During World War II, Americans were encouraged to grow a “Victory Garden” in their backyard. The idea being that a home garden would help offset shortages in farm production, food processing, and transportation.
If you're concerned about the quality, availability and high price of supermarket produce, you may want to consider starting a new garden or expanding your existing garden.
A vegetable garden not only decreases the strain on your pocketbook, it promotes a healthy lifestyle. Home-grown vegetables taste better than store-bought. They are fresher and have a higher nutritional value. By growing your own, you'll know if there are any extra additives such as fertilizers or pesticides used.
A garden also has intrinsic value. It is an active sport that can be enjoyed by the whole family. A well-tended vegetable garden is an attractive addition to any yard, porch, balcony, or window box. And, a garden will always give you something to talk about with friends and neighbors.
If you are new to gardening or new to gardening in Florida, be aware that gardening can become frustrating and disappointing. New pests appear in our state on a regular basis. Soil conditions are often not favorable to growing vegetables. Weeds and invasive plants may pose an ongoing battle. And, the weather doesn't always cooperate.
But please don't let these things discourage you. There is a positive side and the rewards can do wonders for your self esteem. We have a year-round growing season which means you can enjoy fresh produce on a continuous cycle. Some vegetables that are grown as annuals in colder climates, can be grown as perennials in our semi-tropical climate.
So, are you ready to begin?
The first step to growing a garden is to select an appropriate site. To help you decide where to put your garden, consider these guidelines:
- Vegetables grow best in an area that gets full sun and good air circulation. Pick an area that gets sun for most of the day. Your garden should not have to compete with large trees and shrubs for sunlight.
- Make sure there is a water source close to the garden. Vegetables need to be watered on a regular basis.
- Vegetable gardens require regular attention. There are always seeds to plant, weeds to pull, and produce to harvest. To make it easy to maintain your garden, pick a place that has easy access.
After you pick a spot, you'll need to determine your soil conditions. Vegetables need loose, well-drained soil to put out strong roots. Florida soils require you to amend your soil with nutrients and organic matter (that is, compost or manure).
If you are new to gardening, start out by growing just a few vegetables. Don't overwhelm yourself. Try growing your favorite vegetables but pick ones that are easy to grow. Set yourself up for success.
For the beginner gardener, growing leaf lettuce, green onions, New Zealand spinach, radishes, sweet corn, and vegetable soybeans will yield good results. Swiss Chard, Red Cored Chantenay carrots and Detroit Red beets do well year round in both wet and dry climates.
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