GM all,
Never dreamed I’d be part of a garden thread, you’d normally fund me fishing or working on my house, but here goes...
With the teleworking and not going out, I decided on a new venture. It took 2wks and I built sturdy raised square foot garden boxes. Cedar boxes, with pressure treated 2x4 legs. 34” off the ground. Four boxes, each perfectly 2’x3’inside and 12” potting soil deep (height allows for 13.5” deep soil) with 1ctft work castings mixed in the soil. Added an automatic sprinkler system in each box with 4 mister heads running down the center of each box. The bottoms of the boxes are also cedar 1x8” with 1/4” gap between each board for drainage and the boxes are lined with lifetime guarantee rated weed barrier.
In fifteen minutes of sprinkling, water drips evenly from all the gaps below.
Lots of details, but since I’m posting for the first time, want give as much info as possible.
If anyone wants the photo of the boxes, plans, or any help building this let me know in PM.
...ONWARD...
I live in SE Florida, Ft Lauderdale area house
, 1/2 mile east of the beach as the crow flies.
I know this is not the planting season for this area and but the Chinese virus motivated me to start this now, so I’m stuck with what I’ve got for the time being. This planting is considered the R&D learning curve and hopefully by fall I’ll have a better knowledge base for when the season arrives.
Germinate...
On 4.22 I planted store bought seeds in the burpee 36 cell seed trays, put them on a table in the Florida room. For those not familiar, this is a room, faces east, with full 4’ tall windows on the N, E, and South sides and air conditioned. I have non gmo heirloom seeds, but am holding off on those while I learn out of season though. The seed trays have not seen direct sunlight yet.
Seeds started 04.22.20
Today is day six...
Radishes are 6”
Carrots 1”
Spinach 1”
Cauliflower 4”
Cucumber healthy 5”
Here’s the questions so far...
Today I put the radishes, carrots, cauliflower, and cucumber in the planter. They are getting so leggy that they’re staying to lay down. Was this too soon, or too late. How tall should the sprouts be to transplant?
The boxes will get 7 hours of direct, full Florida sun. I can turn the sprinklers on whenever I want by turning the egg timer. Easy. Should I shade the new sprouts?
How much shade? 4 hours? 6? All day? How many days, weeks did they get to be in shade?
How often should I water?
Any help that can be offered while I learn is very much appreciated
Thank you all.
Respectfully,
SW
“Today I put the radishes, carrots, cauliflower, and cucumber in the planter. They are getting so leggy that they’re staying to lay down. Was this too soon, or too late. How tall should the sprouts be to transplant?”
HEAT is only going to be your friend for the Cucumbers. Carrots, Radishes and Cauliflower like it sunny and cool - so winter plantings for your zone.
Either look on line, or get yourself a book that is specific to your Planting Zone and you’ll get all the info you need on what to plant, when. You can only fool Mother Nature so far. ;)
Examples of what you’re looking for:
https://www.amazon.com/Florida-Fruit-Vegetable-Gardening-Harvest/dp/1591869056
https://www.amazon.com/Month-Month-Gardening-Florida-MacCubbin/dp/1888608242
I would leave the cucumber (just ONE plant) in your pot, but throw a tomato cage over it for support, or rig up something - cukes vine and will want to be trellised up. This also keeps them cleaner than if they trail on the ground.
Good luck! :)