Winter Gardening in Small Spaces

Winter’s a fantastic time to grow food in Northeast Florida. What can you add to your garden this season? Root vegetables like beets, carrots, potatoes and turnips; the luscious leaves of kale, lettuce and mustards; and brassicas such as broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. Sugar snap peas thrive in the cooler air as do herbs like cilantro, dill and fennel. These are but a few easy edibles for this season.

Most herbs and vegetables need one square foot to grow. However, many thrive with less space, and container gardening is great for tight spaces. When it comes to ideal spacing, don’t be afraid to bend the rules a bit and pack those edibles tighter. Most of our winter crops don’t mind getting up close and personal with each other.

With time and practice you’ll find combinations of edibles that can grow together quite nicely. For instance, plant spreading herbs and vegetables toward the edge of containers so they can cascade out and over the sides, leaving more room in the center for vertically oriented plants

A 4’ x 8’ x 12” raised bed is a good size for beginners. Pick a spot in the yard that gets at least four to six hours of sun. Once constructed, the bed is ready for some rich soil; about ¾ of a cubic yard will fill the bed. If you need more, you can find bulk soils at locally owned garden centers. Leave a two- or three-inch lip to mix in compost and Espoma Bio-tone to supercharge the bed with nutrients, beneficial bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi. Your plants will thank you. Once the soil is prepped, planting can commence.

Here are a few basic strategies to tip the scales toward successful growing:

Keep your soil/plants fed. Find plant food that you like and use as directed. The plants will exhaust the nutrients in the soil each season. Consider using both an organic slow-release and a liquid nutrient like fish emulsion.

Mulch beds with pine straw. This protects tender roots, helps stabilize moisture levels and breaks down over time to create compost which adds important nutrients and Ph balance to keep plants happy.

Water your beds only when needed. Watering on autopilot is a sure way to drown plants that might still be moist. Get your fingers a little dirty and feel the soil before watering.

Timing is (almost) everything. This can be a trick, and an art. Getting seeds and plant starts at the right time plays a huge role in the plant’s life cycle. Perfecting this comes with time and experience.

Jump right in. More is learned from doing than researching. Get a few basics down but avoid the rabbit hole of information overload. Dirty hands and tools are the best teachers.

Experiment. Try new methods, varieties of edibles and soil amendments. Every season is different. Be prepared to pivot and take notes along the journey. It’s all worth it. Very few things are as rewarding as planting, tending to your crops and then sharing them at the dinner table with friends and loved ones.