Selena Wilson - Fall Gardening In Florida

FALLGARDENINGIN FLORIDA

S E L E N A W I L S O N

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Vegetable Garden

Gardeners who want to grow vegetables in the fall shouldconsider planting tomatoes, cauliflower, and broccoli. Thesethree vegetables perform well during the fall. If you are growing from seeds, then it’s a good idea to startgrowing indoors. First, you’ll need to purchase seed trays andthe appropriate soil for seeds. After planting the seeds in thetrays, keep them on the windowsill until they sprout. Before planting your seedlings outside, you’ll need to hardenthem off. Keep in mind you can also purchase vegetable seedlings ifyou’re not comfortable with growing from seeds.

Flower Garden

While Florida might miss out on the color of autumn leaves,you can still add splashes of color to your fall garden byplanting perennials and annuals. Mexican bush sage is a popular perennial. The plant’s whiteand purple blooms generally appear in August and remainthroughout the fall. Other popular choices include mums, snapdragons, andpansies. Yet there are many other flowers that make for great fallfoliage. For example, take a look at Encore Azaleas’s AutumnEmbers. This variety of azalea is hardy and a great way to adda splash of color to your flower garden.

Things To Keep In Mind

Many areas of Florida feature sandy soil. In fact, Florida features atype of soil—myakka—that is only located in the state. Healthy soil is loose and holds water well. Beware of soilcompaction. If you have compacted soil you will need to loosen the soil beforeyou plant. It’s also a good idea to add amendments like manure orcompost to your soil. Take a look at this article for moreinformation on soil amendments.If you’ve never gardened before you’ll need to make sure you havethe right tools. You’ll need a quality shovel, a trowel, and a quality hose thatreaches far enough to your garden.