Why grow a vegetable garden? The benefits are endless. First, you get the satisfaction of raising your own food and saving money. Second, you gain better health by getting outdoors and taking in sunshine on a daily basis. Third, it helps your mental well being and makes you happier.
I have a beautiful variety of flowers and trees in my yard. I can grow just about anything, with the exception of edible plants. Since, my health is not as it was 10 years ago, I can not get out on a daily basis to weed and do bug control like I used to do in years past. So, my family has graciously volunteered to help me still have the enjoyment of a garden though the majority of the labor is their own and not so much mine.
We have been working at growing an organic vegetable garden now in our Central Florida backyard for the last three years with no success. We have either encountered bugs, heat or excessive rain that has killed our plants. We are not the type to give up trying, so we patiently keep looking for ideas and ways to overcome these obstacles.
We have used the layered method of newspaper and soil and put the seeds right into the ground. That did okay and the plants grew to about two feet and then died for no apparent reason.
We tried the square foot gardening and the same thing happens. The plants grow to a certain height and then die. If they get to grow to any substantial height the next attack is from the bugs.
So, this year we are trying the bag method. We bought those Walmart reusable bags that are about 2 feet tall and will fill them with the prepared potting soil mixture you see below. I got the mixture from reading different sites and combining all the suggestions into one mixture.
Here is what we are using this year.
- horse manure dried and then about 2 cups per bag (remember the last post I did about finding a local farm for stuff you need)
- compost (did my own)
- vegetable potting soil (miracle grow or other organic mix)
- Jiffy seed starting mix
- Peat pots
- vermiculite
- coffee grounds (takes a few weeks to release the nutrients in the soil)
- egg shells (crush into a powder)
- heirloom seeds (soak for 3 days as in the picture below)
I'm just beginning and have the seeds germinating in the containers you see below. They will soak for 3 days in the dark and warm room off my kitchen. Once, they sprout I will transplant them to their own small peat pot. I am using all heirloom seeds so they are all GMO or pesticide free. Follow the directions on the pots for moving the plants outdoors before putting them in the ground.
To find out how to grow a vegetable garden in Florida or your state visit the local University Website and follow the growing guide for your area and county. For more information on sprouting seeds check out Hallmark's Home & Family garden expert, Shirley Bovshow.
As soon as they sprout I'll take more pictures and show you the progress as I go along in my planting stages. I also have potato seeds drying and will plant those in a few more weeks. If all goes well we will have enough vegetables for our family for the next few years. We will also share the left overs with our friends!
I hope you will give it a try and start your own vegetable garden with us. You'll save lots of money growing your own organic food as well as improve your overall health.
I hope you are having a great day today! It is a nice cool day here in sunny Florida. I wanted to share a flower from my rose bush with you today. I often think of what it looks like at my friends houses around the U.S. since the weather is so different in the winter time from our state. Show me your yard or plants.
I may not be able to grow a vegetable garden here in this sandy soil, but I have no trouble at all with flowers, trees and shrubs. Can you smell that wonderful fragrance it has?
What's New!
I introduced my new children's line a few weeks ago. Did you see it? I have vintage Little Golden books and turned them into writing sets for children. I will soon be adding more altered books for children to my shop that will make great one-of-a-kind gifts for kids.
Now, here is what a friend of mine thought would be a great addition to my sustainable and useful product line. Beeswax candles, but not just for looking pretty remember I said useful too. So, here on the east coast we have Hurricane season from June to November every year.
Well, how about having emergency candles for you car, purse, garage, shed and of course the house too silly! Take a peek at what is coming to my Etsy shop today. Be the first to order a set and I'll add an extra surprise gift of my companion product to my emergency candles for you to enjoy.
They come in a cute metal tin with lid and a set of book matches so you won't have to go searching in the dark for where you put them either! I bought pure beeswax from a local farm in my area. The aroma is wonderful. Did you know that beeswax when warmed or burned gives off negative ions that attach to bacteria and mold in the air and drop it to the floor? They work like an air purifying machine only they smell good.
My pure beeswax candles will be sold in sets along with a cute candle mat also made by me. Visit my Etsy shop and pick up a set today!
From my Home to Yours,
Marsha
Green as far as the eye can see in my Florida Garden!
These purple and white flowers greet you as you come up the walkway! The yellow flowers are what is raining down from my Rain Tree! The bees are humming by the thousands around the flowers on the tree.
How many of you can recognize this plant hanging in the basket? It is a rare plant and very hard to keep alive unless you put it in an ideal spot and don't move it, ever! It is a rice cactus! It gets shade and rain and plenty of morning sun. I have had this plant for over 20 years! Isn't that a huge accomplishment!!
I love succulent plants as well. Before my illness I would get out in the yard daily and tend to my variety of plants. Now they are pretty much on their own and somehow they still do great!!! I guess the love God is pouring down on them for me is doing the job better than I could.
This is Kayla's corner! Two rain trees seeded in the pot so we are waiting for DH to pull them out. They have super-glue on the roots so it takes a man to uproot them. The bottom pot is the rest of the succulent variety. The frilly thin leaf plant is an umbrella plant, these are great for cleaning the air indoors. Then there is a lovely vine type plant that Kayla planted that has the prettiest yellow flowers. It has over-grown the trellis and that is why it is leaning over.
Behind that on the wall is another vine plant called a filadendron. And, the ever spreading passion flower vine is in the mix too!
I hope you enjoyed this walk in my garden today. Please share your garden pictures with us on your blog or Facebook page and leave a comment here so we can take a peek. I love gardens, don't you!
Have a Green Day!
Marsha
