fall 2012 central florida vegetable garden

I’m more than a month late for the fall gardening season, argh!

I’m planning to catch up so today, I prepared my beds—nuking out the summer stragglers and weeds that’s still in the garden. Tomorrow, I plan to do some seeding.

Here’s my fall 2012 garden plan:

• Tomatoes (Super Boy 785 Hybrid)
• Pole Beans (Asparagus Yardlong)
• Eggplants (Early Long Purple)
• Bush Beans (Burpee’s Stringless Green Pod)
• Bitter Gourd 
• Zucchinis (Gadzukes! Hybrid Zucchini and Burpee’s Hybrid Zucchini)
• Okra (Clemson Spineless)
• Spinach (Baby Leaf Hybrid)
• Radish (Cherry Belle)
• Mustard (Florida Broad Leaf)
• Chinese Cabbage (Napa Rubicon F1)
• Sweet Potatoes 

The sweet potatoes are the only mainstays in the garden as I grow them for the leaves. They make yummy salads, especially with fresh tomatoes, sweet onions and a tablespoonful of freshly-squeezed lemon juice. (I’m suddenly hungry.)

Here's the vegetable garden scenario this fall:

I’m planning to create new beds for my herbs this season. I’ll be growing the following:

• Catnip
• Rosemary
• Oregano
• Basil
• Chives
• Cilantro

I’m debating whether I’ll set them all out in ground. Definitely the catnip will have to go into the vegetable garden for mosquito deterrence. I’ll probably end up growing the rest in containers in preparation for the February frosts.

In the following days, I plan to write down the stuff to remember about growing each vegetable. One thing to look out for though: my month-by-month Florida gardening guide says to keep an eye for caterpillars this September. And I’m seeding, too. Ack!