I would like to ask Kathleen from Dothan, Alabama what and how she grows produce in the off season months during fall and winter? I am an amateur gardener and would like to learn more about growing year around.
Hardiness Zone: 9a
Jimmy from Gulf Breeze, Florida
Editor's Note: Jimmy is referring to this post in yesterday's Happy Garden newsletter. It's a great question. Does Kathleen (or anyone else) have any advice to share?
I'm not a gardner, but my friends grew spinach all year long. They made a box with old windows set at an angle for the lid. This was in the coldest part of eastern Washington about 60 miles from the Canadian border. But you live in Florida. My Grandmother used to grow all kinds of things in Fort Meyers (south-west Florida) the only thing she did was grow her garden in the Fall & Winter, what us people from the North would grow in the Spring & Summer. I do remember that she had to fertilize the ground, because she had sand instead of dirt.
I have tomatoes growing, although not for long, as we have close to freezing at night. I would love to hear other options.
I grow veggies all year. I have 4 foot by 4 foot raised beds, but I don't think that is the important part. I researched all my seed packets, a local university (UC Davis), and handouts from local nursery/plant stores, etc.
Hi - I am from zone 8? Sacramento, CA. I grow veggies all year in 4 ft X 4 ft raised bed plots (25 of them as of now), but I don't think that is the important part. What I did was research the back of seed packets, my local university (UC Davis) and collected info from local nurseries and garden stores for what veggies to plant when.
I grow all kinds of veggies - squash, beans, corn, cukes, etc, in spring and summer, lettuce, beets, radishes, etc in winter, (just a sample). It just depends on when they are happiest growing. Hope this helps, even though I am on the other side of the US!
I grow all kind of greens in fall & winter, turnips, mustard, lettuce, rutabagas & collards also onions & garlic. Thanks, Kathleen
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
What vegetables will grow in fall and winter in Riverside, CA? Also how can I best prepare my soil? It is mostly clay.
Hardiness Zone: 10a
Contact your local extension office. They should have a website with this information on it.
Here's the tip you will thank me for fifty years for: Before you do anything, else, add 1/3 more to your dirt in sand. Use the sand they sell for concrete. You can buy it at the home improvement store by the sack, or you can have a load delivered, or you can take all your buckets to the place that sells soils and bark. This one thing will make your plants have roots that happily sink deep and live well.
Clay soil should be amended with sand and compost mixed in. It should also be done well before the area gets planted in, so you'd better get movin. It helps to amend it every year until it is really fertile--you'll know the difference--you'll be able to see and feel it.
