February is planting season in Florida. By the end of the month, overnight winter freezes are over and it’s safe to break ground.
This Sunday’s forecast calls for low temps in the hi-20s, but within a week, nights are expected to be a balmy 55F. Bags of top soil and mulch are stacked head-high on pallets at local garden shops and home centers, and shelves of starter plants line the walls. My own above-ground planters need weeding and re-filling with garden dirt.
I’m giving up trying to raise tomatoes. My vines are gorgeous, but I rarely get more than three or four toms mature to ripeness. My pepper plants do well. I even have a red, wrinkled jalapeño that lasted through the winter. Herbs also seem to flourish, I just have to decide which ones I’ll use the most.
Today is overcast and cold, but soon, the skies will be clear and blue again. I’m ready for Spring.
*Photo venue: walking trails at Fort Pickens, near Pensacola, FL
Thin spiral notebook 
Homegrown stuff is the best. Maybe we appreciate it more because the window of time when it grows is so short.
We get plenty of tomatoes, but the past few years they haven’t seemed as big and healthy as they should. We need to figure out something different for them – a new location or fertilizer or something. Either way, I’m looking forward to fresh grown veggies, but I’ve got a while longer to wait.
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*sigh* Spring. In February. Planting now… I’m jealous. But I’m sad that you can’t do tomatoes – those are my FAVORITE. This year, I WILL have a garden and it will be beautiful. I just have to stick to it…. good luck with yours 🙂
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I’m sad about the tomatoes too. The few I did get to harvest were delicious – sweet and juicy. I may try moving the plants to get afternoon sun instead of morning. That may help.
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I really wish that I could have my own garden. I kill every plant I touch.
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I’m a little envious of you too but for different reasons than most of your readers probably, since I’m also in Florida (but we live in a park model with no garden space!)….Gave that up when we sold our Oregon house. Sometimes I miss it, until I remember how old my knees are ;>)
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That’s what I like about my raised planters, I don’t have to worry about my old knees.
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Beautiful scene and a lovely sky! Looks like a perfect day.
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Wonderful scene.
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Love your post! Great photowork!
Well done!
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hard to imaging planting except indoors right now, still so much snow on the ground… beautiful photo:-)
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I do envy those of you with a green thumb. I can barely keep myself and my children alive and the earth doesn’t speak to me the way it does to you..but I understand it..the yearning to touch and feel something GROWING for you.
I’d be happy to eat those peppers.:)
and Spring, oh yes, I sit and wait impatiently, for Spring this year.
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New Orleans is much the same. We’ve had so much back and forth cool/warm weather that our gardens are confused! But the weeds are growing well. Ugh.
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My azaleas are in full bloom and we still have at least one night of freezing weather. I’m looking forward to spring, but not the lawn mowing that’s not far behind.
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