Tag: vegetables

February Garden Planting

It is the end of February and here in Florida I am getting some seedlings and sweet potato slips into the raised beds.

Finally I have filled my long raised bed. This took some real effort. The metal bed is from Vegega and is 17 inches high. It had 12 pieces to assemble and it was a hot day. It actually took me 2 days to put it together, and then it was time to fill. That took many days and a couple of trips to the Yard Shop.

The last push to fill it took 8 bags of purchased soil. I also mixed in some perlite, compost, and fertilizer. At last it was full.

Vegega raised garden bed
Garden bed set up and leveled with cardboard
metal raised bed being filled with dirt
Filling with cut plants, paper, and soil
metal raised bed is filled with dirt.
Filled to the top
light green Vegega raised bed
Sweet potato slips are planted

I’ve had some sweet potato slips growing on my windowsill for a few weeks. I kept finding sweet potatoes buried in the yard that were rooting. They really needed to get into the ground. Our weather is not super hot yet, but I figure the plants are better off in dirt than in water in my house. Also, we have an upcoming camping trip. The goal is to plant things before I leave.

sweet potato slips

Originally, I had planned to order some sweet potato slips. When companies send out the slips, they do not specify when they will come. We have a couple of camping trips coming up and I’m afraid I will not be home when the slips arrive. Also, I found so many potatoes in my yard that were already growing, that I don’t really have room to plant more.

I have one more raised bed to set up. It could take me a while. I’m feeling good that this one is planted and hopefully I will have sweet potatoes to eat in a few months.

Peppers and Eggplant

Both pots of peppers were doing nicely. I have not tried to grow either type before. I planted the seeds for the Sweet Banana and Ubatuba months ago. The seedlings were thinned to 2 in each pot. Have you ever heard that peppers like to touch each other? I remembered this so I left 2 together. I’ve always had a very hard time getting peppers to grow, so I don’t have high hopes for these.

Now they are safely planted into the round metal bed. I had to set up my umbrella because it was very hot and sunny. I’ll let them have sun all day once they are adjusted to their new grow space, or if it cools off a bit. They will definitely need this shade every afternoon during summer.

Seedlings
Seedlings with peppers
peppers planted
4 pepper plants
eggplant seedling in ground
Long purple eggplant
umbrella to shade the garden
Shaded

In Hindsight

I’ve written about growing peppers often. Last year I had many plants that looked great for a while and then suddenly died. One had waterlogged roots, so I knew the cause of that. It made me empty my grow boxes and drill holes for drainage.

The other pepper plants were in fabric bags. I think there is a problem with these bags. First, I moved the plants from one area to another. I suspect the roots were damaged when I did that. Also, fabric bags dry out fast. I’m learning this from emptying them now. Even though I water like mad, there is lots of dry soil in every bag. I plan to write more about this.

Happy gardening! … to those who are lucky enough to be able to do it in February.

garden vegetables divider
Thanks for reading!

New Vegetable Added to My Winter Growing List

Winter vegetables in my Florida backyard garden are mostly doing well. I’ve found that cabbage will be something to add to my planting list.

After gardening for only a few years, I’m still learning what grows best when. We can grow year round, but winter is a good time to grow the things that are normal. Carrots, onions, beets, broccoli and herbs do best in cooler weather. I’ve had success with all of these.

Cabbage

This year I planted a few cabbage seeds. I don’t have a lot of garden space, so I only grew a few. Now I am wishing I planted more! They took a long time to sprout. Once the cool air arrived, the big leaves began to show up. Now they are growing like mad. That is borage you may see amongst the cabbage leaves.

Next winter I will be adding more cabbage to my garden.

Cabbage and a few Borage leaves poking through

Although I had loads of Tatsoi and arugula last year, I’m struggling to grow it this year (photo below). I have been looking forward to having fresh greens, but I only have tiny little plants.

The Urban Harvest sells Tatsoi seeds and I didn’t get mine from them this year. I think they were sold out.

Small Tatsoi in grow box
Tatsoi greens

The Rest of It

Cherry Tomatoes

The Apricot cherry tomato plant is giving me a few tomatoes. I struggle to grow tomatoes so I’ll take what I can get. They are yellow, not red, but yummy.

Tomato plants may grow in summer here, but no tomatoes will form. This plant was begun in late summer from seed. It kept growing, in a fabric bag, and is now full of little tomatoes. I have one more cherry tomato plant I will put into the ground in February.

cherry tomatoes
Apricot cherry tomatoes

Squash and Zucchini

I am not fooled by this tiny squash and flower. Squash (of all kinds) and zucchini don’t amount to anything in my garden … ever. I won’t grow them any more. I threw some leftover seeds in just for fun. That little squash has since died.

flowering squash plant

Seminole Pumpkin Replaces Squash

In my sub-tropical garden, the Seminole pumpkin replaces squash. I love orange vegetables and need them to help my old eyes. The Seminole pumpkin tastes a lot like a butternut squash.

Alas, I had only one to eat this year. That doesn’t mean I will give up. The vines are long, and they trail all over the yard but I don’t get many squash. I will definitely try for more of these this summer.

Seminole pumpkin cut in half
Seminole pumpkin
Seminole pumpkin baking in the oven
Seminole pumpkin cooked
Yum

Loofah or Luffa

Loofah is a crop that is grown in summer here, I think. I planted seeds in summer and they did nothing. So, I took a chance and planted some seeds this Fall. One plant grew and I have one loofah on it. Supposedly, you can eat the young gourds as a replacement for zucchini. It doesn’t sound appealing.

The bees love the big, yellow flowers and it would be fun to have some dried loofah to use. See how to use homegrown loofah in this video. With any luck, I will have seeds from this one. I need a good trellis if I plant more.

Loofah gourd on the vine
Loofah

Healthy Beets, Even If I Only Get Greens

Beets grow very slowly but are worth the effort. They never get very big in my garden, or maybe I am too impatient. I love that I can use the greens as well as the root, so I will keep growing these. They are perfect for planting in a shallow grow box.

golden beets pulled up in garden
Golden beet

Looking Forward to Spring Planting

January has been a pretty cool, gloomy and windy month. We went camping for a few days in the beginning of the month and after that the weather went downhill.

We haven’t had any freezing temps yet, but it’s been dry. While the rest of the country is getting deep freezing temperatures and ice and snow, we are safe with temps in the 40’s for lows here. So far.

As most gardeners do, I am looking into the future and planning my Spring and summer planting. I have two Vegega metal raised beds to assemble. Then they need to be filled. I’ll have to get this done soon so I can plant seeds and seedlings. There is a lot of clean up and planting planning to do.

Florida backyard winter garden view
Winter garden & Skittle the Cat

Meanwhile the seeds I started a few months ago are growing – mostly. I’ll have a few things to put into the beds. First I need to harvest that broccoli.

green divider leaves long

Create Homemade and Delicious Soup With Flavor and Consistency

Making a nutritional and good tasting soup is such an achievement. Homemade goodness can’t be beat. I have a few tips for making sure the flavor and consistency is there.

When the weather finally gets cool, or downright cold, here in Central Florida, I want a hearty soup. I rarely follow a recipe to the letter. Recipe tips combine with my own ingredients and knowledge to create a delicious soup.

I have cooked for many years. I have found some good ways to make sure my soups and stews are loaded with flavor and goodness. I’m sharing my ideas on this page.

Soup With Flavor Plus Good Consistency

Often the troubles that come when cooking soup have to do with blah flavor and / or watery consistency. There are simple ways to deal with these things. Easily make delicious soup every time. And, you don’t have to stir in flour or a thickener.

Flavor It

1. The best way to start a soup is to use a good broth or stock. I like to make my own and freeze it for things like this. Many places sell lovely broth as well. Read the ingredients and make sure it is good stuff. I also like organic.

One of the easiest, homemade vegetable broths is created from the water used to boil, or steam, vegetables. This is very easy to do. It’s perfect for vegans or vegetarians. Don’t pour that good nutrition down the drain. If you don’t want to save it, take it outside and pour it onto the plants!

I use Weck jars (paid link) with plastic lids, and add to them each time I have vegetable water leftover. *Be aware that only certain types of Weck jars are made for the freezer. and they must have the right type of lid that is plastic – not glass. The link goes to Amazon, but I buy mine from Weck.com.

soup in Weck jars
My Garden Soup – Recipe to come

Beef bone broth, as well as turkey and chicken broth, are popular too. It is very easy to make a stock, or broth. Use the crock pot, or an Instant pot to cook the bones on a low temperature for many hours. I always use my saved broth when cooking rice.

2. Herbs are a must. Herbs not only add flavor, they add goodness in the form of healthy nutrients. Get to know your herbs and how they taste. I’ve come to love Rosemary and grow it in a pot out back. I had never added it to soup until recently. Parsley, dill and basil are regular additions to my food. I grow them all so they are readily available at various times of the year. Dried, organic herbs are just as good and I use them too.

3. Cut and chop fresh vegetables. Fresh is key for a good tasting soup. If you are a grower, check the yard for anything that can be added. If they come from the store, find the freshest looking.

I had one pea pod – yes, only one – when I checked my garden the day I made my soup. I included about 10 little peas in my Garden Soup. Even though I may never even taste those peas, it’s the nutrition value from a backyard food that was added.

I also pulled some beets (and the chopped greens) and carrots. It all went into the soup. You can probably see why my soup comes out a little different every time I make it!

Red and golden beets pulled from garden
Beets
Garden vegetables including carrots, beans, basil and dill.
Garden carrots, beans, basil, dill, & one tiny tomato

Thickening Without Flour

There are a couple of ways I like to thicken my soups and stews. They are all easy, and don’t involve flour or cornstarch.

  • A favorite method is to blend some of the soup, without meat pieces, and include some liquid. Make sure to cool it first. Pour the blended soup back into the pot. About a cup full of soup will work.
  • Add some type of white liquid like coconut cream or milk. It doesn’t really thicken it much, but looks better!
  • Include dried things like rice, split peas, and / or lentils. They will soak up some of the liquid. (I added a little of all of them to my Garden Soup!)
bags of dried rice, lentils and split peas

Savor It and Save It

Once the soup is made it can be saved in the freezer. When I cook soup, I end up being the only one who eats it. The frozen jars of deliciousness often go camping with me. Or pull it out on a cool day when soup is appealing. Vegetable soup is a good side to other food also. Enjoy!

My Garden Soup Recipe

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Navigating Challenges in Florida Vegetable Gardening

Planting and re-planting in Fall for a good vegetable harvest. Bugs, weather, and animals can make things difficult.

Planting seeds is an ongoing process in my yard. Thanks to raccoons, my cats, and the armadillos, a lot of seed replanting happens. In my photos here, the only thing grown from a purchased plant (and not seeds or a cutting) is the sage.

purple sage
purple sage
bell pepper
bell pepper
frog on eggplant
eggplant
broccoli
broccoli
cherry tomato
tomato after Hurricane
bell pepper and carrot seedlings
pepper & carrots
garden fall 2024
Fall garden 2024 – Firespike is permanently angled from Hurricane winds

Where Are The Good Bugs?

I am into year two of vegetable gardening and I’m still wondering where all the good bugs are. Occasionally I see a ladybug. I rarely see much of anything else. It has me wondering if this area simply can’t support good things.

I’m not a fan of Florida. In my opinion the state is a swampland and should have stayed that way. Now, everyone sprays their lawns to kill all the things they never want to see.

All my neighbors spray their yards. I can only imagine how many beneficials are killed along with the unwanted cinch bugs and roaches. Is the ecology in my area so bad that I will never have a self supporting garden full of beneficial insects?

We have invasive frogs and lizards. Are they eating up all the good bugs that may show up? It really seems like everything is working against me here.

I Grow What Will Grow

Ideally, a backyard garden would supply food that is most loved and eaten often. What I would love to grow, and eat often, simply doesn’t grow for me. Onions, peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, and carrots would be great. I’ve had no luck with peppers, zucchini (any squash), tomatoes, and cucumbers. Certain types of greens do well – Tatsoi is a favorite. And last year carrots and onions came up.

Luffa yellow flowers
Luffa flowers
Zinnia orange flowers
Zinnia
Basil seedlings
Basil
Daikon radish garden bed
Daikon radish and new dirt section for planting

The Daikon radish is looking pretty good, but I’ve never eaten one. Can I make a meal out of a radish? The luffa looks sickly, a few beets look okay, the Egyptian spinach grows great – but I don’t eat it (yuk).

I’ve given up on peppers. The one bell pepper plant is covered in white flies or mites or whatever. I’ve tried to get rid of them, and gave up. I had quite a few nice pepper plants growing that simply died.

Squash and zucchini don’t grow. Last year I had a couple of Seminole pumpkins, which were delicious, but this year I have one that might be okay.

provider beans
Beans
cabbage & borage
borage & cabbage
Egyptian spinach
Egyptian spinach
carrots
carrots
golden beets
beets

I will have some carrots in a few months, and hopefully onions as well. It hasn’t been easy to grow those either with the raccoons digging up my seeds each night.

The one cherry tomato looked nice, until Hurricane Milton blew through. I’ve now propped up the eggplant that blew over too. Oh yes, eggplants last for years, but actually grow eggplants only occasionally. And they are not one of my favorite foods.

After success with carrots and onions last year, I was looking forward to Fall planting. I had whittled down my list to the things I had luck with. Broccoli, carrots and bulb onions are tops on my list. They are all growing very slowly.

The last thing I am going to try is to plant in raised beds. I purchased two more Vegega beds but have not put them together.

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Garden After A Year

In the beginning of 2023 my plan was to create a small vegetable garden space in what little bit of yard I have. I’ve been blogging about some of my journey, and this page has photos of the before and after. A lot has been accomplished in a year.

When I came across these old photos from last year I thought it would be fun to show the difference.

Before…. and …..After

small backyard garden
2023 Planning future vegetable gardens
mulch path in garden
2024 Path to the back – Roselle bush

For much of the past year I have been working to create dirt spaces and pathways. Occasionally I have also grown some veggies! I can work outside year round, which is beneficial, although there is little rest.

The Roselle hibiscus bushes have grown like crazy. They were grown from seeds planted in Fall. The Moringa tree has also grown after slowing down for the winter months.

cardboard new garden
2023 Expanding gardens
growing garden summer
2024 Summer greenery

Before I had a chance to finish writing this page, the garden has filled in even more. Some plants really enjoy the extreme Florida heat and humidity.

It is now July, so this photo is after about 1.5 years of gardening.

More from the blog

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Harvesting the Beets and Cooking a Meal of Greens

Using the beets and greens that have grown over winter in my Florida backyard.

It is January 25th and today I pulled up all the beets. They were growing in a box which I needed for planting and growing green beans. 

The beets were small and most were not really beets, but long red roots. However I did get a few to cut up and cook. I’m not sure, but I think maybe beets are mainly grown for the greens where I live. I didn’t have luck with growing actual beets.

Thanks to this site, I knew how to deal with the greens and incorporated them into my beets and rice meal. 

Tiny beets and greens
sliced onion, garlic and beet green stems

How I Made This Meal

  • Pull beets from backyard and rinse dirt
  • Separate greens from beets and trim and cut beets for cooking. Simmer in water for 20 minutes, or until soft – my beets were small.
  • Remove stems from greens and chop
  • Slice onions (also from backyard), along with garlic
  • Saute onion, garlic and stems in oil for a minute or two and then add a little water. Cover and simmer to soften.
  • Chop leaves a bit and add to sautéed mix with a bit more water if needed
  • Cover and simmer for 3-4 minutes until it all looks cooked.
  • Squeeze in a little lime juice. 
  • Cook Basmati rice in the beet water – 1/2 cup

If any water is leftover in the pan, dump it into the beets pan. Reserve all that water once the beets are cooked and use it to cook rice.

sliced onion, garlic and beet green stems
onion, beet green stems and garlic
Saute

This is a waste free meal that reserves all the goodness of fresh picked vegetables. The roots and yellowed leaves of the beets went into my compost pile.

Add salt and pepper and butter… yummy!

beets and greens with rice
Garden beets and greens cooked and served with Basmati rice