Vegetable Gardening in Florida

Veggies and Herbs Made in the Shade: A Growing Season Calendar for North Florida

Daniel K. Fenneman, Robert C. Hochmuth, Wanda L. Laughlin, and Sean R. McCoy

Costs and Benefits of Vegetable Gardening

Kevin Athearn, Hannah Eason, Liz Felter, Catherine G. Campbell, Jessica M. Ryals, Matthew C. Lollar, Juanita Popenoe, Lorna Bravo, LuAnn Duncan, Christa Court, and Wendy Wilber

This publication serves as a guide for gardeners to estimate the costs of vegetable gardening. But first, we describe the benefits of gardening.

Growing Potatoes in the Florida Home Garden

Christian T. Christensen, Joel Reyes-Cabrera, Libby R. Rens, Jeffrey E. Pack, Lincoln Zotarelli, Chad Hutchinson, Wendy J. Dahl, Doug Gergela, and James M. White

Seed Sources for Florida Homegrown Vegetables

Ed Thralls, Sydney Park Brown, and Ed Paulson

Home Vegetable Garden Techniques: Hand Pollination of Squash and Corn in Small Gardens

Ed Thralls and Danielle Treadwell

Seeding the Garden

Danielle Treadwell, David Outerbridge, Tabitha Petri, and James M. Stephens

Victory Gardeners: Gardening as Part of a Healthy Lifestyle and Considerations for Starting a Home or Community Garden

Maxine Hunter, William J. Lester, Hannah Eason, Erin E. Harlow, Tiare Silvasy, LuAnn Duncan, Rebecca Elliott, Samantha DeForge, Danielle Treadwell

Healthy lifestyles, victory gardens, and Blue Zones are familiar terms to most, and each incorporates a holistic approach to human well-being. The therapeutic and nutritional benefits of gardening have long been recognized. After World War I, many service members were treated using horticulture therapy methods. During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, many individuals and families turned to gardening as a source of supplemental food and physical and emotional wellness. The benefits of gardening, however, go beyond promoting physical health; they promote a "healthful lifestyle." This is a holistic term which encompasses several dimensions of your life, including the spiritual, emotional, physical, intellectual, financial, social, and environmental dimensions (Lynch et al., 2021). This publication is a basic guide to incorporating gardening into your lifestyle including planning, planting, and harvesting considerations.

Purslane: The Reigning Champion of Vitamins A and E among Vegetables and a Potential Crop for Home Gardens

Xueyan Zhang, Mary Dixon, and Guodong Liu

Purslane is often labeled as a noxious weed in Florida; however, this seemingly pesky plant is perceived as a nutritional powerhouse in Asia and other continents. Levels of vitamin A and E in purslane far surpass those found in broccoli, tomato, and lettuce. A mere 3.5 ounces of purslane can fulfill 81% of an individual's daily vitamin requirements, and up to half a pound can meet the daily needs for both Vitamins A and E. Sustaining this nutritional wealth hinges on the timing of harvest when purslane plants attain a height of 5 to 6 inches. Beyond this stage, purslane becomes excessively fibrous and aged, making it unsuitable for consumption and necessitating removal through weeding. This publication article provides a comprehensive overview of purslane, delving into its botany, garden production, harvest practices, and both culinary and medicinal uses to assist growers and consumers in understanding when to savor its nutritional benefits and when to weed it from farmlands.

Landscape and Vegetable Garden Test Form

Rao S. Mylavarapu, William d'Angelo, and Nancy Wilkinson

This document is the Landscape and Vegetable Garden Test Form (SL136), one of the Soil Testing Information Sheets (Submission Forms) used by the UF/IFAS Extension Soil Testing Laboratory. The sheet provides details about how to collect samples and testing fees. 

Organic Vegetable Gardening in Florida

Danielle D. Treadwell and Sydney Park Brown

This 16-page fact sheet is meant to be a companion to the Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide. It is intended for the home gardener who prefers to use natural and organic materials as well as methods that are compatible with the philosophy of organic gardening.

Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide

Sydney Park Brown, Danielle Treadwell, J. M. Stephens, and Susan Webb

A UF/IFAS numbered Fact Sheet for Homeowner audience(s).

Starting the Garden with Transplants

Danielle Treadwell, Lisa Hickey, Tabitha Petri, and James M. Stephens

In the spring and fall, carefully prepared trays of young vegetable plants grace garden centers everywhere, signaling the start of garden season. Many times, the varieties available in retail centers are not the best-tasting or best-adapted varieties for our area. Starting your own vegetable transplants is fun and easy. This publication provides considerations and best practices for selecting the best crops to transplant and how to prepare transplants for home and community gardens in Florida. Major revision by Danielle Treadwell, Lisa Hickey, Tabitha Petri, and James M. Stephens; 7 pp.

Herbs and Spices in the Florida Garden

Mary Salinas, Sydney Park Brown, and James M. Stephens

This 10-page publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department discusses culinary herbs and spices that can be grown in a Florida home garden or landscape. Information on the general cultural requirements, propagation, harvesting, and use of herbs is included as well as detailed descriptions of common culinary herbs. Major revision by Mary Salinas, Sydney Park Brown, and James M. Stephens.

Soil Preparation and Liming for Vegetable Gardens

James M. Stephens and Guodong Liu

A UF/IFAS numbered Fact Sheet for Homeowner audience(s). in support of UF/IFAS Extension program: Animal Systems

Growing Strawberries in the Florida Home Garden

Vance M. Whitaker, Natalia A. Peres, Sriyanka Lahiri, Sydney Park Brown, and Craig K. Chandler

Florida is the winter strawberry capital of the world. In commercial and home production, strawberries are grown as an annual crop rather than as perennials. This 4-page publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department presents guidelines for the successful production of strawberries in the Florida home garden. Minor revision by Vance M. Whitaker, Natalia A. Peres, Sriyanka Lahiri, Sydney Park Brown, and Craig K. Chandler.

Central Florida Gardening and Landscaping Fact Sheets

Anne Yasalonis

Looking for gardening and landscaping facts sheets specific to central Florida? Seeking resources mentioned in an episode of the Your Central Florida Yard podcast? Accessing fact sheets is a valuable way to stay informed about best practices in gardening and landscaping. These resources provide research-based information tailored to various topics, such as plant care, pest […]

Fall Vegetable Gardening – What to Plant When in Central Florida

Tia Silvasy

The weather has finally cooled enough to start the fall vegetable garden. Here are our UF/IFAS recommendations of what to plant when. Getting Ready Starting in September, start preparing your vegetable garden by removing weeds and amending the soil with compost. This is also the time to sort through your seed selection and pick out […]

Growing Vegetables and Herbs in Containers: A New Episode of Your Central Florida Yard Podcast

Anne Yasalonis

Let’s grow vegetables & herbs in containers! Many people are interested in gardening in small spaces whether you live in an apartment, or just want to start small on your gardening adventure. In this episode we will chat about what vegetables and herbs grow well in containers, how container gardening is different than in-ground gardening, […]