Thursday, May 3, 2012

Our Florida Gardening and Homesteading Calendar


Us Floridians, we're special. You see, all of "the other states" have a different planting calendar than we do. We're tropical and we have our own planting times that are polar opposite to others. We don't have many gardening books that apply to us and we have had some that have modified certain fruit trees to fit our state's zones (apples, pears, plums, peaches, etc.). Some may think it a burden to garden in Florida, but I like to think of all the positive things about gardening here. We can grow citrus and tropical fruits. Our sunshine is one of the reasons people flock here so our gardening weather is fabulous. We can grow grass here all-year-round if we don't have a freeze in winter. I could go on, but I won't.

I did want to give my fellow Floridians a copy of my planting calendar though (some other homesteading "stuff" thrown in as an added bonus). I like to print this out and cut out each month's "to do" and "to plant"s and staple it into my Home Management Binder (which I need to update on here...sigh...all in good time).

Having 4 little ones doesn't always allow me to have a whole day of gardening so there are times when if I know this month I can start gardening sweet potatoes, I'll get some organic ones from the store, cut them up at home and throw them in the garden (about 15 mins.) during the kids' quiet/nap time. Other times when we're doing major seedling trays in September, I can do them at night in the kitchen after the kids go to bed. I always include them in the planting process, but I do it outside with them and I limit the little ones' seeds and where to plant them. Then Avy and I have fun doing "the big girl stuff" and documenting what we planted, where and timing of everything. She's gardening buddy. :)

Here are two books that I keep handy and highly suggest:


Okay, so I'm done rambling. Here's the calendar. Copy and paste it into a Word document and print it out for your own convenience. I'm sorry I can't just do a PDF link where you click on it and save it to your computer. I've been trying to figure out how to do that for years, but still can't figure that one out. Anyone who knows how to do that, can you share (PLEASE!!!). Enjoy!

“The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” Isaiah 58:11

Calendar

January (dry)

Seeds to plant: asparagus, beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, Chinese cabbage, endive, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, mustard greens, parsley, peppers, English peas, radishes, swiss cahrd, tomatoes, turnips

Notes: Have blankets/sheets ready for coverings of all plants/trees as frosts approach. Watch the weather. Prepare Neem Oil/dish soap/water spray bottle for pests’ arrival. When transplanting seedlings from tray to garden, mulch well with compost and then a layer of leaves/grass clippings, etc. Watering seed trays: water smaller-sized seed trays twice a day due to dryness.

*Garden seedling sale

February (dry)

Seeds to plant: Asparagus, beets, carrots, celery, collards, endive, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, mustard greens, English peas, potatoes, radishes, Swiss chard, turnips, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, watermelon

Notes: squish caterpillars EARLY (especially on tomatoes and cukes/squashes). Have kids find as many caterpillars as they can for a nickel per caterpillar (game) Transplant seedlings into garden. Harvest strawberries. Harvest and juice citrus.

*Garden seedling sale

March (dry)

Seeds to plant: asparagus, beets, carrots, collards, mustard greens, radishes, swiss chard, lima beans, snap beans, cantaloupe, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, okra, peanuts, southern peas, peppers, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, summer squash, winter squash, tomatoes, watermelon Orchard: blossoms blooming, fertilize with compost, order/buy ladybugs to control aphids. Fertilize sweet corn!

Notes: harvest strawberries, start looking at chicken catalogs for spring layer birds

April (dry)

Seeds to plant: lima beans, snap beans, cantaloupe, okra, peanuts, southern peas, peppers, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, summer squash, Jerusalem artichoke

Orchard: blossoms blooming, fertilize with compost, place bird netting over fruit that is good and set (squirrels and small pests), ladybugs released to control aphids. Blueberries ripen and ready. GARDENIAS and JASMINE!

Herb seeds to plant: basil, dill, chives, oregano, thyme

Notes: frogs/toads mating in ponds (tadpoles)

May (wet, light)

Seeds to plant: lima beans, snap beans, okra, southern peas, sweet potatoes

Herbs: main herb harvesting month…dry out herbs by hanging

Notes: Monarch caterpillar time! Bring on the milkweed.  If not gardening during the summer (heat), plant a cover crop to help reduce nematodes, reduce weeds and return nutrients to the soil.

Good summer cover crops: French marigolds, legumes of hairy indigo, and Southern peas. Till the soil and remove old crops and weeds. Apply light scattering of compost. Scatter seeds over soil and lightly rake, then water. Mow down and till into the soil when ready to plant the fall warm-season garden.

Elderberries ripen and ready....make jams and Sambucus

June (wet, heavy)

Seeds to plant: lima beans, okra, southern peas, sweet potatoes, sunflowers

Notes: order fall garden seeds, work compost!

July (wet, heavy)

Seeds to plant: okra, southern peas, sweet potatoes

Notes: work compost! Plan out garden seedling placement (crop rotation)

August (wet, heavy)

9 Months of Great Gardening Begins!

Seeds to plant: broccoli, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, okra, southern peas, peppers, pumpkin, rhubarb, summer squash, winter squash, tomatoes, watermelon

Notes: work compost! Early August…prepare soil. Important to start corn, eggplant, pumpkins, peppers, tomatoes and watermelons this month as each crop needs approx. 90 days til maturity. Keep seedlings moist and shade from hot, midday sun by using cardboard, palm fronds or something to help shade them (or bring them into a shaded area…trays on wheels, wagon, etc.). Use paper cups (around stem base of seedling) for plants prone to cutworms. Buy/ order/release ladybugs for aphids.

September (wet)

Seeds to plant: cabbage, celery, collards, endive, lettuce, mustard greens, onions, potatoes, winter radishes, strawberry plants, swiss chard, turnips, lima beans, snap beans, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, southern peas, peppers, summer squash, tomatoes

Notes: Have blankets/sheets ready for coverings of all plants/trees as frosts approach. Watch the weather. Prepare Neem Oil/dish soap/water spray bottle for pests’ arrival. When transplanting seedlings from tray to garden, mulch well with compost and then a layer of leaves/grass clippings, etc.

Watering seed trays: water smaller-sized seed trays twice a day due to dryness. Transplant seedlings into garden.

*Garden seedling sale

October (dry)

Seeds to plant: beets, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, Chinese cabbage, collards, endive, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, mustard greens, onions, parsley, English peas, potatoes, radishes, winter radish, rhubarb, spinach, strawberry plants, swiss chard, turnips, snap beans

Notes: offer kids a nickel per caterpillar found in the garden (game)

*Garden seedling sale

November (dry)

Seeds to plant: beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, Chinese cabbage, collards, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, mustard greens, onions, parsley, English peas, radishes, winter radishes, spinach, swiss chard, turnips

Notes: herb harvesting, have cardboard boxes ready (as well as sheets and/or pots) to cover plants.

December (dry)

Seeds to plant: beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, Chinese cabbage, kale lettuce, mustard greens, onions, parsley, English peas, radishes, spinach, swiss chard

Notes: plan out layout/crop rotation of spring plants



1 comment:

Sheri Salatin said...

Love your blog. :) I love the tropical seasons in Florida. I can't believe the growing season there! What a blessing!

PDF Files - I don't know how other folks do it, but I use Google Docs to upload PDF files to share. Then I just click on "share with anyone who has the link".
It seems to work pretty well and it's pretty simple.