GARDENERS-What grows well in Sarasota? (Ellenton: gated community, organic, live in)

[SeekingWarmth211]

....and can you plant a vegetable garden in a gated community?

[TamRE]

You probably can't plant an actual garded in your yard in a gated community, but I have seen people that do vegetabes in pots or planters and put them in their yard or lanai.

My next door neighbor has a vegetable garden and grows all kinds of herbs, zucchini, hot peppers, tomates, and lettuce. But we don't live in a gated community.

[Dollydo]

Well, I tried the vegetable garden a few years ago. At first everything was ok....then...the bugs moved in...all kinds of them...I tried everything, lost it all. My neighbors plants her vegetable garden in 5 gallon buckets and always seems to have a bumper crop, might be the answer.

[Picshooter]

Earth Boxes.You can get them and hands on instruction in Ellenton.
Contact the Earthbox Research Center | Ellenton FL

[Skunk Workz]

We had really bad luck with ours, and never did it a second season. Between the bugs, extremely poor sandy soil, and the squirrels we didn't get much out of it.

My dad's had gardens for years in FL, and generally had mixed results. He built raised beds and used buckets. The beds got better after a number of years of adding other soils to it, but never great. The buckets fared much better.

Last year he went to some outdoor hydroponic containers of some sort, and has had an incredible garden this year.

[gypsychic]

When my dad was alive he could grow almost ANYTHING. I never saw anyone with such a green thumb. He really tended to it, though. If you live where your "soil" is nothing but sand, you will have to do it in containers or raised beds. My yard is nothing but sand. You will be able to grow wonderful citrus trees and bananas.

If your soils is already halfway decent and you give it a lot of organic amendments you may have luck like my dad.

Good luck to you.

[imagardener]

The first thing to learn is that the best growing season in Florida is November through April. If you try and grow vegetables in the summer you will be very unhappy.

Using containers filled with potting "mix" not "soil" is the best way for a beginner to get started, if the bag is heavy when you lift it that's the wrong type, should be lighter. Earth boxes are good too but more expensive.

Since it's getting late in the year for vegetables why not start with flowers and herbs like basil and parsley? Geraniums would be good right now. Petunias too. If you bought a fairly large tomato plant you could get a few ripe before the heat sets in. Cherry size tomatoes can be very rewarding, you get a lot of bang for your pot size. The bigger tomatoes take a long time to grow to size and ripen.The best time to start tomatoes is in the fall for a long growing season.

Good luck. Florida is a great place to garden. My garden is all-organic and right now has cabbage, collards and green beans plus many roses, other flowers, butterfly plants and herbs.

[WantPalmerRanch]

Originally Posted by SeekingWarmth211

....and can you plant a vegetable garden in a gated community?

To answer YOUR question:

There are community gardens for some gated communities that don't allow full blown gardens.

Example: There are many gated communities in Palmer Ranch. 5 gallon buckets in your lanai for a few plants will suffice for some gardeners.

But for real die-hard gardeners the newest and most advanced community garden is being built in Palmer Ranch -walking distance for many PR communities. If not, the Legacy trail in Palmer Ranch enables one to bike to this community garden.

Here's the link:
Culverhouse Community Garden Update - Transition Sarasota (http://transitionsarasota.org/profiles/blogs/culverhouse-community-garden - broken link)

[LovePalms]

Welcome to Floridata is a good resource for Florida gardening.