WHAT TO WHAT

January is still a cool month in Florida. It is still winter. Tampa can have a mild winter or get really cold. The weather varies often. Still, Tampa gardeners can take full advantage of the mild winter by planting a variety of hardy, cool-season crops that thrive in the gentle temperatures of Zone 9b/10a.

PREPARING THE SOIL

Plant leafy greens like kale, spinach, and Swiss chard, lettuces, which often taste sweeter after a light morning frost. Plant also direct-seed root vegetables such as carrots, beets, and radishes, Plant flowers too. Add some color to your landscape, winter-hardy annuals such as petunias, snapdragons, and pansies. They can withstand occasional cold snaps.

This is also a good time to start your warm-season seeds (tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants) indoors so they are ready to be transplanted as soon as the danger of frost passes in mid-February.

I started my Tampa garden by planting leafy greens. Spinach, Swiss chard, kale, and lettuces.

The ground soil is soft and workable. I cleaned the plot well. Got rid of the weeds. I moved the soil. I divided part of the plot in four rows. I placed a couple of seeds in each hole in the row at the plot. Added a layer of compost. Water the plot. There is plenty of sun. Wait and see. Enjoy them.

It will take a couple of weeks for the seeds to germinate. Continue watering the plot every other day to help the seeds germinate and grow well. Once the plant germinates the plants will continue to grow and start giving fruits. It will take a 60 days to fully grow the plants. The spinach plant can be harvest after 30 days for baby spinach leaves. I will continue to report their grow. Enjoy them.

The leafy greens I planted will produce a harvest in March. Harvest continuously and the plants will continue to give fruits. The leaves will continue to grow the whole season. Enjoy them.

KALE SEEDS SPINACH SEED SWISS CHARD SEEDS