Hi Tommy

I started broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and collards in cups. I will be sowing swiss chard and kale. Lettuce, carrots, peas, beets, radish, I direct seeded when is cooler. It is still too hot and if started too early plants struggle and are weak.
If you like beans you can direct sow them now, either pole or bush and also summer squash.

Silvia

Sylvia, what date did you start your broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and collards and when will you garden set those? What about the Summer Squash? I thought it was too hot for it right now but I noticed in one of your photos it's growing and fruiting already.

Julie

Sylvia, I'd like to follow your sowing & seeding times. Please post when you seed your lettuce, peas, carrots, etc. Will you be sowing swiss chard & kale in cups first? I think I sowed my swiss chard too soon (2 wks ago), they're like toothpicks & drying up too!

fern

Julie - The same time that I set tomatoes out, I plant summer and winter squash. I will get more organized and write the dates in the future.
Collards were started first because they are hardier and can take the heat. Broccoli was started after that, then cabbages and cauliflower.
Today I planted swiss chard and kale.
Yesterday I planted 2 more squash varieties, cucumber and transplanted collards to the ground.

Fern - One of the reasons that I wait to put crops in the ground are nematode issues, when hot they are very active, other bugs too and when the plant weakens there they go.
I will be watching the weather and probably sometime in September I will sow, lettuce, spinach, carrots, beets and peas. I am looking for the soil to get a little bit cool.

And here are some pictures for you Julie and Fern

Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower seedlings in half day sun

Summer squash

Collards were transplanted yesterday where I had sweet potatoes before

Green beans

More collards and herbs

Today I started swiss chard and kale, I put them in the bathtub in solo cups, covered with a towel. Once they germinate, they go out, morning sun afternoon shade till they can take full day sun

Silvia

Thank you Sylvia! I just planted my swiss chard seeds in cups & will put them in the bath tub too. I'll try anything you do to get my veggies looking/growing like yours :)

fern

wow, really nice! I started using those plastic cups too. Do you just cut holes in the bottom and let the soil soak up through it?

What type of mix/soil are you using and did you plant directly into the straw in picture three or is it a mulch?

You are welcome Fern, the reason that I use the bathtub is because I can keep a close eye there for watering, sprouting, the important thing for me is that once they germinate they go out because that is where they are going to be anyway. Sometimes I use the laundry room.

Cammunizm - thank you, the solo 3 oz cups get a hole in the bottom with a small knife. The 8 oz styrofoam cups get a hole on the sides and one in the middle cut with scissors. I use Fafard seed starting professional growers medium that keeps the moisture and has nutrients in it. I only top water the seedlings when needed to avoid damping off.

The soil underneath the straw had sweet potatoes before, once harvested I added black cow some lime and organic fertilizer, put hay on top to keep it moist and ready for transplanting, and when the collards were ready were transplanted and put the hay back.

Silvia

Hi Silvia,

Thank you for responding to my question. I was using the Jiffy Organic seed starting mix but did not like it. It dried out too quickly and additionally, it's not really sustainable..so while it's "organic" I felt guilty using it.

I switched to the Burpee eco-friendly coconut fiber based stuff and have had much better luck with it, plus it holds moisture better.

A new question if you do not mind: With this Burpee stuff, should I be adding additional nutrients to it once the seeds start sprouting? I have the liquid nitrogen organic stuff from miracle grow and did a test @ a few drops per 32oz spray bottle on about 10 of the plastic cup-sized with seedlings.

Hi Cammunizm, I have not use that product but if you are happy with the performance that is all it maters. I looked in the website and does not say that has nutrients already. I would start feeding the seedling when at least has four leaves and with a very weak solution of liquid fertilizer that also has minors in it. When you have time, go and check the new products at the greenhouse/ hydroponics store and ask questions even if you do not buy, it is good to hear from the experts. Florida is a very different place to garden than any other place, you need local advice. Another thing when watering seedlings I use a sports water bottle to gently irrigate the soil.
Last thing don't worry about asking many questions, that is the way to learn I or others will answer just be careful on filtering the info. My advice is take what you need and makes sense to you and leave the rest, in other words take it with a grain of salt.:)

Silvia