The window to grow tomatoes (particularly the large ones) in FL is very narrow. You want to have large transplants ready to plant out in the garden around late Feb-early March, otherwise they won’t mature in time to harvest before June comes and kills them with heat, humidity, rainfall, and pest pressure. So it’s almost always better to lean toward starting the seeds indoors or in a protected area in late fall or winter because if you wait until Spring to start them, it will be too late.
I love living in Florida where I can garden right now. I am going to start some more tomatoes and things too to grow throughout the spring. I will just bring them inside during cold mornings until they are out in the garden, and if it's still chance of cold then I will cover them. I like the Cherokee purple too, but I only get a few off of each plant so I always try to grow a few of them also.
Love your videos! We are on the east coast, between Palm Beach and Ft. Pierce.Fortunately, we missed all the hurricane madness, (except the tornadoes, which just missed us by a couple blocks!} I started my peppers and tomatoes back in late September. The everglades tomatoes are almost two feet tall! In October I put in 8 kinds of beans, a mix of traditional (Blue Lake, etc) and (new to me) heirlooms like Mayflower. Only the Cherokee Trail of Tears and the Yard long Noodles came up. Trying a second round this week.
I love the Epic trays. I've only used them one growing season, but they are so nice and sturdy, and I love that they are in smaller sizes rather than the 12-cell trays I used to use.
I started my tomatoes and peppers late but the weather has been all out of wack this year. I had to dump my earthboxes in October so I could bring them inside before Milton, so I wasn't able to start seeds until mid October. Then it stayed hot until just a couple of weeks ago, like high 80s, so my cool weather plants like cilantro and dill struggles to germinate, plus it has been unusually cloudy compared to this time of year the past couple of years so my seedlings are all leggy. Now we've had a couple of cold fronts, and it looks like we're having another one in a couple of days so the cool weather will set my plants back as well. It has been tough to garden this year, to say the least...
Hi there! I’m in Tampa Bay FL. My snacking cucumbers had issues with Helene, Milton and that recent cold dip in temperature. I’ve had really good luck with Patty Pan/Scallop squash and another variety called Green Griller squash. Still fruiting and I just planted more seeds. My mustard greens are in overdrive. Seeking more recipes for these. Just seeded Thai and Bell pepper seeds.
Central Florida here lost everything in storms, the things I salvage are like stunted, should I start over or , fertilize? Humm not knowing what to do going forward, also what’s you schedule for fertilizer?
I would say start some new but try to fertilize with liquid fertilizer like fish emulsion. Solid form will take longer to become available for plants but if you can get them back on track worse case you have seedlings to give away and if the ones that are stunted don’t start to progress then you have seedlings to replace. I don’t know your set up and room but this is a just an idea I’d say go with both seeding new and fertilizer to cover all bases.
@ thank you, good advice, all above ground beds, I can get all my plants seeds to come up, but they just never thrive, I had soil tested it’s fine plenty of sun, must be my water( Polk County) water on timer very frustrating I have spent 1000’s $$ for one tomato. lol ….so not happy with my garden but the rest of the yard is lush and thriving.. I have no idea I typically don’t fertilize I felt my amendment should be enough, guess not, sorry for the rant. Just need answers.
Question, WTH is digging around at the base of my plants within a few days of planting my seedlings in a raised bed? First I planted tomatoes which I was able to salvage .Then a week later I planted my peppers and the same thing. They never got near the tomatoes they dug up the week before. I could not salvage the peppers. I bought some pepper seedlings from Lowes to replace the ones I lost, the same thing happened to the newly planted peppers. It only happens to the newly planted plants. What gives??? In south FL. Thanks
@Dani-girl I don't think so, it happens overnight. I think opossums or raccoons. I don't think squirrels are nocturnal.Just weird how it's the new transplants only. They don't eat the plants, just dig at the base of them and they get uprooted.
Down here in Fort Myers fl My tomato plants are already fruiting. I have a second set that are about 6" tall. I always start seeds in September because down here they need to be harvested by mid June.
Question: I might be starting a gardening class at my homeschool co-op. We are in south west Florida. Would the planner be a good resource for students to own, or should I just buy one as the teacher?
I would recommend buying the digital and then you can print the pages as many times as you need. Depending on the age of the kids, it may or may not be useful to use the pages directly with them. High school plus for sure, maybe middle school… elementary depends on the kids.
@WildFloridian Thank you so much! I've been trying to find resources specific to our state since general gardening wisdom is so often unhelpful down here.
The window to grow tomatoes (particularly the large ones) in FL is very narrow. You want to have large transplants ready to plant out in the garden around late Feb-early March, otherwise they won’t mature in time to harvest before June comes and kills them with heat, humidity, rainfall, and pest pressure. So it’s almost always better to lean toward starting the seeds indoors or in a protected area in late fall or winter because if you wait until Spring to start them, it will be too late.
I love living in Florida where I can garden right now. I am going to start some more tomatoes and things too to grow throughout the spring. I will just bring them inside during cold mornings until they are out in the garden, and if it's still chance of cold then I will cover them. I like the Cherokee purple too, but I only get a few off of each plant so I always try to grow a few of them also.
Happy Thanksgiving! Yes, my slogan is Persistence is key!! Keep pushing it!
Potting table? Did you build it?❤
Thanks for your Florida Favorite List. I was fortunate in Tampa from any damage from the hurricanes.
Enjoyed your video. 💚
I love your seed planting table and the rolling table. You really have a good system. Thank you for sharing.
Love your videos! We are on the east coast, between Palm Beach and Ft. Pierce.Fortunately, we missed all the hurricane madness, (except the tornadoes, which just missed us by a couple blocks!} I started my peppers and tomatoes back in late September. The everglades tomatoes are almost two feet tall! In October I put in 8 kinds of beans, a mix of traditional (Blue Lake, etc) and (new to me) heirlooms like Mayflower. Only the Cherokee Trail of Tears and the Yard long Noodles came up. Trying a second round this week.
Thanks for this! waiting for my staples to come in so I can put my barrier down. polk county here!
I cut up used 4" plastic pots for plant markers with sharpie.
May we get a Q&A video with your husband? We don't see him enough in your videos. :)
I love the Epic trays. I've only used them one growing season, but they are so nice and sturdy, and I love that they are in smaller sizes rather than the 12-cell trays I used to use.
Learned this from Josh Jameison at Cody Cove Farm. Brother label maker on Amazon or at Walmart. They don’t fade in the sun.
The planner I ordered arrived yesterday. Can’t wait to get started. Had no idea how much information it had and all the working pages. Love it!
Love seeing what you are getting going!
I started my tomatoes and peppers late but the weather has been all out of wack this year. I had to dump my earthboxes in October so I could bring them inside before Milton, so I wasn't able to start seeds until mid October. Then it stayed hot until just a couple of weeks ago, like high 80s, so my cool weather plants like cilantro and dill struggles to germinate, plus it has been unusually cloudy compared to this time of year the past couple of years so my seedlings are all leggy. Now we've had a couple of cold fronts, and it looks like we're having another one in a couple of days so the cool weather will set my plants back as well. It has been tough to garden this year, to say the least...
Too funny 😂 I live in Myrtle Beach 🏖️ & our frosts have started 🥶 I made sure to mulch everything to keep their roots warm🙏🏿
I'm sad I missed those little compost bins! I knew I should have gotten one... or 2
Hi there! I’m in Tampa Bay FL. My snacking cucumbers had issues with Helene, Milton and that recent cold dip in temperature. I’ve had really good luck with Patty Pan/Scallop squash and another variety called Green Griller squash. Still fruiting and I just planted more seeds. My mustard greens are in overdrive. Seeking more recipes for these. Just seeded Thai and Bell pepper seeds.
Hello from Vero beach.
Great information 🙏🏼
Central Florida here lost everything in storms, the things I salvage are like stunted, should I start over or , fertilize? Humm not knowing what to do going forward, also what’s you schedule for fertilizer?
I would say start some new but try to fertilize with liquid fertilizer like fish emulsion. Solid form will take longer to become available for plants but if you can get them back on track worse case you have seedlings to give away and if the ones that are stunted don’t start to progress then you have seedlings to replace. I don’t know your set up and room but this is a just an idea I’d say go with both seeding new and fertilizer to cover all bases.
@ thank you, good advice, all above ground beds, I can get all my plants seeds to come up, but they just never thrive, I had soil tested it’s fine plenty of sun, must be my water( Polk County) water on timer very frustrating I have spent 1000’s $$ for one tomato. lol ….so not happy with my garden but the rest of the yard is lush and thriving.. I have no idea I typically don’t fertilize I felt my amendment should be enough, guess not, sorry for the rant. Just need answers.
Question, WTH is digging around at the base of my plants within a few days of planting my seedlings in a raised bed? First I planted tomatoes which I was able to salvage .Then a week later I planted my peppers and the same thing. They never got near the tomatoes they dug up the week before. I could not salvage the peppers. I bought some pepper seedlings from Lowes to replace the ones I lost, the same thing happened to the newly planted peppers. It only happens to the newly planted plants. What gives??? In south FL. Thanks
@@jimcollins7696 Digging , could it be squirrels? They mow over my starts too so unhappy ☹️
@Dani-girl I don't think so, it happens overnight. I think opossums or raccoons. I don't think squirrels are nocturnal.Just weird how it's the new transplants only. They don't eat the plants, just dig at the base of them and they get uprooted.
I’m confused why start tomatoes now? Won’t they get to hot in a few months? I’m just so unsure of harvest times
Down here in Fort Myers fl My tomato plants are already fruiting. I have a second set that are about 6" tall. I always start seeds in September because down here they need to be harvested by mid June.
Question: I might be starting a gardening class at my homeschool co-op. We are in south west Florida. Would the planner be a good resource for students to own, or should I just buy one as the teacher?
I would recommend buying the digital and then you can print the pages as many times as you need. Depending on the age of the kids, it may or may not be useful to use the pages directly with them. High school plus for sure, maybe middle school… elementary depends on the kids.
@WildFloridian Thank you so much! I've been trying to find resources specific to our state since general gardening wisdom is so often unhelpful down here.
👍👍👍