This week, our garden lecture was about how the environment affects crops. There are three major parts of the environment when it comes to gardening: climate, water, and soil. In florida, the temperature is hotter than in other states having an average low in the mid-60s and average high in the mid-80s. Along with this heat is sunshine which provides near 13 hours of sunlight during spring and summer and 11 hours during fall and winter. This light provides energy to the crops for photosynthesis. Florida also has a high relative humidity compared to other areas, ranging on average in the 70%s. This humidity makes it easier for plants to conserve water. The average rainfall in Florida is also greater than other states, which makes watering plants slightly less necessary. In some cases, the sub-tropical Floridian climate may be better than that of a colder, less humid state. Eggplants, potatoes, and peppers, to name a few, are all crops that grow better in warm climates. Plants like broccoli, leafy greens, and peas thrive greater in cooler climates.
In the garden this week, I began by weeding my plot and the alleys. Next, I planted me some peas! I then looked for any seeds that appeared to have failed to germinate. I had a couple that weren't looking so hot, including one of my cucumbers below, so I reseeded. I fertilized my veggies again by digging trenches around them as you can see with my cucumber.
We then used insecticides on our plants to avoid pests or ward them off. I used Thuricide on my peppers to shoo away the caterpillars, especially on my ladybug peppers (left). I used Neem on my squash-type crops and tomatoes. I also used the Neem on what appeared to be an ant pile that was taking over my beans (right)!
My scallions started to poke through! They are so tiny that I almost pulled them as weeds!
Jusqu'au Semaine Cinq, jardiniers!
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