Gardening - What to Plant

Now comes the fun, selecting what to plant and where to plant it. First understand that vegetable/fruit/berry gardening can be just as aesthetically pleasing as flower gardening. These plants often have fine foliage, interesting fruit and lovely flowers. Personally, I would grow okra as an ornamental because of its beautiful, hibiscus-like flower and interesting, attractive pods. There are even ornamental varieties of broccoli and kale. However, first things first.

Decide what you want to grow and then look for varieties that suit your climate. Not all plants grow well in all places. If you live in Connecticut and want to grow bananas, you will be disappointed and if you want to grow apples in Miami, you will not do well. Don't bother trying to grow plants where they won't grow ( I know that sounds simple minded but I have known many a New Yorker who moved to South Florida and were shocked to learn that they couldn't grow their favorites).When you find a variety that suits your area, then find out when you plant it.

For example, I lived for years in Ft. Lauderdale, Fl. If I wanted to plant lettuce, I planted no later than late February and again in October. If I did that up North, it wouldn't work, too cold. In Florida, perfect but, if I had tried to plant lettuce in May, when my Northern friends did, It would have been unable to withstand the heat. Actually, the only things I could grow well in the South Florida summers were collard greens, okra and cherry tomatoes and even then, I had to keep the tomatoes in a mostly shady area.

And that brings me to another point. Watch where you plant things. If a plant like full sun, don't plant it next to a tall plant that will shade it. If it likes a lot of water, don't plant it next to a plant that likes little water. Again, I don't want to state the obvious, but many folks seem to think that they can stick anything, anywhere, any time and have success. Trust me, that does not work and why go through the effort of putting in a garden only to have it fail.

But, none of this is hard to figure out. Just do a minimal amount of research. There are countless guides to planting, both in print and on-line; just follow directions. And, there is another way, one that I prefer. If you have a neighbor who gardens, take them a glass of iced tea or a beer and strike up a conversation. Most will be happy to share their knowledge of local gardening. If none of your neighbors garden, then go to a local nursery, not the garden section of Home Depot or Walmart, but a real nursery. They still exist and will be happy to  help you.