2016 Summer Florida Garden

[Barb_FL]

These seeds (2 in the EB), 1 in the Root Pouch were planted as a test to see if the bees would pollinate in the summer and also for me to learn how to prune cucumbers.

Well the bees came and I didn't have the heart to prune.

Other than the yellow sticky traps and covering the plants since inception with tulle at night, I have not sprayed or used any bug control.

With cucumbers, the male flowers come first; and finally a few female flowers showed. Being impatient but not totally knowing what I was doing, I thought I would take matters in my own hands. I thought I could get pollen from the male flowers using the vegibee. So I ripped off a few male flowers and started buzzing them over the spoon. Suddenly a bee appeared and started buzzing around from flower to flower....probably thinking "You're kidding me right?"
So I gave the pollination duty back to the bees and they didn't disappoint.

Now, the plants are full of flowers and bees are plentiful.

The first cucumbers will be ready in a few days.

[Barb_FL]

So the tomato season is over in East Coast Central Florida, but peppers are going strong.

I have 2 areas of peppers; both get shade in the hottest part of the day.

The longer red pepper is Red Marconi, the smaller one is Giant Marconi.
It was the first ripe Giant, so hopefully the other Giants are bigger.

For peppers I'm growing Yellow and Red Marconi, Giant Marconi, Shi★★★★o, Ajvarski, AJI Amarillo Grande, AJI Amarillo (small), Charleston Bell, a very hot cross of Tequila Sunrise.

I also have seedlings or germinating the following: Jimmy Nardello, Albino Bullnose, Emerald Giant, Beuna Mulata Hot Pepper.

[Barb_FL]

Here's something you don't see in Florida in the summer;

Romaine Lettuce - I let the lettuce go to seed and apparently a couple of seeds blew into this root pouch which was the former home to a dwarf tomato plant. In this instance, it was beneficial to procrastinate cleaning up.

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

Here's something you don't see in Florida in the summer;

Romaine Lettuce - I let the lettuce go to seed and apparently a couple of seeds blew into this root pouch which was the former home to a dwarf tomato plant. In this instance, it was beneficial to procrastinate cleaning up.

Now that I like! Same thing happened with my speckled buttercrunch. I better harvest as baby greens, no way mine are going to become full sized heads.
Great thread Barb. Jealous of your cukes. What variety?

[Barb_FL]

Cuke is Beit Alpha - I've grown them a lot. Everyone I give them to said they are the best cukes they ever had. Very productive plant.

This spring I grew them along with Sweet Success and Snows (a pickling cucumber) but usually it's just Beit Alpha. I got the seeds originally from Seeds From Italy. GrowItalian.com

Cukes, Peppers are way easier to grow in Florida than Tomatoes. If I were half as good growing tomatoes as you, I'd be a happy camper.

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

Cuke is Beit Alpha - I've grown them a lot. Everyone I give them to said they are the best cukes they ever had. Very productive plant.

This spring I grew them along with Sweet Success and Snows (a pickling cucumber) but usually it's just Beit Alpha. I got the seeds originally from Seeds From Italy. GrowItalian.com

Cukes, Peppers are way easier to grow in Florida than Tomatoes. If I were half as good growing tomatoes as you, I'd be a happy camper.

Hahahaha Barb. Honestly, if I were half as good at growing tomatoes as you think I am, I'd be a happy camper too.

I must get some of those cukes. Is it too late to start them now?

[Barb_FL]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

I must get some of those cukes. Is it too late to start them now?

If you search gardening forums, etc it says they can't grow in the summer. From my experience, I haven't found the heat to be a factor. The biggest problem is the pickleworm, which is why I cover in tulle at night. (I started doing this with my original plants in May at the first sign of trouble).

I will take a picture of them all dressed in their bridal veils.


If I weren't going away in August, I would start another 2 seeds now. I treat my cucumber plants like determinate tomatoes; once they slow down or worms get them, they get replaced.

You will have to shade them while they are young plants but they can take full sun after that.

I can send you some Beit Alpha seeds. If you decide not to plant them now, you will have them for September. I've grown them in EB, RP, even a Walmart bag. The one in the RP is in a tray; I put a colander upside down in the RP so it had air by its roots even if the tray gets full of water (too much rain - a rare occurrence) .

Do you have bees around? Otherwise, Diva is suppose to be good; Gynoecious and parthenocarpic. Never grown so I don't have seeds.

I probably have a few spare Sweet Success seeds I could send; they don't need bees either.

[Barb_FL]

Here they are ready in their PJs.

middle pic is the same plant just over a month ago
(variety says very early 50-55 days which will be spot on)

Last pic is Sweet Success - plant set 6-8 fruits really fast, then grew a lot more foliage and set lots more later.

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

If you search gardening forums, etc it says they can't grow in the summer. From my experience, I haven't found the heat to be a factor. The biggest problem is the pickleworm, which is why I cover in tulle at night. (I started doing this with my original plants in May at the first sign of trouble).

I will take a picture of them all dressed in their bridal veils.


If I weren't going away in August, I would start another 2 seeds now. I treat my cucumber plants like determinate tomatoes; once they slow down or worms get them, they get replaced.

You will have to shade them while they are young plants but they can take full sun after that.

I can send you some Beit Alpha seeds. If you decide not to plant them now, you will have them for September. I've grown them in EB, RP, even a Walmart bag. The one in the RP is in a tray; I put a colander upside down in the RP so it had air by its roots even if the tray gets full of water (too much rain - a rare occurrence) .

Do you have bees around? Otherwise, Diva is suppose to be good; Gynoecious and parthenocarpic. Never grown so I don't have seeds.

I probably have a few spare Sweet Success seeds I could send; they don't need bees either.

That would be wonderful, Barb, yes to both. Want some dehydrated mango from my tree? That will be about 2 weeks till ready, I just picked them this am, takes a week to ripen, then a day to dehydrate, then into the mail they go.

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

Here they are ready in their PJs.

middle pic is the same plant just over a month ago
(variety says very early 50-55 days which will be spot on)

Last pic is Sweet Success - plant set 6-8 fruits really fast, then grew a lot more foliage and set lots more later.

That sweet success looks fantastic.

[Barb_FL]

I picked 3 Beit Alphas yesterday; definitely within the 50 days since sowing.
Today at 7AM, as I was taking the tulle off, bees started flower hopping.

Marsha - Seeds going out today. Do you grow peppers? I picked 2 ripe Ajvarski peppers yesterday so I will have more seeds. Will post pics in the Florida thread because Kay is growing them also. http://www.rareseeds.com/ajvarski-sweet-pepper/
I have lots of yellow or red Marconi seeds if you want. Easy and big producers in Florida.

Love the dehydrated mango offer, but that would be too greedy of me to accept when I have 35-40 Kents. My other first time producing mango tree is the fibrous kind.

Pineapples are yellowing too.

[efisakov]

Nice pictures, Barb. Thanks for the info. Apparently it is possible to grow some things during the summer in Fl. Good to know.

[Starlight]

Barb .... So glad you posted the pics of your Beit Alpha cukes and info about them. Nice looking plants. Think I will order some seeds of them to try here. How do the plants do as far as humidity goes? I've planted two crops of different cukes and am ripping out both. Mildew from the humidity is a major problem here. Having to go out and spray everyday is getting to be a pain.

Your bridal veils are cute. : ) Gonna google pickle worms and see what they are about. Always good to learn about potential pests.

[Barb_FL]

Starlight - It's super hot and humid here; typically 90% humidity. Summer daytime temps rarely exceed 90 but humidity is always constant. A day in spring with 45% humidity is a rarity; anything under 70% we notice (and appreciate).

I didn't have any mildew /leaf problems with any plants this spring. I think the sun took care of mildew. Seems like when it rained, it poured but then it wouldn't rain again for another month.

[Barb_FL]

Pics - Today's pepper harvest, first cucumbers grown/picked during high heat, Arvarski peppers.