My new garden from the beginning.

[Twigs]

I moved back to Florida this past October. I spent the last few years in Louisiana with a quarter acre garden and had a blast. Moving from a clay rich part loam soil to strait sand would be a challenge I was not willing to endure just yet.
I decided that I would go smaller with my gardening and invest in raised beds.

This may be good for some plants, but most vegetables will starve for nutrients when the go to flower and fruit.

I liked this design of a raised bed.

I first broke up the weeds and sand. Then I added a layer of leaves and finished with top soil.

I have some that I started with broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, 2x lettuce, onions, and cilantro. The others I prepping for Spring. Peppers, tomatoes, cucumber...

 

[Logan]

Hi and well done with your raised beds,.i watch this guy on YouTube, there's a lot more about him on there.

 

[gary350]

I live 30 miles south of Nashville TN I tried beds several times but they are so dry in 100°F summer each bed needs 5 to 10 gallons of water every day, that takes me a very long time to water plants and plants never do as well as the same plants growing in the yard soil. I don't want to spoil your fun but you should do a test growing the same plants in 2 different locations, beds and garden soil. See which on is best and less work and less expense for you. You might have much better luck than me. I stopped doing beds long ago but there are 100s of people that have good luck with beds. My cousin tried beds 1 summer and never grew a garden every again. Don't get discouraged and quick figure out what works best for you. Soaker hoses work good.

 

[Twigs]

Using mulch will help you with your water and moisture control. Thank you for the advice. I will definitely be watching my moisture levels.
I will also be growing several types of plants in the ground to see how they do, but I have lived and grown gardens here before.

Trust me, very different ground. I’m working with very thick sand...like the beach. I will probably have great luck with blueberries, sweet potatoes, and watermelon straight in the yard.

 

[Twigs]

Had to cover my beds. We had the coldest Christmas week in 33-years. It dropped down to 18 degrees with 34-mile per hour winds...staying in the 20’s for 4-days, breaking out once to a high of 37. I uncovered everything today...it climbs back to 70 degrees this week.

How in the world do you Northerners keep winter crops in the North?

 

[Logan]

View attachment 93845
Had to cover my beds. We had the coldest Christmas week in 33-years. It dropped down to 18 degrees with 34-mile per hour winds...staying in the 20’s for 4-days, breaking out once to a high of 37. I uncovered everything today...it climbs back to 70 degrees this week.

How in the world do you Northerners keep winter crops in the North?

The only thing is to grow things that are hardy in the UK, like cabbage, sprouts,Kale and parsnips.
I watch this guy, he lives in New Jersey

 

[YumYum]

Supposed to be the coldest Christmas here also but not the coldest day for this time of year, a little misleading. I would butt the beds together and then tarp them under cold conditions and then stick a heat lamp or two in there if I were trying to save my crop for a few more weeks when the first cold snap comes through.

Also anything I have had raised off the ground dries out faster as @gary350 stated. The smaller the container the faster it dries out, which can be good or bad depending on the weather and time of year.

 

[brantelyolivia1320]

Wow that's a goods idea never known about it, will apply very soon. I am thinking to grow spinach, coriander and potatoes.

 

[Twigs]

Got some Sweet corn, tomatoes, peas, peppers, green beans, onions, cabbage and adding in okra. Waiting bit longer before adding watermelon.
Cleared the grass and weeds, brought in some soil. Tilled it in, then added about 3” of compost mixed with top soil, then tilled it all in...planted me a row of okra.

 

[Twigs]

Garden is doing ok so far...Roma’s are almost ready and the pepper plants are loaded....beans are moving slow and the caterpillars are ravaging my onions.

 

[gary350]

Your plants need something maybe good fertilizer & calcium. Tall beds tend to be very dry maybe plants need lots of extra water. Corn with tassels should be 6' to 8' tall already depending on the corn type. Tomatoes like 5-10-10 plant food. Peppers and Beans like 10-10-10 plant food. Onions need 21-0-0 plant food for 6 weeks then 0-20-20 plants food for 6 weeks. Cabbage and corn need 46-0-0 fertilizer. When I lived in Arizona sand had NO food value for plants, I wonder if your sand needs a lot of fertilizer.?

 

[YumYum]

@Twigs definitely needs more nitrogen.

 

[Twigs]

Agreed, also just got the report on my water which is heavy in chlorine.

 

[YumYum]

Agreed, also just got the report on my water which is heavy in chlorine.

How many ppm? We have 3 ppm FC in our water.

Did you look the report up online or have it tested somewhere?

 

[Twigs]

4.2 ppm
The State Drpartment of Health will check well water...they will also check your home water if it’s in question. If you can smell chlorine, it’s in question.
Legal limit is 4ppm for annual average.