Vegetable gardening in the wintertime metre for most parts of the united states seems difficult .
Not in Florida .
There are caboodle of vegetables that acquire in the Florida winter . Arugula , Beets , Broccoli , Brussels Sprouts , Cabbage , Carrots , Cauliflower , Kale , Kohlrabi , Lettuce , Mustard , Radish , Spinach , Swiss Chard and Turnips can all develop in the Florida wintertime .
North Florida has a lawful winter , they have Nox in the upper teens a few night a year . some parts of central Florida see frosts and seldom immobilize temperatures while south Florida normally does n’t see frost shape , although it does encounter sometimes .
Each part of the state will have slightly different planting time in orderliness to maximize the idealistic growing conditions for these veggies .
Vegetables That Grow In The Florida Winter
The coldest calendar month in Florida are December , January , and February . Some of the vegetable on this list can withstand a magnetic north Florida winter . thing like kale , Cauliflower , Carrots , and Chard can all survive freezing temperatures but not every single veggie on this tilt can withstand this .
those in North Florida and some parts of central Florida should make note of that . If you ’re not certain what the fair low temperature in your region is you canfind that out here .
zesty Spinacia oleracea as I wish to call it . Arugula can tolerate light frosts . plant life arugula in compass north and central Florida in September and in south Florida you’re able to found in October .
you’re able to develop arugula all the style through march in all parts of the state . Arugula is a fast growing crop and can be harvested in about a month from planting .
Florida Friendly Arugula Varieties : Astro , Speedy
It ’s best to disseminate out your planting of arugula by 2 to 3 week . This lets you have a uninterrupted harvest of fresh arugula . Each plant involve about 6 inches of space to grow to a prissy size .
Beets have it away to grow in the Florida winter . set out beetroot from seed is probably the hardest part of spring up them . Our cool winters give the seedlings a better luck of getting established .
Beets can be produce in warm weather condition as well as cool weather . They are a various vegetable that can withstand a hard halt . works beets in North and Central Florida during September and in South Florida you may institute in October .
Florida Friendly Beet Varieties : Cylindra , Detroit Dark Red , former Wonder , Tall Top , Yellow Detroit
Beets can be arise throughout the Florida winter all the agency into early spring . March marks the last of the growing season for beets . Beets usually grow in about 2 months from engraft .
Ensure you fragile seedlings to give each plant about 3 inch of space all the room around to rise .
For more information on growing beets in Florida check out this post .
Brassica oleracea italica can suffer freeze out temperature which means that those in north Florida can maturate this vegetable in the winter clip . It is one of the easiervegetables to begin from come .
Those in North and key Florida should plant in September . Those in South Florida should plant in October . you may grow Brassica oleracea italica all the way through until March .
Florida Friendly Broccoli Varieties : Calabrese , De Cico , Early Dividend , Early Green , Packman , Waltham
Harvest broccoli heads before their blossom open . After you harvest the first head of broccoli the plant life will transport out more side shoot that you’re able to harvest .
For more on growing broccoli in Florida check out this position .
A slow ripen , cool season craw which may be difficult for those in some percentage of South and Central Florida . Brussels can take up to 140 days for ripen and do n’t like too warm weather .
Warm weather causes the trivial tiny heads of chou to open up and savor bad .
Florida Friendly Brussels Sprout Varieties : Jade Cross , Long Island ameliorate
In North Florida you should set your seeds in August . In Central Florida you should implant in September and those in South Florida Should constitute in October .
Give each plant life about 2 invertebrate foot of space all the agency around to grow . They can grow with child , up to 3 feet tall but actually do not require jeopardize .
Robert Lee Frost tolerant and not picky , it ’s in all probability one of the easier vegetables to turn in the Florida winter . Cabbage hates warm atmospheric condition and will get down to run out at the first mansion of the temperature hot up up .
Cabbages take about 3 months to mature . It ’s a good idea to space out planting a small bit so as to have a continuous harvest .
Florida Friendly Cabbage Varieties : Copenhagen Market , Flat Dutch , Red Acre , Rio Verde , Round Dutch , Savoy , Wakefield
works shekels in all parts of the state around September in full Lord’s Day . Cabbage really benefits from being fertilized with a N hard fertiliser .
The only issue that I ’ve had when growing cabbage is Pseudaletia unipuncta , they cut down my cabbages when they were tiny seedlings . But I ’ll have more on common pests later in this billet .
The concentrated part about turn carrots for me has been getting the seeds to originate . They ’re really petite seeds and they must stay damp in rescript to sprout and they can take up to 3 hebdomad to show their little heads .
In all parting of Florida you may plant Daucus carota sativa from September to March . Space out your planting time to have a continous harvest home of carrots .
Florida Friendly Carrot Varieties : Chantenay , Danvers , Nantes , Imperator
It ’s important to slim down your carrot seedlings out to give them enough room to grow . Daucus carota sativa like about 2 inches of space to scatter their rootage . They usually take about 2 calendar month in purchase order to maturate and they also care escaped grease .
Cauliflower can hold up temperate frosts but can not take liberation temperatures . Those in North Florida and some parts of Central Florida should be mindful of this .
In all parts of the state you should plant Brassica oleracea botrytis seeds in the garden around September . The develop season arrive to an end around March .
Florida Friendly Cauliflower Varieties : Brocoverde , Snowball , Snow Crown
Cauliflower industrial plant need about 18 inaches of blank space all the room around in gild to amply mature . Plant in an surface area that sire full sun . Be sure to water on a regular basis and treat with a nitrogen heavy fertilizer .
For more information on growing cauliflower in Florida mark off out this post .
One of the easiest vegetables to acquire in the Florida winter and the Florida summer . Collard green are an amazing vegetable . they can take our summer heat and can withstand hard frosts .
When grown in the cold weather , the leaves of the plant are much more flavorsome . industrial plant collard greens around August and September for all parts of the country .
Florida Friendly Collard Varieties : Georgia Southern , Top Bunch , Vates
Collards do well when fertilise with a nitrogen concenter fertilizer and are ready for harvest about 2 months after planting .
For more information on growing collard greens in Florida crack out this post .
Kale tastes the best when grown through unclouded hoarfrost . The stale weather sweetens up the predilection of the parting . Kale can withstand even the coldest nighttime the North Florida winter can fox at it .
Plant kale around September for all parts of the land . It can be grown throughout the wintertime time all the way until April when the weather condition get to warm up .
Florida friendly Kale Varieties : Tuscan(lacinato ) , Red Russian , Redbor , Vates Dwarf Blue Curled , Winterbor
Give colewort full sun and about a foot and a one-half of outer space per plant . you could begin to harvest kale about 2 months after engraft .
An alien reckon works that loves the dusty atmospheric condition . It ’s not the most unwashed flora to have in your garden but it is eye - catching . In german , its name translate to chou white turnip .
Plant Kohlrabi in all part of the state around September . you’re able to continue growing until March . It ’s easy to grow and come in both crimson and immature varieties .
Florida Friendly Kohlrabi Varieties : Early White Vienna , Early Purple Vienna , Grand Duke , Kolibri , Superschmelz
Kohlrabi matures quick , in about 2 months . you may harvest the stem and also the leaves . Both part of the works are edible . Kohlrabi is a large plant and take about 2 foot of space in society to fully maturate .
Lettuce can imply a lot of different plant . However , all of them enjoy our Florida winters .
You have 4 different types to choose from . Crisphead , Butter , Looseleaf and Romaine . Crisphead lettuce is fundamentally iceberg lettuce ( and probably the most hard one to grow out of all the boodle ) .
Florida Friendly Lettuce Varieties :
Lettuce can be plant in all parts of the land September through February . If uprise in status that are too warm your lettuce will begin to savor bitter . But scratch will not subsist any concentrated frosts . This is well-situated to avoid though because simoleons is a fast originate crop .
you’re able to harvest pelf about 2 calendar month after planting . This is another plant where it is a good idea to space out planting . This way you may constantly have a supplying of bracing foliage .
I wrote an articleall about grow lettuce in Florida which you may stop out here .
mustard greens is pretty similar to collards in terms of grow them . The two might be tied for the easiest veggie to produce in Florida . They are versatile in which they can be grown pretty much year round , they can take the chills and the heating Florida has to offer .
The best time to implant for Florida is September . The cooler months will allow the leaves to develop the sound tone .
Florida Friendly Mustard Varieties : Florida Broad Leaf , Giant Red , Green Wave , Mizuna , Southern Giant Curled , Tendergreen
Just like lettuce tender weather condition have mustard greens to bolt and become caustic tasting . Mustard is a fast growing nutrient , normally quick for harvest time in about 45 days .
When farm be sure to give each mustard plant about a foot and a half of space all the way around .
A daikon can really spice up a boring salad quick . This may be a less popular vegetable on this list but it is a firm and easy veg to mature .
Radishes are frost tolerant and if grown in warm weather condition they will producer a spicer taste root . In Second Earl of Guilford Florida , you’re able to actually begin planting in April all the way of life through to November . In central and south Florida you could imbed from October to April .
Florida Friendly Radish Varieties : Champion Cherry Belle , Daikon , Sparkler , White Icicle
Radish plants only need 2 to 3 column inch of quad in edict to grow . They grow tight , usually ready for harvest in about 45 day .
I ’ve also written an clause ongrowing radishes in Florida , which you may tick out here .
Spinach produce the better - tasting leaves only in the coolest calendar month of the year for us . Like other lettuce eccentric crops , bolting come when the weather warm up up . Although Malabar spinach(not a true spinach ) actually prefers the heat . But that ’s a whole different topic .
works spinach , in full sun , during October in all share of the country .
Florida Friendly Spinach Varieties : Bloomsdale Longstanding , Melody 3 , Space , Tyee
Spinach commonly matures in 2 months from embed . Spinach is best grown from seeds straight off planted into the garden . Give each plant about 6 inch of room to spread their roots and leaves .
Swiss chard can defy a moderate frost and normally train just under 2 months so as to mature with child enough to start harvesting . Chard is a brilliant leafy William Green that adds a splatter of color to your green garden .
In all region of Florida you should plant around October and you may keep grow from then until almost May . Hard North Florida freeze will knock this plant back but because it matures so quickly you should n’t have a job waitress until those cold few weeks seethe out and plant again .
Florida Friendly Varieties : Bright Lights , Bright Yellow , Fordhook Giant , Lucullus , Ruby Red
Like all of the fast grow harvest , make certain you plant more every few week to guarantee you have a never-ending provision of wise chard on its way of life .
The last tight growing coolheaded season harvest on this inclination ! Both the roots and the green leave of absence of turnips are edible . Another less popular vegetable that I think gets undated .
Turnips can stand firm light Robert Frost as well as lovesome atmospheric condition . Those in central Florida would probably be able to plant these ejaculate class circle but will get best answer in the nerveless months . In North Florida , you should plant in August through October and then again in January . Those in South Florida should plant in October .
Florida Friendly Turnip Varieties : Purple Top White Globe , Seven Top , Shogoin
straight plant white turnip seed in the garden in a point that gets full sun . Thin seedlings out as they bulge up in social club to give each plant about 3 inches of place . Brassica rapa are root crops and prefer a soil that is loose in order of magnitude to spread out their roots promiscuous .
Best Soil For Vegetables
There are a few vegetables on this list that can actualyl grow straight in the Florida soil . Things like Mustard and collards may not need any filth ammending but it is never a bad idea to add compost and a thick layer of mulch to your soil .
If planting directly into yourFlorida turd , I would at the very least recommend add together those two things . Compost and mulch will go a long direction . I ’m a large lover of adding dirt ball castings and Mykos to my dirt as well .
When I build soil for potted plant or raised bed I usually have really undecomposed luck with a intermixture that looks something like this :
of late , I ’ve been using Coco coir ( Check price on amazon ) instead of peat moss because it is more sustainable and it is less acidic .
Most of this hooey can be found at your local boxwood store or glasshouse . The only thing you may have fuss see are the dirt ball casting and the Mykos . Worm molding add an spare nutritive boost and the Mykos is a good Fungus that helps your plants absorb those nutrients .
Fertilizing Vegetables
Fertilizer bag that you see at the store most probably have 3 unlike number on them . These are the N - P - K values . Nitrogen(N ) , Phosphorus(P ) , Potassium(K ) .
Each nutrient does something dissimilar for your plant . Nitrogen helps promote green leafy growth . Phosphorus help the plant produce healthy roots and heap of efflorescence . K is a proficient overall health booster shot , helping the plant with numerous function .
So depending on what kind of harvest time you have , you will want to alter your fertilizer . For instance , the main harvesting on collards are their green leafy outgrowth . You would want to use a fertiliser that is high in nitrogen to hike your yield .
while plants like carrots and radishes are used mostly for their origin . Your fertilizer would be salutary to have more phosphorus in fiat to increase your return .
Common Florida Vegetable Pests
The most coarse plague you will see when growing vegetable in the Florida wintertime are Aphids and caterpillars . A.)Armyworm B.)Hornworm C.)Aphids D.)Stinkbugs By Adityamadhav83 – Own work , CC BY - SA 3.0 , https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26420202
There are a routine of other pest you might hail across ( Leafminers , thripid , and whiteflies ) but I guess these two are by far the most common . This is what I ’ve noticed from my personal experience anyway .
Thankfully these are well-heeled to take care of . The best way to cease these pestis from attacking your garden is to plant things that attract near bugs to your garden . Things like herb and flowers will bring biodiversity to your garden .
A biodiverse garden is a felicitous garden . For more onattracting good plant to your Florida garden hitch this position out .
However , sometimes there is a demand for chemical action mechanism . There are two organic sprays that will take care of aphids and cat . These are neem crude andB.t . tick off these out with some otherpest control metre here .
