A coleus plant. (Courtesy photo by Jacqlyn Rivas.)
The University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF / IFAS) has many excellent tools for gardeners. Central Florida’s gardening calendar is a favorite for those of us who love to get our hands dirty. This resource has the information you need to know about what to plant, what gardening tasks to do and when. These tasks include pruning, fertilizing, pest hunting, and more.
With a focus on the month of July, in the What to Plant category, the headings include: Annuals / Bedding Plants, Bulbs, Herbs, Palms, and Vegetables. Each category contains a thematic link to other UF publications. For example, okra and southern peas can be planted under vegetables. In the What to do category, the headings are: Trees, lawns, fertilization bans, vegetable garden, azaleas, irrigation, pests on ornamental plants and citrus fruits.
Another excellent source is the Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/vh021. This publication provides information on Florida vegetables and includes yield, days to harvest, distance between plants and rows, sowing depth, and transplantability. You will also find recommended varieties for our area with information / notes and products that are currently labeled for insect control in the local vegetable garden.
For more information on planting and to do, see the Central Florida gardening calendar at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep450. It’s a great free resource. You can read this document and the vegetable gardening guide online, print it out or collect it from our office.
We can purchase a variety of plants available, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are the right choice for the month or time of year. Both garden calendars will help you choose the right plant, which will save you time and money by planting, fertilizing and pruning if necessary.
For help with horticulture, call 744-5519 or visit us at UF / IFAS Extension Hillsborough County, 5339 County Rd. 579 in Seffner. You can find our calendar of events at http://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/hillsborough/upcoming-events/. Our Florida-Friendly Landscaping ™ Facebook page is located at https://www.facebook.com/HCFFL/. We hope to see you soon at one of the next workshops. Remember to reuse, reduce, recycle and repeat.
