by Les Harrison | Oct 21, 2013
Row of sugar cane. Image Credit: Les Harrison
By Les Harrison, UF/IFAS Wakulla County Extension Director
October has ushered in the fall gardening season. Turnips, mustard, radishes, carrots and a variety of other cool season crops have emerged and are growing.
Another once common crop ready to be planted in October is sugar cane. Cane for processing is harvested, and select stalks with the most desirable traits are planted in October and November.
Planting is accomplished by digging a shallow furrow and laying the canes end-to-end. The cane is then covered with the soil removed from the furrows. Sugar cane may also be planted in north Florida during March.
In the days before mass market sweeteners, almost every farm had a patch of sugar cane. Some varieties were planted for processing into cane syrup, molasses and raw sugar, and some for chewing by the young and those with a sweet tooth.
When not pulling a plow or wagon, mules spent their days walking in a circle to drive a cane mill. Enterprising growers frequently sold their excess production as a means of generating another revenue stream to support the family farm.
Roadside sales of homemade cane syrup were a common sight in the rural south for many years. Sampling was a quality assurance courtesy offered to the potential buyer confirming the syrup had not been scorched while cooking.
The sugar cane plant is a form of grass with high sucrose content. It originated in south Asia where it has been cultivated for several millennia.
Over the centuries, sugar cane production followed the trade routes west. Christopher Columbus brought it to the New World on his second voyage west.
South Florida has long had a large commercial cane sugar industry with thousands of acres committed to growing and processing the sweetener on the outskirts of the Everglades. Louisiana is the other big sugar cane state, but Brazil is the global production champion.
The perennial nature of sugar cane allows growers to harvest the cane, and then grow the following years’ crop off the existing roots. Ratooning, as it is termed, is a widely used practice which has application for growing in panhandle Florida.
From a nutritional standpoint, sugar cane based products are a source of carbohydrates in the diet. Generally speaking, the reason for addition of sugar to a recipe is an issue of taste and flavor.
The sugar cane currently growing in the UF/IFAS Wakulla County demonstration garden was planted in November 2012. Tours of the garden are available during normal business hours.
To learn more about growing sugar cane in Wakulla County, visit the UF/IFAS Wakulla County website or call 850-926-3931
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by Eddie Powell | Oct 21, 2013
Image Credit: Eddie Powell
Image Credit: Eddie Powell
Every fall gardening season, Florida homeowners enjoy growing their own vegetables but are faced with cold weather issues. As early as November 1, a chance of frost is possible in Northwest Florida.
Most Cole Crops can be planted until November, but they must be protected from the cold weather or they will need to be replaced. A good variety of hardy plants should be planted in order to prevent total devastation of the garden by extremely cold weather. If tender plants are used, the following considerations must be observed.
Site selection for tender plants is the number one factor to be considered when preparing for a freeze. Vegetable plants need a site with good air drainage, and somewhat high in elevation relative to the area; not in a low area where cold air settles. Arranging tender plants along a barrier to protect them from cold winds improves the plants cold protection, especially from very hard freezes. Another factor to consider is that poorly drained soils result in weak shallow roots which are more susceptible to cold injury.
Plants grown with the correctly applied rate of nutrients will tolerate colder temperatures better and recover from cold injury faster than plants grown with little to no nutrients. Watering vegetable garden plants before a freeze can help protect plants. A well-watered soil will absorb more solar radiation than dry soil and will re-radiate heat during the night. This can improve hardiness by as much as 2°F. However, saturated soil conditions can damage the root systems of most plants over a few days, so make sure the ground is well-drained.
Healthy vegetable plants are more resistant to cold than vegetable plants weakened by disease, insect damage, or nematode damage. Routine inspection for pests and implementation of necessary control measures are essential. Feel free to contact your local county extension office for information on pest identification and recommended controls.
Plastic or cloth coverings can help protect vegetable plants more from frost than from extreme cold. Covers that extend to the ground and are not in contact with the vegetable plants’ foliage may reduce cold injury to the plant. If the vegetable plant foliage is in contact with the cover it is often cold burned or injured because of heat transfer from the foliage to the colder cover. Some examples of excellent plant covers are cloth sheets, quilts, commercial row cover such as “remay”, or black plastic. If plastic covering is used, it is extremely important to remove the covering during the day to provide ventilation of trapped heat. Failure to do so will result in certain death to the vegetables. To learn more on cold protection of vegetable plants please visit this EDIS article on frost protection.
by Larry Williams | Oct 21, 2013
I tried growing Brussels sprouts for the first time a few years ago. I enjoy vegetable gardening and thought I’d try something a little different. To be honest, I wasn’t too happy with the results – nothing like starting an article on a positive note.
Actually, I don’t think I did too badly but overall I couldn’t decide if the results were worth the effort. Before I completely discourage you from trying this vegetable in your garden, I better give you some of the positives.
They are considered fairly easy to grow. They require about the same growing conditions and care as cabbage. Technically they are a type of cabbage. But instead of forming one large head, as cabbages do, they form many tiny heads along their tall stems. The round vegetable sprouts are about the size of walnuts. Each sprout resembles a miniature head of cabbage, with its layers of tightly packed leaves and central core.
Brussels sprouts are considered a cool season crop. They require cool weather for best growth. They should be grown in the winter garden in Florida. Now is a good time to plant this crop. If they are grown when temperatures are warm, the sprouts tend to be soft and open rather than solid and tightly packed.
Brussels sprouts can be started from seeds or small plants. But it may be hard to find plants for starting. Seeds can be planted directly in the garden or germinated in flats. If you start seeds in flats, plant about 25 seeds to a foot of bed and cover them with about half an inch of soil. When seedlings emerge, thin them to about an inch apart. They’re ready to plant in the garden when they’re about three or four weeks old. Plant them 30 inches apart in rows that are three feet wide.
Follow good gardening practices in watering, fertilizing and monitoring for pests.
Your sprouts are ready to harvest when they reach walnut size and feel firm. Usually, the first sprouts, near the bottom of each plant, are ready within three months. Don’t leave them on the plant too long or they’ll become yellow and tough.
Brussels Sprout Plant
Photo Credit: UF/IFAS Extension
If you have space in your garden to devote to one crop for a minimum of three months (I left mine in the garden for five months), you might do okay with Brussels sprouts. Keep in mind they will still be producing in spring when it’s time to start planting your spring garden. The length of time it took to get a decent amount of Brussels sprouts was probably what I disliked the most about this crop.
by Eddie Powell | Sep 9, 2013
Garde and landscape edibles: Image Credit Eddie Powell
Vegetable garden placement is a crucial part of the garden planning process because proper site selection will be a determining factor in its success. Below are a few tips to assist in the placement process.
- The garden should be placed in a convenient location near the house so it will be easier to tend. It also needs to be located near a good water source
- The gardener should determine how well drained the soil is in the area and make sure that the soil is not compacted
- If it is compacted, the gardener will need to add an extra step: Tilling will be needed to lessen the compaction of the soil and help the plants’ root zone reach out into the soil to get necessary nutrients
- The garden needs to be located in an area that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight daily
- Vegetable plants may be placed in the landscape with ornamental plants
- Sites along coastal areas are also suitable places for gardens
Fall Turnips: Image Credit Eddie Powell
- When possible, rotate the placement of specific vegetables from place to place to prevent soil diseases and other pests of specific crops from becoming established
- Develop a vegetable garden plan which includes the plant names, their location, and the dates they were planted
- Consult your local UF / IFAS Extension office to obtain the Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide, which lists specific planting dates, row spacing and preference of direct seeding or transplanting for most crops
- If direct seeding the garden, start seeds 4 to 6 weeks before planting date to allow time for them to grow before transplanting.
by Matthew Orwat | Aug 19, 2013
Cercospora in Pepper
Image Credit Matthew Orwat
This summer’s rainy and humid weather has created a perfect environment for the proliferation of a variety of fungal diseases. In particular, Cercospora is a genus of fungus of which there are over 1,200 different species. Because there are so many species of this fungus, many different plant species are affected including many garden vegetables and ornamentals.
Cercospora leaf spot in Pepper
Image Credit Matthew Orwat
Cercospora causes purple, brown or black spots on a variety of garden vegetables and ornamental shrubs. The spots usually include a grey dead area in the center and a yellow “halo” or “ring” surrounding the entire spot. This disease usually starts at the base and interior of the plant, where there is more moisture and less air circulation, and moves outward.
Severe Cercospora infections have the ability to defoliate entire plants within a season and kill garden annuals, such as pepper, within a season. On shrubs, turf and perennials, Cercospora ranges from minor annoyance to major disease depending on the resistance of the cultivar or species. Serious infections can kill some ornamentals, such as Indian Hawthorn or Rose, in three years.
Several methods exist to limit the spread and severity of Cercospora outbreaks. It is a good practice to remove all dead plants and leaf litter from the garden. If Cercosproa infection occurs, remove and dispose of dead plants and pick up all leaf litter from the garden immediately upon drop. This will limit the fungal spore’s ability to reproduce. Another preventative strategy is to reduce water splash on leaves. Splashing water spreads Cercospora spores and allows them to take hold on a leaf. Irrigate the vegetable garden or landscape with drip irrigation to avoid wet leaves. Additionally, irrigate in the morning, so plants will not remain wet overnight. Cercospora requires 16 hours of moisture to reproduce. Specifically, infection of Indian Hawthorn has proven to be reduced by switching from overhead to drip irrigation.
Cercospora Infection on Rose
Image Credit U-Scout (Mathews Paret)
If fungicides must be used, be sure to follow label directions since some products labeled for the home ornamental garden, such as Chlorothalonil, are not labeled for turf. Be sure to use fungicides with more than one mode of action, since resistance may develop if only one type of fungicide is used.
For more information, please consult the following UF / IFAS publications regarding Cercospora:
Also, contact your County Extension Office for additional assistance.
by Taylor Vandiver | Aug 12, 2013
Consumers worldwide are rediscovering the benefits of buying locally grown food. However, this notion is not necessarily new. Farmers have been making their freshly produced wares available at local locations for years.
So, why should anyone buy local? Local produce is considered fresher, tastier, and more nutritious. Studies have shown that fresh produce loses nutrients quickly during transportation. During the trip from harvest to dinner table, sugars in the plants turn to starches, plant cells shrink, and produce loses its vitality. Food grown in the local community was probably picked within the past day or two and, therefore, is much fresher. It is also good for the local economy.
Buying directly from family farms helps them stay in business. Less than 1% of Americans now claim farming as their primary occupation, which isn’t surprising considering that today’s farmer gets less than 10 cents of the retail food dollar. Local farmers who sell directly to consumers get full retail price for their produce. Buying local decreases the likelihood of urbanization and increases the diversity of produce available locally.
As the value of direct-marketed fruits and vegetables increases, selling farmland for development becomes less likely. Also, rural farming areas can serve as a habitat for many species of wildlife. Buying local produce proactively preserves the agricultural landscape. By supporting local farmers today, you can help ensure that there will be farms in your community tomorrow, that there will be a habitat for wildlife, and that future generations will have access to locally produced food.
How can you be involved in this resurging concept, you might ask? One of the many ways you can provide support, while gaining fresh produce, is to join a CSA. The term CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. It involves one or more farmers, and many individuals or families, from a community who pledge financial support to a farm operation. The farmers and consumers share the risks and benefits of food production. Members are considered “share-holders” of the farm and they generally pledge in advance to cover the anticipated costs of the farm operation and farmer’s salary.
In return for their commitment, consumers receive “shares” or a regular portion of what has been harvested from the farm throughout the different growing seasons. There are risks associated with farming that affect both the farmer and the shareholder, including poor harvests due to unfavorable weather or pests. By selling directly to their community farmers receive better prices for their crops, gain some financial security, and are relieved of much of the burden of marketing. Members benefit because they receive a wide variety of fresh, local produce harvested at the peak of freshness and flavor. If you would like to find a CSA in your community you can visit the local harvest website.
There are numerous other opportunities to be involved in supporting local agricultural operations. A good place to start would be to make a visit to your local Extension office. The agents there can help point you in the right direction, whether you want to start your own farming operation or simply provide fresh produce for your home.
