second season vegetable garden

[onethatcares]

I'm lucky to live in a zone that allows me to plant 2 gardens a year, Zone 10A, West Central Floriduh on the peninsula of St Petersburg.

I just finished my winter hopefuls. tomato plants, 6 black prince, 6 green zebra, 6 purple bumblebee (all indeterminate and all are supposed to fruit no larger than 4 oz in size, 4 lemon cucumber plants, 4 crooked neck squash, 4 zucchini squash, 6 collard plants, 4 curley leaf kale, 6 bok choi, 6 brussel sprout, bush beans, and a short row of sno peas.

The dirt looks really good third year in with a base of leaves/straw, a 4 inch layer of topsoil (cheap stuff), a layer of compost, a layer of miracle grow planting soil and a 4 inch covering of straw for mulch. I know, I know, I should have had the soil tested but the worms and organic matter were looking so good, I neglected to do that.

Everything is in raised beds, really just outlined beds. , some beds larger than others and one 12 ft x 12 ft three row bed for my greens. Smallest bed is 3 ft x 4 ft.

My flowers, mostly wild are attracting pollinators and the wood chip paths are breaking down nicely. This started out as a food forest or back to eden project 3 years ago. I've now read too much about b to e and am going to only use straw and a small wood chip mulch layer.

I store 500 gallons of rain water, last year the rain fall was not as expected and my a/c condensate water was not enough to keep up. I will be picking up two more 55 gal rain barrels this weekend. I hate to pay for city water and the sewerage fee. I'm a cheap date in that area.

Anyway, I'll keep ya'll posted and hopefully put some pix up as I learn to do that.

Peace,

[Backseat Driver]

1. Sounds like you've got your ducks in a row...

In 6A/B here...Most of the veggies are spent - not expecting any more little cukes or peppers. Tomatos were horrible this summer. Lettuces done and bolted. Herbs are still so lush - I'd like to bring in the huge basil and rosemary but transplanting to a large container will likely kill both - and I tend to kill the indoor plants pronto with either not enough light or too much water...We were pretty much "use as you grow" this year. In the past, had lots of tomato sauce and freezer pickled cukes put by for all winter.

Best of luck with your garden, onethatcares; pick and choose your recipes for preserving, freezing, and using in some great dishes. Should you get a really bumper crop, your pantry and freezer will thank you!

[NJCher]

2. Just thinking about

what you said re two gardens a year. We can have two and three gardens up here in the northeast but not with the plants you're able to have.

I do like the cold weather plants, though. Enjoy spinach, kale, parlsey, etc.

I'm very impressed with your garden! You did extremely well with the water.

Do post pics; would love to see them. I will help you if you need any help.

[onethatcares]

3. thank you.

slowly but surely my wife and I are going vegan and fresh beats fresh market anyday. She even remarked how nice it was to go out to the garden and pull green onions and garlic last season.

Now you reminded me to find space for green onions..

[SamKnause]

4. South Eastern Ohio here.

My BIL just planted his 5th batch of green onions and his 3rd batch of green beans.

He said his garden really did well this year.

Tomatoes, green peppers, hot peppers, green onions, cabbage, broccoli, and green beans were mentioned

in the conversation.

I don't know if I left out anything.

Sounds like you really have things optimized in your garden.

It is so enjoyable to watch a seed grow into something you can eat.

I love seeding and growing tomatoes.