GREEN COVE SPRINGS – As temperatures hopefully being to fall and our landscapes get less green, it is time to consider your fall garden.

With the luxury afforded by our mild winters, we can effectively grow some vegetables throughout this season and continue to enjoy our landscapes. Here are some tips for success:

Consider a Raised Bed

A raised garden, using a garden soil that drains well but is rich in organic matter is often the best way to grow vegetables in our region due to our sandy, low nutrient soil. These can be anything from pots to large scale wooden beds but overall, they make the management of weeds, diseases and plant nutrition much easier. For more tips on raised gardens, see http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep472.

Vegetables in Fall

With cooler temperatures, we can grow vegetables that cannot grow during other times of the year. In October, plant onions, beets, turnips, lettuce, greens and many cole crops, such as cabbage and broccoli. These can continue to grow all the way to spring if cared for and without major swings in temperature. If you planted some spring crops in August and September, you can also have success until the first frost, which is usually around Thanksgiving.

Strawberries

October is the last month to plant strawberries for the spring. They are grown as annuals in our state, giving them time to grow through the winter and then harvest in the spring and early summer. Look for suitable varieties such as Chandler, Oso Grande, Sweet Charlie, Selva, Camarosa and Festival.

The Ornamental Landscape

The fall and winter can continue to be a very interesting part of the year for your landscape. Annual plants such as petunias, foxgloves and Shasta daisy can be planted in October and Chrysanthemums, the usual flower associated with autumn can also have a place in your planters and landscape. October is also a great time to do some maintenance work such as mulching with the cooler temperatures. You can even plan ahead for next year, considering trees like berry producing hollies and Black Tupelo for winter and fall color.

If you have any questions about gardening in Florida, call the UF/IFAS Clay Count Extension Office at (904)284-6355. Furthermore, if you are interested in learning more about gardening in Florida, consider participating in our online “Welcome to Florida Gardening” class that can be completed at home, at your own pace. Register online at http://ClayExtension.eventbrite.com.