Cooking from the garden

I love fresh veggies and herbs from the garden and I pass by a neighbor's garden every day with envy. I have tried, mostly unsuccessfully, to grow vegetables in Florida, yet I keep trying. I figure that one of these days, I'll get it right. Thankfully, Nelson's Family Farm is close to me and they sell mostly local produce, along with the Fort Pierce Saturday morning green market.

The trick to successfully growing vegetables is finding the right location in my yard, composting and keeping it watered. As I've mentioned before, I don't like to water. I know I have to and I find ways to make it easier, but truth be told....it bores me, so I become inconsistent with it. My dream is to have an irrigation system.... on a timer.....some day. My wants are so simple, aren't they!

Last year was my first year in my home and I used a small area against my house, close to the kitchen to grow a few tomatoes, red cabbage and some herbs. The cabbage did great and was very attractive. I used the basil, tarragon, parsley, rosemary and marjoram a lot and harvested a few tomatoes. This year, I  incorporated one tomato and 6 red cabbages into a flower bed that's located in the center of my backyard. It gets full to partial sun in the fall and winter and less sun in the summer when the golden rain tree has leaves. It's easy to water that part of my yard and it's mulched which keeps the moisture in. The cabbages really are pretty, reminding me a huge purple roses. The tomato has been very happy and produced enough for me to make two batches or roasted tomato and garlic basil bisque.

2011 veggie garden just planted, tomatoes, peppers, red cabbage, herbs and lettuce.
The garden didn't do well, except for the cabbage.
This year, I moved the garden and the one tomato plant has, and still is, producing well.  

I incorporated some veggies into a flower bed

Look closely for two pepper plants, two more tomato plants, cucumber, zucchini and an eggplant

looking to back yard where I plan to build a raised bed for veggies

Looking from proposed veggie garden to current location

red cabbage

suranim cherries

cherry hedge

bananas

my first banana flower

more bananas, different variety

 My plan is to make a raised bed using concrete blocks which I'll buy used and paint in bright colors. The opening on the blocks will be planted with nasturtiums and herbs. I will used bags of compost, slit open, to plant directly in. This method keeps the weeds out and prevents soil run off. Each year you can add another bag on top of the previous one. I will also add direct compost and use grass clipping as mulch. The area in my yard where I hope to grow my veggies is in the back by my shed. It gets full sun and I can hide a hose along my fence line  to make watering easier.