Hey Fellow Floridians - Year 2

[ginger2778]

Hi Houstonheat, we are glad to have you monitor our thread.
Roasted okra: slice okra in 1/2 inch thick slices, on a bias. Toss with either a little olive oil, or cooking oil spray, just to coat. Sprinkle a small quantity of salt (since it cooks down and the salt concentrates)and some fresh cracked pepper, toss to coat evenly. Put the slices single layer on a cookie sheet, roast at 400-425F for 15 minutes. If not crisp yet, do another 5 minutes, and so on until crisp.

[hoefarmer]

Fellow Floridians, With all the recent rains my garden went from beautiful to ugly. Eveything is covered with leaf spot(even the tomatoes) I have been alternating Daconil and Copper. Any own have a magic bullet. As soon as I spray it comes another rain. Drivin me crazy.

[Zone9b]

Today I picked, what I think to be, the last of my bush snap beans for the season. Planted Contender on 4/29/17 (very late). Picked small quantities of beans 3 times. Today's pick is maybe enough for my lunch.
Larry

[HoustonHeat]

Thank You for recipe!! I will definitely try it. Being from South my mom used to coat them in corn meal and fry in skillet. Only way I have ever had it so looking forward to a new approach.

[elight]

Well, I can't believe it's already time to start seeds for my fall garden here in the Orlando area. The spring season was a bit of a bust, due mostly to herbicide damage (when had my backyard re-sodded). I also continued to deal with animal issues, which seem to be a problem in the spring but not the fall. Even as the plants recovered, animals ate off new blossoms as quickly as they appeared.

In any case, I am hoping to get some opinions on my fall setup. Currently, I have two different growing methods - in raised beds (two 4x4' beds) and in EarthTainers (kept on my screened-in pool deck so that at least SOME plants will be safe from animals).

The plants in the beds have understandably had many more disease issues than the EarthTainers. I am wondering if it makes sense to just use regular old buckets with a high-quality potting mix sitting on top of the raised beds, instead of planting in the beds. I can replace the drip lines in that bed with individual drippers for each container. I have had pretty good success with SIPs in the past but would like to get away from it if possible due to the maintenance (cleaning and repairing between seasons, running the risk of it running dry, etc.).

Any thoughts or successes/pitfalls in Zone 9B are greatly appreciated.

[Barb_FL]

Originally Posted by elight

Well, I can't believe it's already time to start seeds for my fall garden here in the Orlando area. The spring season was a bit of a bust, due mostly to herbicide damage (when had my backyard re-sodded). I also continued to deal with animal issues, which seem to be a problem in the spring but not the fall. Even as the plants recovered, animals ate off new blossoms as quickly as they appeared.

In any case, I am hoping to get some opinions on my fall setup. Currently, I have two different growing methods - in raised beds (two 4x4' beds) and in EarthTainers (kept on my screened-in pool deck so that at least SOME plants will be safe from animals).

The plants in the beds have understandably had many more disease issues than the EarthTainers. I am wondering if it makes sense to just use regular old buckets with a high-quality potting mix sitting on top of the raised beds, instead of planting in the beds. I can replace the drip lines in that bed with individual drippers for each container. I have had pretty good success with SIPs in the past but would like to get away from it if possible due to the maintenance (cleaning and repairing between seasons, running the risk of it running dry, etc.).

Any thoughts or successes/pitfalls in Zone 9B are greatly appreciated.

I was using my raised beds as real estate for containers after the first season and nematodes. In Fall '16 I went ahead and planted broccoli in the raised beds following Larry's condensed planting methods. It was very successful. When the broccoli was finished for the spring, I used the same beds and dropped beans seeds in. Tons of Beans, but lately when I'm removing the plants, the roots have excessive nematodes damage.

I can't believe it's time for you to start over again; I still need to finish cleaning up out back. I just can't stand going out during the day to do it.

I also have a SunGold Plant alone in an EB that is going very strong.

I hear you on amimal damage; I had a lot of bird pecking on tomatoes early in the winter; now I am having animals eating ripe/almost ripe peppers. It is definitely not birds, and think it must be rats b/c the plants are not damaged which would be the case with a heavier animal.

----
For seed starting, I usually do it around 8/15 ish. This year I will be away the entire month of September (pushed back from August) so will only plant a few while away and bring them back. Had been thinking of staggering the plants anyway and definitely going for fewer plants.

Marsha - Have you eaten any of your mangoes yet? I haven't picked any yet but someone in Melbourne Beach gave us a few ripe ones a week or so ago. They weren't Kent but still good.

[ginger2778]

Barb yes, I have been picking the mangoes and letting them ripen in paper bags. Dehydrated a bunch. They are a 10! And some weigh 2 lbs! I already shipped some off to my friend in Australia, and one of my Canadian friends. I will be gone the whole second half of July, I hope the squirrels don't get all the rest before I get back. I like them better than tomatoes, lol.
Starting now to compile my grow list for the next season.
Swap date will be October 21 this year, I sure hope it doesn't rain.

[efisakov]

Time flies. I can not believe you are soon to start seeds again.

Marsha, you mentioned before about star fruit tree. We have them at the store here as well. They smell very good but every time I buy them, it looks like, they are not sweet enough. Do I have to put them in a brown bag to let them ripen more?

Barb, and every one that grow green beens, I started picking my. I like them, but my DH not so much. The variety I am growing is tendergreen bush improved (from Lowes). The beens have similar to peach skin, not waxy. What do you grow and does the skin have fuzz? I guess my DH would not like Fuzzy Wuzzy tomatoes I am growing. Hehe

The picture is of the two gals I found walking about with my coffee in the morning earlier today. From now on they will be my b...s.

[Zone9b]

Originally Posted by elight

Well, I can't believe it's already time to start seeds for my fall garden here in the Orlando area. The spring season was a bit of a bust, due mostly to herbicide damage (when had my backyard re-sodded). I also continued to deal with animal issues, which seem to be a problem in the spring but not the fall. Even as the plants recovered, animals ate off new blossoms as quickly as they appeared.

In any case, I am hoping to get some opinions on my fall setup. Currently, I have two different growing methods - in raised beds (two 4x4' beds) and in EarthTainers (kept on my screened-in pool deck so that at least SOME plants will be safe from animals).

The plants in the beds have understandably had many more disease issues than the EarthTainers. I am wondering if it makes sense to just use regular old buckets with a high-quality potting mix sitting on top of the raised beds, instead of planting in the beds. I can replace the drip lines in that bed with individual drippers for each container. I have had pretty good success with SIPs in the past but would like to get away from it if possible due to the maintenance (cleaning and repairing between seasons, running the risk of it running dry, etc.).

Any thoughts or successes/pitfalls in Zone 9B are greatly appreciated.

Fall 2016 was an unbelievable good tomato season for me. Normally I do better in the Raised Beds (RB) than I do in my containers, but last year both RBs and containers did well. However, all the varieties I grew in the RBs were F1, indeterminate and nematodes resistant.
This July I hope to start my tomato seeds, as usual, around the 22, 23 and 24th.
Some gardeners like to plant tomato plants that are very tall. They strip of lots of leaves and bury much of the plant stem. Often burying the stem horizontal then bending it vertical. I have tried this but it doesn't do much for me. I can place another normal sized transplant next to it and I see almost no difference in rate of growth.
You probably already thought of this, but If you set your containers in your RBs you might not want to set directly on the soil medium, in an attempt to keep the nematodes out.
I also had birds pecking on quite a lot tomatoes late this spring season.
Good hearing from you elight,
Larry

[Zone9b]

Originally Posted by efisakov

Time flies. I can not believe you are soon to start seeds again.

Marsha, you mentioned before about star fruit tree. We have them at the store here as well. They smell very good but every time I buy them, it looks like, they are not sweet enough. Do I have to put them in a brown bag to let them ripen more?

Barb, and every one that grow green beens, I started picking my. I like them, but my DH not so much. The variety I am growing is tendergreen bush improved (from Lowes). The beens have similar to peach skin, not waxy. What do you grow and does the skin have fuzz? I guess my DH would not like Fuzzy Wuzzy tomatoes I am growing. Hehe

The picture is of the two gals I found walking about with my coffee in the morning earlier today. From now on they will be my b...s.

I think my DW thinks I'm insane. When I have them, I eat green snap beans three times per day. Yes, that includes breakfast.
Larry

[elight]

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

I was using my raised beds as real estate for containers after the first season and nematodes. In Fall '16 I went ahead and planted broccoli in the raised beds following Larry's condensed planting methods. It was very successful. When the broccoli was finished for the spring, I used the same beds and dropped beans seeds in. Tons of Beans, but lately when I'm removing the plants, the roots have excessive nematodes damage.

One of my beds, I am planning on dense planting of single-stem plants with the lean-and-lower method (I tried it for the first time this spring). Those are going to be all Big Beef and Big Brandy - so should have some good resistance to soil-borne diseases, and I'm thinking that I should stick with the in-bed planting.

The other bed, I am planning on four caged plants - Cosmonaut Volkov, Momotaro, Lemon Boy, PBTD. So now I'm thinking I should try those in containers.

I can't believe it's time for you to start over again; I still need to finish cleaning up out back. I just can't stand going out during the day to do it.

Oh, I'm not cleaned up yet. I'll do that a little at a time over the next month. I agree, it's too much to do in one day in this heat!

For seed starting, I usually do it around 8/15 ish. This year I will be away the entire month of September (pushed back from August) so will only plant a few while away and bring them back. Had been thinking of staggering the plants anyway and definitely going for fewer plants.

I've tried earlier and I've tried later and haven't really noticed a difference, other than the later plantings resulting in later fruit. I like to try to have fruit for Thanksgiving. It's every bit as miserably hot in mid-September as it is in late August, so I figure what's the difference? Although I will say that in the depth of the summer, the sun angle results in my yard getting quite a bit of shade, which probably helps counter the heat.

[elight]

Originally Posted by Zone9b

Fall 2016 was an unbelievable good tomato season for me.

It was amazing. If I had known that the weather would be like that, I probably would have taken more care of the plants instead of assuming they'd be dead in January or February. I could have over-wintered or done some succession planning if I had planned for it.

You probably already thought of this, but If you set your containers in your RBs you might not want to set directly on the soil medium, in an attempt to keep the nematodes out.

Is it sufficient to simply place them on top of a paver or something similar, or do you think I should dig out the entire bed down to the landscape fabric underneath? How far do nematodes travel?

[Zone9b]

Originally Posted by elight

It was amazing. If I had known that the weather would be like that, I probably would have taken more care of the plants instead of assuming they'd be dead in January or February. I could have over-wintered or done some succession planning if I had planned for it.

Is it sufficient to simply place them on top of a paver or something similar, or do you think I should dig out the entire bed down to the landscape fabric underneath? How far do nematodes travel?

One problem I have is that the drain holes in my pots are too large, which causes compost to ooze out onto the paver, which, it seems to me, could create a pathway for nematodes to enter the pot. I hope to replace the compost in all the pots this early fall and at that time put something such as weed barrier cloth in the bottom, in an attempt to keep the compost in the pot.

My 16" pavers settling into the ground is another problem. This summer a friend gave me the opportunity to haul off a fairly large amount of old 16" pavers and 16" matt log edging stones. In the past I have placed pieces of tile under the pavers to elevate them. This helps but is not a complete solution. I have also taken two of the edgers laid them on their sides and put a paver on top of them. This worked quite well and I will do more of this. If I run out of the edgers I will simply place one paver on top of another.

I'm guessing it is not such an issue of nematodes travelling but as their numbers expand exponentially, especially during the hot part of the year, they occupy what ever space is available to them.

[elight]

What about a piece of landscape fabric at the bottom of the container so that nothing can come in through the drainage holes? I can't imagine that the nematodes would be able to permeate that, and I doubt they would climb up and over the side of the container.

Although I do think that I am now of the opinion that container media must be replaced every season here. My SWC media lasted 2+ seasons in other climates, but here it seems that 1 is the limit if you want to maximize production.

[KarenO]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

Barb yes, I have been picking the mangoes and letting them ripen in paper bags. Dehydrated a bunch. They are a 10! And some weigh 2 lbs! I already shipped some off to my friend in Australia, and one of my Canadian friends. I will be gone the whole second half of July, I hope the squirrels don't get all the rest before I get back. I like them better than tomatoes, lol.
Starting now to compile my grow list for the next season.
Swap date will be October 21 this year, I sure hope it doesn't rain.

mmmm mangoes! such a treat that will be!!
KarenO