Hello, I just moved from the Chicagoland area down to SouthWest Florida, and I bought two acres near the everglades. The land is upland and dry, but it is sandy and I am not used to the weather and conditions yet. If anyone has any suggestions? I am looking to grow potatoes, carrots, peppers, squash, spinach, and some fruit trees. I am interested in growing all organic, and am planning on keeping a dozen or so chickens around as well. Its a jungle here, I hope I can tame it. I was thinking raised bed gardens? Any help/ideas will greatly be appreciated! Thanks!
Florida Vegetable Garden?
Moonblink
This may be of little help, but I can say spinach is somewhat difficult in Florida. I have had some success with New Zeland Malabar which is spinach-like, but this far south and those cold hardy veggies don't do so good.
Carrots will also have to wait for awhile, squash in that area does great if planted in the spring and peppers should do fine. Try to find some datil pepper seeds. they are typically grown around St. Augustine, but they do great in the sandy soil and I have seen some in your area as well
Good Luck!
Vegetable Amaranth is also a good hot weather Spinach subsitute and not as slippery as Malabar [I grow and love both]-also try soaking the Squash seed in Kerosine overnight, if you have problems with borers or seed eating soil worms.I grow a lot of peppers [about 10 types]in this sugar sand soil,I just add compost.
Michael ,Orangesprings FL
This message was edited Mar 27, 2004 8:43 AM