June Garden Guide: The Ultimate Guide to Florida Gardening 

My sweet potatoes volunteered themselves back in April. My okra is already producing, my Roselle is going and so is my Seminole pumpkin. I also have Puerto Rican black beans and Everglades tomatoes going this summer. Tropical perennial greens are going as well. My garden is on its own after June. Too hot to be outside more than an hr.

Still adjusting to the heat since moving back to Florida after being gone 13 years. I put mulch down in my front flower bed yesterday from 8 - 9:15 and when I came in my husband said, "night gardening?" Now I will be calling it that, LOL. Glad to find your channel and help me get reacquainted with Central Florida gardening! Thanks!

Every week I'm feeling more and more confident I'm gonna take it easier this summer compared to fighting it like I did last year. With how hot and humid it's been ,the leaf footed bugs, stink bugs and cabbage loopers have moved in hard.

I have found it to be better get into the heavy labor yard work around 6pm, which with the summer hours means I get another 3-4 hours of daylight. Even if we get our standard 2-3pm thunderstorm, the humidity usually isn't as bad as it is in the morning hours. If I mow at 8am, I will be drenched by 9am. If I mow at 6pm, I will still be sweaty, but not nearly as soaked. Plus the rains from the 2-3pm thunderstorm make it easier to pull weeds. That said, I am in central Florida. West coast gets the storms earlier and east coast gets them later.

Yes, we have a banana tree here in new Port Richey and it does wonderful until winter.

Im esthetician thank you for mentioning sun protecting it’s so important! Sunscreen prevents wrinkles yall!!!!

This is so what I've been thinking this week! Lol😂 I’m in 10b and thank you for confirming my thoughts.

Ive got 5 20 gallon grow bags with sweet potatoes. 2 Seminole pumpkins. Cow peas. My peppers & eggplants, cukes producing. A box of tomatoes 🍅. We already 90s this week. Also when you said what a minute Jacqueline....wait she is talking to me. 😂

I agree about the heat. If I can't get in the garden by 7ish to about 10 or 11, I'm not that day. Southern Cowpeas did great for me last year. South Marion County here.

My garden is doing amazing, thanks 🙏🏻 ❤

Young sweet potato leaves are great in salads

Thanks so much for all the info! Quick question. I started a garden for my daughter last January. I'd like to put in a good cover crop this summer. You mentioned Sunn Hemp. My question is, what to do with it in the fall? Pull it up, til it in??

Great video. Thank you :)

Question. I read in your book you use your reclaimed water sprinklers to water the vegetable garden. You use it on all the vegetables? I thought maybe it wasn’t good to use reclaimed on things you eat?

Is the Patreon membership the same as membership? I just joined Patreon but am not able to view the members only video from two weeks ago.

I was under the impression that you need to cure the sweet potatoes, but I never see anyone talking about this. Any thoughts? Thanks

I'm growing in containers in south Florida and want to plant more okra but most of my brassicas, daikons and kohlrabi still haven't bolted, and I don't have the space. I wanted to pull out my cherry tomatoes weeks ago but they're still producing, even though the plants look really ragged. The Amish pastes are just begining to ripen. My Japanese cucumber and Korean melon plants are vibrant but may not fruit in this 90+ temperature. Peppers and eggplant are still growing strong too. My priority are my fruit trees and I expected to be able to focus on them by now, but the brassicas (collards, kale, brussels sprouts, and cabbage) and nightshades are still taking up a lot of my time (watering, fertilizing, spraying, and pruning).

Thai soldier beans add nitrogen to soil?

I’m wondering if I eventually cut my tomato plants down to soil level should I replant tomatoes in that bed again next year or move tomatoes to another different bed next time and what should I do with that raised bed over the summer after the tomatoes are done? This past year was my first time gardening and with your help I’ve enjoyed many more successes than fails but now I’m feeling kinda stuck as to what/how to plant next and what to rotate 🧩 Thanks

Where in central florida cabn you buy these native plants? Like perhaps a young one in a pot already?

Do you mean sunscreen? Suntan lotion may not help with protecting skin just make you burn more. lol I’m mostly just working on my butterfly and herb garden but I would like to start a small herb garden so I will use one or a few of your recommendations. Thank you for all your info you share. Always love watching your videos. You inspired me to start my butterfly garden. It’s addicting to see all the butterflies everywhere.

I know I said I was letting everything rest this summer but I think I will do a section of sweet potatoes and see how that goes.

Sweet Taters! Eventually some pretty morning blooms, can clip them up over a trellis, AND... if you have a dehydrator they are great healthy chip snacks for the doggies. Ours love them, and I know where they came from!

Malabar Spinach thrives in the heat and direct sun. It will grow up a wall or fence if it has something to wrap around while climbing.

I choose the worst time of year to start gardening as a hobby lol I do have sweet potatoes in containers, two papaya trees, 3 different types of sweet peppers, banana peppers, jalapeño peppers, a moringa tree and three Roselle. My lettuce turned out bitter 😭 green papaya can be made into a candy, in the Caribbean they call it paw paw candy. I’ve had it and it was delicious

I am brand new to gardening. Thankfully, I found your channel when doing my research. You have inspired me. I have planted several summer fruits & vegetables. I ordered my guide and am waiting patiently for it to arrive. I even ordered a couple t-shirts. I also live in Pinellas County (North). Thank you for all the knowledge you have shared!!!

I plant my butt on the couch in June

Does the Roselle die in winter, or can it grow as a perennial in Florida?

I also have a question about shade cloth and hurricane preparation. I have several greenstalks and heavy planters on my sputh facing lanai. They are full of peppers, eggplant, herbs. Soybeans, and sweet potatoes. Other than the sweet potatos, do i need to protect them with shade cloth? Also do i need to move heavy planters andy greenstalks inside during a hurricane? Sue at greenstalk suggested watering the greenstalks befor the hurricane and if needed remove a couple of the tiers and place them on the ground. Im new to Florida and want to make sure I preparo correctly Thank you!

Another great video!! I was wondering which sweet potatoes you buy from the store to start? I just put some bueregard slips in, and was going to purchase more of different varieties online, but I like your idea better and it’s cheaper. I wanted to try a purple variety, but also one that is more similar to a white potato, but I don’t know what to look for in the store. I was also wondering if you have any experience with mangoes? I was gifted a baby mango, no idea what variety, she just said golden. It’s super small right now, and I need to keep it as a smaller tree, but I haven’t planted it yet because I can’t seem to find much info on mango trees. And I guess I really need to get my banana in the ground too, so I’m going to watch your banana video again 🤣 Also, I really hope you are right about monsoon season this year! For the last 2-3 years we have had so little rain over here where I am in Seminole. It is so crazy dry here and every time a storm comes in it just seems to dissipate all around us! Only rain though, no hurricanes, I’m a little freaked out by the predictions this year 😬 Anyway, I digress. Thank you again!

I’m so confused. I thought bananas only fruited once and then the tree was to be cut back because it dies. Is that only certain varieties?

Have you had sweet potato pie It's delicious

Where are you getting Seminole pumpkin seeds? Where are you getting your roselle seeds? Will they grow in north central?

Thank you for your content. I chose to start Seminole pumpkins this year for the first time because of your recommendation! The vines have taken off and I’m actually trellising them, however, I am fighting off what I believe are melon worms like crazy. Do you have any recommendations of organic pest sprays/control measures? I’ve used a couple things, but I don’t know if I’m just not using it correctly because I don’t feel like I’ve seen much in the way of results! Hoping I won’t have to continue manually removing these things off of the vines every morning!

The fals sweet potato you warned us about (what's it called?) ... are those leaves edible? I'm unsure which volunteer I have in my flower bed, sure looks like a sweet potato. Letting it grow, but hesitant to snip leaves and eat if it might be the false sw potato?

Hi, I purchased some organic potatoes to grow slips. I saw a video where you stated in Fl. we don't have to grow slips just plant the sweet potatoes .I'm in zone 10b and saw that video after I half planted the sweet potatoes. I have lots of slips on the potatoes now. Do I plant the whole potatoes with all the slips intact or remove them? I would appreciate any advice.Thanks.

I choose the worst time of year to start gardening as a hobby lol I do have sweet potatoes in containers, two papaya trees, 3 different types of sweet peppers, banana peppers, jalapeño peppers, a moringa tree and three Roselle. My lettuce turned out bitter 😭 green papaya can be made into a candy, in the Caribbean they call it paw paw candy. I’ve had it and it was delicious

If I was to grow sun hemp in my raised beds, and I did chop and drop, would they reseed and continue to take over my beds?

Hello new to the channel and gardening but any suggestions on keeping critters & deers away from the garden.

Hi where can I get Seminole pumpkin seeds? I’ve been to a couple of places on line so far nothing

Zone 10a central Florida, is June a good time to transplant Muscadine grapes plants?

Good morning, I am so stunned and emotional about your garden. It is my first time on your channel and I just subscribed. keep up the good good work.

"Golden Shower" has a different connotation in certain circles.

Do these recommendations apply to tropical regions?

What do you do against root knot nematodes?

Have you tried snake bean gourds?

I live in Pasco nice to get local info

I've never grown Seminole pumpkins just standard jack o lanterns. Are they better at powdery mildew resistant? I ran into this last year with my pumpkins.

Your desert rose is absolutely beautiful! Mine is under the overhang of the house Some are struggling but trying to bloom. I'm just learning about them. Thanks for sharing.

Would you consider a 40-50 shade for tomatoes that are still thriving like Better Boys?

Do you cut the vines back on sweet potatoes so it can focus on tuber growth instead of vine growth?

Great info.

Okra, southern peas and cucumbers seem to do well in Louisiana. I`m trying Ground Cherries this year and I`m hoping my melons and winter squash produce something. No figs on my 2nd year tree but the sun hasn`t shined much in months. I planted over a dozen more fruit trees this year and I hope one of my dwarf mulberry trees makes some fruits to try but this lot seems cursed. I may never get figs unless I plant trees in another area because this lot only gets 6 hours of direct sun at best. I hope turnips & rutabaga and other tubers grow right next fall/winter since I`ve brought in forest soil and added bone meal.

@OVHabitats 0 seconds ago I am in SW Florida. (the Fort Myers area ) I love the tropical garden feel but I would like to incorporate Florida native plants to include pollinators, butterflies and birds. What are your suggestions?

I want a desert rose so bad bit there so expensive

Perfect advice as usual! SE Polk Co (FL) here. Normally love gardening these and some additional items but looks like we are in a once in 8 / 10 year drought this late spring / summer. I love hot peppers in shade as well.

Great stuff. Also, Amaranth or callaloo is a great edible for FL summer gardens! Callaloo is very easy to grow even in crummy soil :)

If I plant sun hemp in my raised bed, it's it difficult to pull out when it is time for fall garden.😊

I was planning to put in sweet potatoes and some slips

Excellent video!!

Hello! I will follow! And thanks for addressing the sun intensity in Florida. Also, just put on the sunscreen! Yesss thanks for the reminder.

Great content once again!

Was the name of the banana you were talking about called Grand Nain?

Great tips!!

Does sunshine mimosa grow year round in fl?

Who else is planting sorghum in June

Do you know where I can get okanowan sweet potatoes? I live on central Florida

Can the Seminole pumpkin vines climb a trellis?