by Molly Jameson | Nov 4, 2015
Covering a row of lettuce with frost cloth at Turkey Hill Farm. Photo by Turkey Hill Farm.
While most of Florida does not have to worry about freezing winter weather, the Florida Panhandle is certainly an exception. North Florida experiences a few hard freezes – temperatures less than 28°F for over five hours – every year. Although most of our cold weather occurs in January and February, we can expect our first frost around the second week of November. Therefore, it is important for gardeners to be prepared.
Most of the Panhandle is in zone 8b, which means average minimum temperatures are between 15 and 20°F. Nights – especially consecutive nights – that get this cold can “burn” the tips of even the toughest vegetables, such as collards and kale. It is also important to remember that if you live in a more rural area, temperatures will be slightly cooler, relative to the city. Frost is also more likely to occur on clear nights, as heat that radiated down from the sun during the day will escape the atmosphere at night, if clouds are not present. Also, if you were late getting your fall garden started, it is even more important to protect your vegetable plants, as young plants are more susceptible to cold weather.
Young plants are more susceptible to cold weather, so be sure to use cold protection. Photo by Molly Jameson.
One strategy home gardeners can use to protect their plants during cold weather is to use frost cloth. Frost cloth is a breathable polyester fabric that is light weight and heat-retentive. It can moderate temperatures about six to eight degrees Fahrenheit. Use it on all of your garden plants if there is a hard freeze, but do not cover cold hardy vegetables in mild frosts, as their flavor can actually become sweeter in cool weather, and the plants will become more tolerant to the cold.
Frost cloth can be found at most plant nurseries, and it can last multiple years if you take care of it. Use wire hoops to keep the cloth off smaller crops, as ideally the cloth should not touch the plant. Most importantly, the cloth must touch the ground at all points to be effective, as it works by trapping heat that radiates from the soil and increases the humidity around the plant.
In the morning, do not remove frost cloth too early, as quick thawing can actually cause the most severe damage. Wait until the outside air temperature is about 50 to 60°F. Since frost cloth is breathable, if temperatures do not reach 50 to 60°F during the day, you can leave it on multiple days.
Frost cloth in high tunnel at Turkey Hill Farm. Photo by Turkey Hill Farm.
Sheets or blankets (not plastic) can be a frost cloth substitute, but there are disadvantages, such as not allowing proper air circulation or not being large enough to reach the ground.
Another strategy that can help keep your garden safe from cold weather is to keep your plants well watered, as frost damage is actually dehydration. When ice crystals form on the leaf surface, it draws moisture from the leaf tissue. Damage will therefore be less severe if the plant is not already drought-stressed. You can also mulch around the base of your plants with wood chips or straw to help moderate soil temperature and retain moisture.
Being prepared for cold weather will help keep your vegetable garden going strong all the way into the spring. Remember that healthy plants will be more resistant to cold weather than unhealthy plants, and investing in a few sheets of frost cloth can go a long way to ensure your veggies survive our chilly North Florida winters.
by Carrie Stevenson | Oct 28, 2015
Dirt, earth, humus, terra firma, soil—no matter what you call it, the ground below us is one of the most important substances on, well, Earth. As children, most of us stomped in mud puddles, dug holes, and played in sand boxes—the tactile experience of moving dirt around seems to appeal to humans innately. Just last weekend a local charity raised thousands of dollars by setting up an obstacle course for adults (and kids) called the “Mud Run,” with participants exiting the race completely covered in mud.
Kids have an innate appreciation for soil! Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson
Despite how much fun it can be to play in, the humble soil often gets overlooked. Mixtures of clay, sand, and loam seem less exciting when competing for attention with more charismatic natural phenomena such as colorful flowering plants or powerful top predator animals. Partially because of this status, soil scientists and agronomists declared 2015 the “International Year of Soils” with the goal of educating the general public on soil’s importance.
While most of us don’t think about soil on a regular basis, it is the literal foundation for producing healthy food and much of our clothing, along with fuel sources and many medicinal products. Without the small organisms and insects living in the soil to break things down, everything that ever died could still be slowly decaying on the surface of the earth. Soil is the primary player in recycling and making crucial nutrients such as phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium available to plants. If you’ve ever tried to grow vegetables in the Panhandle, you know the high sand content and low nutrient levels of many of our native soils leave much to be desired. Gardeners know that a mix of organic materials is necessary to give soil enough structure, water-holding capacity, and nutrient sources to provide plant roots a healthy growing environment.
Soil profile. Photo courtesy UF/IFAS.
Soils are crucial to agricultural production, but they also play important environmental roles. On a global scale, soils are a “sink” for carbon and help combat climate change. At the same time, soils help reduce pollution through filtration and store water to recharge our drinking water aquifers. The water absorbed within healthy soils can help protect communities from both drought and flooding.
Pollution and erosion are among the biggest threats to healthy soil, and governmental agencies at all levels devote considerable funds and staff to protecting this life-giving limited natural resource. To learn more about soil and how to test for soil nutrients and pH, talk to your local Extension agent. There are many great online resources devoted to soil science, such as the Natural Resource Conservation Service’s new “Unlock the Secrets in the Soil” campaign, the USDA’s online soil surveys, and the UF IFAS Soil & Water Science Department newsletter, “Myakka.”
by Blake Thaxton | Oct 14, 2015
Photo Credit: UF/IFAS
It’s time to bed up some earth and plant strawberries! That right! Fall is the proper time to set out strawberry plants for a spring harvest. It is a common misconception that strawberries should be planted in the spring in the home garden. If planted in spring, such poor timing will result in a very reduced delicious strawberry harvest. Plant in the fall to ensure a tasty treat from your garden come spring time.
Strawberries do well on soil beds built to as tall as 10 inches and 20 inches wide. Two rows 12 inches apart can be planted on each bed. The plants should be spaced 12 inches within the row. Prepare your soil in you garden where it receives adequate sunlight, eight hours of direct sunlight is best. Two pounds to 10-5-10 can be mixed into the soil bed for every 10 foot of bed. It is even better to take a soil sample for analysis to know exactly what your garden needs to produce the best strawberry crop possible. Contact your local UF/IFAS extension office for more information on soil analysis.
Once a bed has been formed and you are ready to set plants it is important to have a plan for irrigation. The type of strawberry you plant will help you come up with the correct plan.
For freshly dug bare-root strawberry plants:
- Water with overhead irrigation frequently during the hottest parts of the day (10am-5pm) to ensure the plants to not wither and die. This will need to be done for one to two weeks until the plants are established.
For plug or containerized transplants:
- Very little overhead irrigation will be required as the root system is intact and functioning at the time of planting. Be sure to keep the soil moist for adequate establishment of this kind of strawberry plant.
For more information regarding growing strawberries in Florida visit solutionsforyoulife.ufl.edu or contact your local extension office.
by Molly Jameson | Oct 6, 2015
A diverse garden attracts pollinators and helps balance soil fertility. Photo by Molly Jameson.
The kids are back to school and you know what that means – everyone in the house will soon come down with the sniffles and a sore throat. But what if when the kids came home, Jack went straight to his room, Susie to her room, Dad went to work in the garage, and Mom read in the office? This separation – along with good hand washing techniques – may be what prevents the entire house from turning into a sick ward. Since humans are very closely related genetically, we are susceptible to many of the same diseases. Well, believe it or not, plant families operate very similarly. If you keep planting crops together that are in the same plant family, they will be susceptible to the same diseases.
Although it can be challenging to keep your family from getting sick, there are certain practices in the garden that can go a long way in keeping your vegetable plants disease free and healthy. One easy step you can take is implementing a crop rotation. By separating crops that are in the same family during the season and not planting the same plant families in the same locations year after year, you not only help prevent diseases, but it will also help control insects, balance nutrients, and improve the condition of your soil.
Probably the most important reason to use a crop rotation system is to prevent plant diseases. For example, if you grow tomatoes in the same section of your garden year after year, certain pathogens that attack tomatoes, such as some bacterial spots and blights, can overwinter in your garden, and will have an easily accessible host (next year’s tomatoes) the following spring. Tomatoes are in the nightshade family, along with crops such as potatoes, peppers, and eggplants. If these crops are planted in the same location, they then become susceptible to the same pathogens, and the cycle continues.
Turn your garden into a revolving collage. Photo by Molly Jameson.
Many pests in the garden are also attracted to many of the same crops. For instance, the mustard or brassica family, which includes vegetables such as broccoli, kale, collards, and turnips, easily attract aphids. By regularly rotating your brassicas, you can help break the life cycles of these garden pests.
Another important aspect of crop rotation is considering the fertility and health of your soil. Different crops require different types and amounts of nutrients to grow. Legumes, such as peas and beans, actually “fix” nitrogen from the atmosphere, which can increase the nitrogen in your soil, reducing your need to add fertilizers. You would then want to follow legumes with plants that require a lot of nitrogen, such as lettuce or broccoli. Subsequently, follow heavy feeders with light feeding root vegetables, such as onions or carrots, which are good nitrogen “scavengers.”
Root crops also help break up the soil, which is then advantageous to legumes, which thrive in loose soil. Growing leguminous “cover crops,” such as clovers and alfalfa, is an excellent way to improve the fertility and organic matter content of your soil. Incorporate the biomass of the cover crops into your soil prior to seed production for optimum benefits.
Remember that the key to both a healthy garden and a healthy diet is diversity! Incorporating many different botanical families into your garden will help break disease life cycles, attract beneficial insects, effectively utilize soil nutrients, and improve soil composition. In turn, eating many different types of vegetables will ensure that you are getting the full spectrum of vitamins and minerals. Which, by the way, will help keep your family healthy and strong and able to combat those pesky colds!
by Mary Salinas | Sep 9, 2015
You’ve grown some wonderful vegetables, annuals or perennials and you would like to save some of the seed from those plants to have for planting in the future. This is a great way to get more of the plants you know and love while saving on the expense of new plants. One exception are plants that are F1 hybrids; seeds from these plants will produce crops quite dissimilar to the parent.
First, you need to collect ripe seed from the desired plants. How do you know when the seeds are ripe and ready to harvest? The strategies for annuals/perennials and vegetable plants differ.
The ripe seedhead of a coneflower. Photo credit: Mary Derrick, UF/IFAS Extension.
For annuals and perennials that flower without making a fruit, wait until the flower has dried up and the seed head is brown and dead-looking. The seeds are then mature and ready to harvest. Take a look at the photo of the coneflower seedhead for reference. These seeds are already dry and can be put into an envelope and then into a sealed jar or plastic stage bag that contains a desiccant to absorb any excess moisture. There are a few options for desiccants: the little packets that come in vitamin bottles and purses to keep them dry, cornmeal or dried milk in bottom of the bag. Be sure to label your envelope with the date and name of your plant seeds. Store in the refrigerator.
When you are saving seed from a vegetable that has seeds inside it such as a tomato, pepper or squash, harvest the vegetable when it is ripe and ready to eat and scoop out the seeds and wash away all other plant parts from the seed. These seeds are very moist and if stored in this state, they will rot into a mess. You want to get the moisture content below about 8% for long term storage. There are several methods:
- If the humidity is low and the temperature high, (I know, those can be rare conditions for Florida) you can put the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet in the shade to let them dry all day.
- Another option is to take that baking sheet with a single layer of seeds and put it in a 100° oven for 6 hours with the door open. It’s crucial to monitor your oven temperatures as those above 100° will kill the seeds.
Once the seeds are dried sufficiently, store them as described above for flower seeds. Your seeds can then last for several years.
For more information:
Seed Saving from Colorado State Extension
Saving Vegetable Seeds from University of Minnesota Extension
by Molly Jameson | Sep 3, 2015
Red wigglers hanging through the bottom bin of a “Worm Factory” vermicompost system. Photo by Molly Jameson.
What if I told you there was a way to create compost indoors? No pitchfork required, no hot steamy temperatures, a simple mix of ingredients, and it would fit right under your kitchen sink? As long as you can convince your family to have worms in the house… you can start vermicomposting.
Vermicomposting uses a type of worm called red wigglers. These worms specialize in digesting organic matter, can digest their own body weight in food each day, and can double their population within months. It is, therefore, a wonderful way to responsibly dispose of food waste and can reduce your garbage by more than a third. Microorganisms inside the worms are actually doing most of the work, and the “castings” excreted are teaming with beneficial microbes and nutrients that will condition your soil and make the plants in your garden shine.
You can easily construct a vermicompost bin at home, but you can also purchase one online. Bins should hold about five gallons for one to two people or ten gallons for three to four (Rubbermaid containers work nicely). Your container should not exceed 12 inches in depth, as red wigglers do not like to burrow deeply. You will also want good aeration, so drill holes in the bottom of the bin and either place the bin in another container or put the bin on bricks and use a tray underneath to capture escaped materials. Either way, you will want a lid – as worms do not like light and need moisture – but they also need to breathe, so make sure it is not airtight. Be sure your bin is never in direct sunlight or in a location that regularly exceeds 80°F.
To get started, you will need about 1,000 worms, which weighs about one pound. Red wigglers can also be purchased online, at local nurseries, and some bait shops. Better yet – if you know vermicompost enthusiasts, they may be happy to share.
Before you purchase your worms, you want to prepare your worm bedding. Shredded newspaper and coconut fiber (coir) – which you can find at your local nursery – work great. You will also need to add a small scoop of garden soil to inoculate your bin with microbes. To get started, lightly moisten your bedding material and fill your bin about two-thirds full.
Finished worm castings will be dark, slightly moist, and will have an earthy smell. Photo by Molly Jameson.
Now it is time to add the food. Worms love vegetable scraps, most fruits, moldy bread, coffee filters and grounds, tea bags, and crushed eggshells. Chop their food into small pieces for fastest consumption. Foods to avoid include meat, dairy, large amount of citrus, and onion peels. Start out slow, and put the chopped food in the corner of your worm bin. Once your worms are settled, maintain the bin as half bedding, half food scraps. If your bin looks too dry, add more food. If your bin looks too wet, add more bedding or hold back on food a few days. Bad odors will develop only if the worms are overfed.
Give your worm bin about three to four months, and then you can begin to harvest. Add a handful of castings to potting mix or a thin layer directly to your garden. Give vermicomposting a try – your plants will thank you, your trash will not stink, and you will reduce your global impact.
