Tag Archives: Florida winter garden

Florida Raised Bed Gardening Update

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Florida Raised Bed Gardening Update

Gardening is addictive. Last spring, this retired couple started out with a single raised bed. They harvested squash, tomatoes, peppers, and green beans.

The bed was planted for the fall with collards, kale, carrots, turnips, and radishes.

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The North Florida raised bed now has a neighbor.

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See? Once you get started gardening, it’s hard to stop with just one bed.

The gardener used my cheap DIY plant label idea, and planted another garden.

The raised bed idea is great for planting carrots, who need soft soil in order to grow straight roots.

We have gotten some frosts recently here in North Florida, but they have a neat way to cover their beds for the night. I’ll have to show you some pictures of that soon.

I hope your gardens are growing well. You can start planning for the spring and getting your seeds together. I have a post on how to get free seeds and  how to make your own compost. Gardening can be as expensive or as inexpensive as you want.

Winter is a time for yummy greens (especially in my favorite kale recipe!) and fresh hot biscuits. I have a super easy way to make biscuits that I will share with you later this week.

Fresh, hot, homemade biscuits with some easy peach jam? Yes, please!!!

 

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December To-Do List

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December To-Do List

It is so nice to eat fresh vegetables from the garden again! There has been a lull between the tons of peppers from the fall garden and the greens harvests that are getting started. The fall/winter garden is not nearly as lush as the summer, but the weed population is much decreased. We enjoyed nutritious turnip greens and daikon radish medallions with dinner.

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It was fabulous. I could practically feel the nutrients being absorbed by my body. Greens are so good for you!

Fall gardening in Florida is pretty much like cooking in a Crock-Pot; you set it and just let it do its thing.

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The growing is slow over here, but the garlic is up and the mustard is growing. I love garlic. 🙂

REMEMBER: A wise man once said, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but garlic keeps everybody away!”

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The greens patch is a welcome sight among so much brown elsewhere. I don’t have high hopes for the broccoli or cauliflower, but I will leave them anyway.

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I should be able to start harvesting some of the largest kale leaves soon. More yummy nutrition!

My to-do list for this month:

1. Enjoy homemade apple butter.

2. Drink hot chocolate.

3. Eat kale!!! It’s time for my favorite kale recipe! I have a post on how to make kale chips, too.

4. Relax. Ha! I’m teaching again now, so that will have to wait for Christmas break.

I think that’s it. Most of my crops are already in the ground, so I’m just letting them grow.

Oh wait. I would like some pretty flowers, so maybe I’ll add another item.

6. Plant snapdragons and pansies.

How does your garden grow? Is it covered in snow, or maybe you are in Australia and gearing up for summer? What are you enjoying from your garden?