.W. Simone, associate professor and Extension Plant Pathologist, Plant Pathology Department, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville FL 32611. The use of trade names in this publication is solely for the purpose of providing specific information. It is not a guarantee or warranty of the products named, and does not signify that they are approved to the exclusion of others of suitable composition. The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Larry Arrington, Dean Successful vegetable gardens offer their owners fresh air, sunshine, exercise, enjoyment, mental therapy, nutritious fresh vegetables, and economic savings, as well as many other benefits. Gardens may be grown year-round in Florida, but spring is the preferred season. Statewide there are over 1 million vegetable gardens, averaging 300 sq. ft. and a retail value of $300. While this guide provides recommendations primarily for regular gardens, the information may be useful in other common gardening situations, such as container, organic, community, and market gardens. Steps in Gardening Site Locate the garden near the house for convenience on a site close to a source of water and with at least six hours of direct sunlight. With proper care, vegetables may also be included in the landscape among ornamental plants. Where possible, practice site rotation for control of weeds and other pests. Coastal sites are also suitable. Plan Before planting, make a paper plan, including vegetables you intend to plant, where, and when. Use the "Planting Guide" in Table 3 and Table 4 to develop your plan. Make a list of supplies and then proceed early to order or purchase. Soil Preparation While most gardeners plant on whatever soil type is available in the garden plot, you may improve your soil by bringing in topsoil or a soil mix, or by applying liberal amounts of organic materials. Spade or plow the plot at least three weeks before planting. At planting time, rework the soil into a fine, firm seedbed. Organic Matter Most Florida soils benefit from applications of various forms of organics, such as animal manure, rotted leaves, compost, and cover crops. Thoroughly mix liberal amounts of organics in the soil well in advance of planting, preferably at least a month Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide 2 before seeding. Spread 25 - 100 pounds of compost or animal manure per 100 sq. ft. if you do not expect to use inorganic fertilizer. Well composted organics may be applied at planting time. Due to inconsistent levels of nutrients in compost, accompanying applications of balanced inorganic fertilizer may be beneficial. To avoid plant stunting, organic amendments low in nitrogen -- such as composted yard trash -- must be accompanied by fertilizer. Cover Crops Off-season planting and plow-down of green-manure crops is beneficial. In Florida, summer legumes -- such as cowpeas and hairy indigo -- are most often used. In winter try ryegrass plus lupine, and hairy vetch. Compost As a home-garden composter, you can help reduce the amount of yard waste going to landfills while manufacturing your own compost. Composting is easy to do and yields a manure-like organic fertilizer/soil conditioner highly beneficial on Florida's infertile native soils. A small compost pile measuring 3x3x3 (1 cu. yd), called a "compost unit", is easily made. 1. Build larger piles by putting together several units into a single bin. 2. Construct a bin with sides made from treated lumber, concrete blocks, wire or other durable materials. 3. Make successive, 12-inch-thick layers of plant waste -- such as leaves, lawn clippings, shredded branches, and wood chips. Kitchen scraps may also be used. 4. Onto each layer, distribute one cup each of dolomite and 8-8-8 fertilizer (or one quart chicken litter) per unit 5. Moisten each layer, then keep pile moist. 6. After three to four weeks and every week thereafter, thoroughly mix the compost pile. 7. Compost should be ready for use in two to 12 months or when plant parts are decomposed. Adjusting Soil pH The best pH range for gardens on sandy soil is between pH 5.8 and 6.3. If your soil pH is between 5.5 and 7.0, no adjustment in pH needs to be made. If your soil pH is below 5.5, apply lime at the rate recommended by a reliable source, such as the IFAS Extension Soil Testing Laboratory (http://soilslab.ifas.ufl.edu/). In the absence of a lime requirement test, application of 2 - 3 pounds of finely ground dolomitic limestone per 100 sq ft will usually raise the pH sufficiently when the soil pH tested is below 5.5. Caution: Application of lime when it is not needed may cause plant nutritional problems. Lime needs are best met two to three months before the garden is to be planted. However, lime may be applied as late as one or two weeks before planting. Make sure the lime is thoroughly mixed into the soil to a depth of 6 - 8 inches and then water to promote the chemical reaction. If your soil pH is naturally above 7.0 (alkaline), where limestone, marl, or shells are present, there is no practical way of permanently lowering soil pH. Use fertilizer with micronutrients as discussed in the following section. If the high pH is the result of previous over-liming, application of granular sulfur (1 lb/100 sq ft) will lower soil pH. Fertilizing Unless very large quantities of organic fertilizer materials are applied, commercial fertilizer is usually needed for Florida gardens. Gardeners find it convenient to use commonly available fertilizer grades, such as 8-8-8 or 15-15-15. Be sure to include micronutrients if soil pH is above 6.3. The quantities shown in Table 1 are usually sufficient. Broadcast the indicated amount of fertilizer over the entire garden plot one to two weeks before planting. Band the other portion at planting time in one or two bands with each 2 - 3 inches to the side of and 1 - 2 inches below the seed level or plant row. In addition, during the growing season, it may be necessary to sidedress two or three times with Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide 3 appropriate fertilizer at half the banded rate shown in the table. On mineral soils, a grade such as 15-0-15 may also be used for side-dressing at a rate of 1/2 - 1 oz. per 10 ft. of row. Sidedress just beyond the outside leaves. If a different fertilization recommendation accompanies your soil test, use those specific recommendations, rather than the general ones given here. Table 1. Fertilizer Recommendations Amount to Apply Soil Fertilizer grade broadcast lb./100 sq ft 10ft/row banded oz. Sand, marl, rock, or clay 8-8-8 15-15- 15 2-4 1-2 4 2 Organic soils (muck, peat, or amended) 0-12-20 1-2 2 Irrigation and Drainage Provide sufficient drainage of excessive rainfall from your plot while arranging for irrigation during dry periods. Frequency of irrigation depends upon your soil type; sandy soils need water two or three times a week. Conserve water by using mulch, organic matter, and techniques such as drip irrigation. Make a slight depression at the base of plants to hold water until absorbed by the soil. Weed Control The primary purpose of cultivation is to control weeds. Weeds are easier to control when small. In gardens, practical weed control is best accomplished by hand-pulling, hoeing, mechanical cultivation, or mulching. Chemical herbicides are not suggested. Nematodes Most Florida soils contain nematodes, microscopic worms that can seriously reduce growth and yield of most vegetables by feeding in or on the vegetable roots. Nematode damage is less likely in soils with high levels of organic matter and where crops are "rotated," so that the same members of the same family are not planted repeatedly in the same soil. Excessive nematode populations may be reduced temporarily by "soil solarization." To "solarize" your soil, first remove vegetation, then break up the soil and wet to activate the nematode population. After preparing the soil, cover it with sturdy clear plastic film during the warmest six weeks of summer. uploads/Ingenierie_Lourd/ florida-garden-guide.pdf