Zone 8b

[Voices30]

Can anyone recommend a good site for me that offers the following:
When to start different seeds for vegetables, for my zone (8b). I am concerned to start them indoors because I know that it has warmed here enough for me to start seeds indoors (I have a heater too) but I'm concerned that they will be started TOO early and will be past my 4" pot before I can get them outside. The winter has been warm for us, and unless we get another snap I could probably be in the ground in less than 4 weeks.

That's probably pretty ideal, but I want to get a chart of what month to start each vegetable in for my zone. I have seen them before, but they aren't for my zone, any ideas?

[rainbowgardener]

http://www.thevegetablegarden.info/plan ... g-schedule

this one can be changed to read for whatever zone you are in.

But note, it doesn't really specify, but I believe it is showing times to put things in the ground, whether seeds or transplants. So when it says plant broccoli (very cold hardy) mid Feb to mid March, that would be in the ground. If you are going to start broccoli indoors you would start it earlier to have it ready by then.

You didn't say what you want to start indoors. If it is any cold weather stuff, like broccoli and cabbage, the time to start it for you was yesterday! or last week! I'm in zone 6. Last year I planted broccoli seed indoors 1/17. This year I am behind the season already (!), but will plant some cool weather stuff today. (stay tuned for an announcement! )

[digitS']

A zone 8 in Florida would be very different from a zone 8 on the Oregon coast ... in most everything except the most severe winter cold expected.

Would Putnam County be "central enuf" to be considered Central Florida, Voices30? http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep450

That doesn't seem to have anything about starting plants indoors. Therefore, I'd contact a Cooperative Extension horticulturalist and ask very specifically for a Putnam County gardening calendar that does.

http://putnam.ifas.ufl.edu/contact_us.shtml

All gardening is local, after all .

Steve

[imafan26]

Most of the seed packets have a planting zone map on the back that will give you a rough idea of when to plant. If you are starting indoors, you could start a little earlier, but target the planting date. Even then, sometimes the global weather will not cooperate and is is best for me at least to look at the temperature trends since that is usually a better clue. Most of the cool season and hardy plants can be started at lower temperatures, but the warm season plants want night temps in the 60-70 degree range.

[Voices30]

http://www.thevegetablegarden.info/planting-schedules/zones-7-8-planting-schedule

Thank you, it's kinda what I wanted, but I really want one that looks like this (though I could make it on my own if I wanted to)

January
Asparagus
Lettuce

Feburary
Other Stuff
More Stuff...
Etc...

A zone 8 in Florida would be very different from a zone 8 on the Oregon coast ... in most everything except the most severe winter cold expected.

At the risk of sounding uninformed, isn't the whole purpose of the number system so that you can have the same dates? I mean I know that Oregon is different than Florida, obviously, why would they do that, why wouldn't it be a different zone?

Would Putnam County be "central enuf" to be considered Central Florida, Voices30? http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep450

I'm almost in Georgia, about 1 hour from Georgia, it gets cold here, it can snow. It gets below freezing overnight regularly here.

Most of the seed packets have a planting zone map on the back that will give you a rough idea of when to plant. If you are starting indoors, you could start a little earlier, but target the planting date. Even then, sometimes the global weather will not cooperate and is is best for me at least to look at the temperature trends since that is usually a better clue. Most of the cool season and hardy plants can be started at lower temperatures, but the warm season plants want night temps in the 60-70 degree range.

Yes I am aware, but I want a cheat sheet. I did find this cool link, which is neat because it generates the list dynamically

http://www.kjmbiosystems.com/Skippysgarden/planting%20calendar%20spring%20v2015.html

It does have "plant indoors" dates too, not the prettiest thing in the world, but still cool.

[Lindsaylew82]

Voices, this one is one that I like:

http://www.urbanorganicgardener.com/2012/05/veggie-virgin-formula/

You enter your zip code, and then pick the usda zone guide. It redirects you to a printable page that lists by the month plantings.

[applestar]

Just to answer that question-- USDA Zone isn't really planting zone as in for when to *plant* vegetables and other plants. It's supposed to indicate the lowest average temperature in the winter and classify what would most likely SURVIVE. It can also be used to judge if fruiting trees, etc. plants that need a period of cold dormancy will get the required dormant period in low temperature.

I do also find it handy to figure out what can be overwintered in what kind of temperature and determine the conditions I need to provide to be successful.

When to plant is most readily indicated based on the last average frost date for winter and spring seed starting and planting and also first average frost date for summer and fall seed starting and planting.

[Voices30]

Just to answer that question-- USDA Zone isn't really planting zone as in for when to *plant* vegetables and other plants. It's supposed to indicate the lowest average temperature in the winter and classify what would most likely SURVIVE. It can also be used to judge if fruiting trees, etc. plants that need a period of cold dormancy will get the required dormant period in low temperature.

I do also find it handy to figure out what can be overwintered in what kind of temperature and determine the conditions I need to provide to be successful.

When to plant is most readily indicated based on the last average frost date for winter and spring seed starting and planting and also first average frost date for summer and fall seed starting and planting.

That makes sense, thank you.

[Voices30]

Voices, this one is one that I like:

http://www.urbanorganicgardener.com/2012/05/veggie-virgin-formula/

You enter your zip code, and then pick the usda zone guide. It redirects you to a printable page that lists by the month plantings.

This is super helpful, I think I am going to use zone 9 though, because the range on 8b is just a little bit colder than it actually is here. I can't remember it ever getting to 15 here. We had some 20's just recently though, when the rest of the country was FREEeeeeeZING!

Don't hate me because I live in Florida, hate me because I'm beautiful...

[digitS']

Yeah, well it's harder to ignore you because you are not in confinement, Voices.

. See, now you are admitting zone 9 .

What this nearly year-around growing experience is confusing you with is thinking that these USDA hardiness zones have something to do with garden life. Mostly, they have to do with death and destruction.

Yeah, plant that so-called "perennial" and see it wake up dead in 12 months.

Steve

[Lindsaylew82]

Yeah, plant that so-called "perennial" and see it wake up dead in 12 months.

Especially if you live a low lying area of your zone that gets unusually hard frosts....like me.

[Susan W]

Voices, welcome to the world of gardening! There is no magic bullet of when to start what. I would only 'suggest' to my neighbor 2 doors down. If you are doing everything from seed, you'll have some too early, some too late, some just right. You may have a season wetter, drier, warmer, colder than average.
It seems you are fairly new to the veggie garden, and that's fine. Perhaps best work on the garden and the plants. Start a few things from seed, but don't be too proud to buy some starts at the garden center (especially tomatoes and peppers). Also figure what is direct sown and best times. (spinach, chard, corn, beans for example).

It's lots of trial and error, and I am great at both.

[imafan26]

Zones are a starting point, but you should really be looking at micro-climates. Your micro-climate, soil, elevation, topography, weather determine what you can plant and when.

Some states have broken up their map into sub zones. I actually like to use the Sunset zones in The Sunset Western Garden Book. Zone 24 is closest to my conditions. If you live at the same latitude as California, you can probably find one close to yours as well.

The USDA zone map as Rainbow said only tells you about the average last frost dates for planting, but the micro climate, elevation, topography, soil type, weather, ocean and valley influences determine what will actually grow.
Some plants that should grow in zone 8 may still not do as well if the micro climate is not ideal.

If you are looking for a what to do for the month thing. This is put out by the IFAS, Univ of Florida Extension Service. Many states that have land grant universities have extension services that put out publications specifically for the conditions in their state. I use the Florida and Texas ones myself, even though they do not cover a lot of the plants that I would typically grow because they are the closest to my conditions. CTAHR does not put out a garden calendar so I need to use other sources. I will also use the Sunset monthly garden guide which also works pretty well for me.
http://solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu/law ... /calendar/

[catgrass]

Go to the Florida Ag. Center web site. They should have all the information you need. Gardening in Florida is different from anywhere else in the country. Sandy soil, extreme temps, humid-they may even have quarterly publications like Louisiana does.

[Voices30]

Yeah, well it's harder to ignore you because you are not in confinement, Voices.

Go to the Florida Ag. Center web site. They should have all the information you need. Gardening in Florida is different

It's not the only thing that's "different" in Florida............................................................we have Citrus!

Voices, welcome to the world of gardening! There is no magic bullet of when to start what. I would only 'suggest' to my neighbor 2 doors down. If you are doing everything from seed, you'll have some too early, some too late, some just right. You may have a season wetter, drier, warmer, colder than average.
It seems you are fairly new to the veggie garden, and that's fine. Perhaps best work on the garden and the plants. Start a few things from seed, but don't be too proud to buy some starts at the garden center (especially tomatoes and peppers). Also figure what is direct sown and best times. (spinach, chard, corn, beans for example).

It's lots of trial and error, and I am great at both.

Yeah this will be the second season...last year, it was particularly cold, and I started too early. I did have some great tomatoes too...for a while... HAHA.

I can grow a mean collard green too...watch out....

And the watermelon, but I have done those before a ton of times. I am shocked at how poorly I did with everything else. I guess everything can't be a watermelon, even if it wants to be....

[digitS']

I am sorry, Voices30.

It was not witty or cute for me to write that. I was responding to you saying not to hate you for being in Florida in the middle of winter. Then, you managed to move yourself from zone 8 to zone 9.

I can also admit to envy. Sorry.

Steve

[Voices30]

LOL it's OK Steve, I probably should be kept in confinement.

Ok I used some resources on here, and I found out some great stuff. You can tell how well I have planned my garden this year, but.. I did plan February.

I am planting today.. a couple varieties of lettuce and some carrots.

I am only planting really small area, 2 rows, maybe 5'x10' max..

I set up my soil well, I have great compost from last year. Did a little research on my picks and I am going to just give it a shot..but now I can start planning for the coming better with all these resources you guys gave me.

If you are looking for a what to do for the month thing. This is put out by the IFAS, Univ of Florida Extension Service. Many states that have land grant universities have extension services that put out publications specifically for the conditions in their state. I use the Florida and Texas ones myself, even though they do not cover a lot of the plants that I would typically grow because they are the closest to my conditions. CTAHR does not put out a garden calendar so I need to use other sources. I will also use the Sunset monthly garden guide which also works pretty well for me.
http://solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu/law ... /calendar/

The link is broken, it says "service unavailable. But I did check the Sunset Monthly Garden Guide but it looks like that is only in the Western United States, unless I found the wrong one: http://www.sunset.com/garden/one-block-feast-planting-calendar

I did find this one from UF though, UF has AWESOME resources on growing in Florida, they have been researching for decades, it's just often cryptic and hard to sift through. Maybe someone else in Florida can benefit from this:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/vh021

It's OK though because I have the other ones now, so I Am happy with that, thx everyone.

[River]

I am fortunate that we have the director of mobile botanical gardens made a large circle with each month
& it tells you when to plant & harvest. Its designed just for our area. He has a radio show Plain Gardening.
I would think other areas have something very similar. I can use the cooperative extension as a reference
but this pinpoints our area. Its the plain gardening wonder wheel.