Lemon Tree

So dance now in this bountiful garden of the lemon tree.
For all we have left in the end are our memories.
MPCooper, Cherish the Lemon Tree

If you are still looking for a unique holiday gift, consider a lemon tree. Back in the days when I sold citrus trees, I transcribed many messages of love and a few of repentance to accompany gifts of lemon trees. The hardest messages to write were those to accompany memorial trees.

Whether it is because of their bright colors in the dead of winter, their bitter-sweet flavor, or maybe the symbolism of the tree itself, lemon trees have a place in our homes and in our hearts.

I grow Dwarf Meyer Lemon, Improved because I like the sweeter flavor of this lemon variety. It is perfect for making preserved lemons. (If you haven't tried preserved lemons, email me for the recipe. They add a delicious salty/tangy flavor to chicken and fish dishes.)

Lemon trees are easy to grow and reward you consistently with fruit in late fall and early winter. Dwarf varieties grow well in containers and can be grown indoors. This makes it possible to grow lemon trees anywhere.

A few sources for lemon trees are included at the end of this blog. If your state does not permit importation of trees from these growers, ask your local nurseries for reputable tree sources.

Growing Lemon Trees:
Here's a series of articles I wrote for ehow on growing lemon trees. A more general article on growing citrus can be found on my website, The Gourmet Gardener

Growing Lemon Trees Organically
Pruning Lemon Trees
Planting Lemon Trees

Lemon Tree Sources:

Tampa, Florida
Harris Citrus
I've been to this farm and highly recommend them for Florida buyers.

Winters, California
Four Winds Growers

Mission, Texas
RGV Nursery

Blueberries

I associate blueberries with hot summer days and the Blueberry festival in Wellborn. If you are interested in growing your own blueberries instead of picking someone elses, now is the time to prepare your soil for spring planting.
Blueberry plants are picky about drainage and soil pH. Amend your soil now to reap a better harvest this summer!
Here are links to articles I've written about planting blueberries. Have Fun!
Container Blueberry Varieties
How to Acidify Soil for Blueberries
Blueberry Plants for Northeast Florida
Diseases in Rabbiteye Blueberry Plants

Articles with Gardening Tips

If you follow our Facebook link, you know I've been writing for Demand Media these days. How-to articles are distributed to EHow and other websites. I'd like to be spending more time on my blog and website, but writing for others is paying my bills! So--here are links to a few of the articles I've written. I hope you'll find them useful.
Recommended Spacing for Dwarf Apple Trees
Organic Pest Control for Citrus
Growing Lettuce in Florida
Amending Soil in North Florida Gardens
When to Plant Winter Harvest Vegetables
The Best Fertilizer for Carrots

Fall Planting in the South East

Looking for seeds to grow in Florida and other parts of the Southeast? Try our store: Gourmet Gardener Store
It's a beautiful day in North Florida today.  Temperatures were in the 60's this morning and I don't think we've hit 90 yet.  With cooler temps comes the urge to resume gardening.  The community garden in Wellborn is plowed and ready for fall planting.  A list of what we'll be planting this weekend can be found at the end of this post.
I moved all the existing herb bowls, olive, bay, citrus, and pear trees and tidied up my concrete pool deck in order to make room for two new raised beds and a trellis in the container garden area.
With two books to finish writing before spring, I think I will let the garden in my pasture rest for the winter under a bed of straw.
Here's a list of what we are planting this fall and links to garden companies who are selling the seeds/plants.  We select our varieties using the following criteria:
-The variety must taste good and meet my family's cooking/eating preferences.
-It should withstand growing conditions in Florida
-Seeds/plants should be obtainable in the U.S.  Organics are preferred.
-It should grow well in containers/small space gardens.
Fall Planting Selections from The Gourmet Gardener:

Beans:
Bush-Blue Lake  Seeds of Change, Fin de Bagnols Seed Savers Exchange
Pole-Kentucky Wonder Hometown Seeds
Beets:Tall Top, Detroit Dark Seeds of Change
Broccoli: Raab Seeds of Change DeCicco Johnny Seeds
Carrots:Chanteney Seeds of Change, Scarlett Nantes Seeds of Change
Cucumbers:Ashley Reimer Seeds
Endive: Tres Fine Maraichere Seeds of Change
Kale:Vates Southern Exposure
Lettuce:
Crisp-Nevada Johnny Seeds
Looseleaf-Red Sails Johnny Seeds
Oakleaf-Salad Bowl Johnny Seeds
Romaine-Parris Island Cos Johnny Seeds
Onions:
Bulbing-Granex Henry Fields (Will plant in the ground.)
Bunching-White Lisbon Reimer Seeds
Shallots-French Grey Kitchen Garden Seeds
Pumpkins-Winter Luxury (Will plant in the ground.) Johnny Seeds
Spinach-Melody, Bloomsdale Urban Farmer
Strawberry-Chandler, Camarosa Peaceful Valley Garden Supply --

Some of these, such as Camarosa Strawberries, Melody Spinach and Nevada Lettuce are old favorites.  Others, such as Winter Luxury Pumpkins and Ashley Cucumbers are new to us.  If you plant them, feel free to make comments on how well they grow for you and what you think of their flavor.

Aquaponics

Ok, so most of us have seen the aquaponics project at Epcot.  Everytime I see it, I commit to starting a small tank of my own when I return home, but then I never get around to it.  Guess what?  I'm finally going to do it.

Aquaponics is an integrated system with fish and plants.  The fish provide nutrients for the plants.  The plants return the favor by filtering the water for the fish.  Shouldn't all life be so in sync?

Ok, so the system is slightly more complicated than this, but is certainly do-able for home gardeners & fish lovers.

This blog will be short on details because I'm still learning.  I'll get more specific in later blogs.

We're going to start with four 55 gallon food grade plastic barrels.  (Stay away from chemical laden black barrels.  The red and blue barrels are usually food grade.) 

Basically, we'll cut out the sides of two barrels and lay them horizontally on my plant stand.  I'll fill these with gravel and plant lettuce starts in these planters.  On the patio next to my plant stand, I'll set up a barrel, vertically, for the tilapia.  We chose tilapia because they withstand our Florida weather conditions nicely.  The tilapia barrel will contain an aquarium pump and aerator. 

Water from the tilapia barrel will pump into a barrel of gravel and red worms.  The gravel will filter out large sediment from the fish waste and the worms will feed on this waste.  Once again, WORMS RULE!!   During this stage, nitrites from the fish are converted by bacteria to nitrogen (plant food!)

From the worm/gravel barrel, the nitrogen rich water will flow into the planters.  The plants will filter the water before it flows back into the fish tank.

If any of my readers have an aquaponics system, I hope you'll answer the following questions for me:

-How is the composted material from the red worms harvested? Or does this just flow into the planters?  If so, wouldn't the worm castings clog the tubing as much as the fish waste?

-What is the most humane method of harvesting the fish?  Call me a weenie, but I just don't like killing animals.

So that's my big project for August.  I bet I'm not the only person who likes working on new projects...keeps life interesting!

For more information on growing vegetables in containers, consider purchasing my book:  Container Gardening for Health: The 12 Most Important Fruits & Vegetables for Your Organic Garden

Seed Counts

Isn't it annoying when seed companies list their inventory in ounces instead of seed numbers?  After years of clicking through to equivalency tables,  I have taped a list of approximate seed counts to my desk.  This year, I've added a column to my list.  It tells me how many plants I need to feed a family of four.  It's so convenient!

If you'd like to do the same, print this list and get out your tape.

Number of Seeds per Ounce/Number of Plants Needed to Feed an Average Family of Four:

Beans, Bush: 50/48
Beans, Lima: 100/40-50
Beans, Pole: 100/30-40
Beets: 1280/40
Broccoli: 9,000/15
Cantaloupe: 1,000/4
Cauliflower: 9,000/8
Corn, Sweet: 150/72
Cucumber: 1,100/8
Eggplant: 6,500/4
Peas: 90/24
Peppers: 4,500/10
Pumpkin: 200/3
Spinach: 2,800/20
Squash, Summer: 300/3
Squash, Winter: 120/4-6
Tomato: 9,500/15
Watermelon: 300/4

I have many other seeds on my list.  Email if you have questions about seeds not listed. gourmetgardener@windstream.net

Note:  I've gathered these numbers from numerous seed companies over the years.  Where numbers haven't matched my personal findings, I've substituted my own calculations.  Some of my more recent sources include   Burrell Seeds ,  The Free Library,  Corbett Report,  About.com , and Hume Seeds.

 For those who like to garden organically or garden in containers, consider purchasing my book:  Container Gardening for Health: The 12 Most Important Fruits & Vegetables for Your Organic Garden

Peeling Tomatoes

Mmmm!  I love fresh tomatoes.  My husband and I walked back from the garden yesterday evening with a 3 gallon bucket full.  No one in my family complains about the many tomato recipes I cook this time of year.  They seem to especially like rigatoni with fresh tomatoes and basil.
This dish requires peeled, but not seeded, tomatoes.  I learned to skin tomatoes from Marcella Hazan's Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking.  It is actually pretty simple.

Step One:  Fill a pot of water deep enough to cover tomatoes and bring it to a boil.

Step Two: Gently drop in tomatoes.
Step Three: Leave tomatoes in the boiling water for 1 minute.
Step Four: Carefully Remove tomatoes from water with slotted   spoon.  
Step Five: Let cool for a few minutes. The inside of the tomatoes will be VERY hot.

Step Six: Cut a small 'V' in the top of the tomato with a sharp paring knife.

Step Seven: Grasp the 'V' and gently pull it down the side of the tomato.  The peel will slide right off.







The recipe I use for fresh tomato sauce is really simple.  The just- harvested tomatoes are the highlight of the dish.  For a family of four -- 3 big guys and me -- I peel and chop 4 pounds of fresh tomatoes.  No matter how many I prepare, it's never enough.  Add these to a skillet with 4 TB of real butter, two cloves of crushed garlic, and an onion cut in half. (When I'm feeling health conscious, I cut the butter in half and add 2 TB. olive oil.) Simmer 45 minutes.  Add 1/2 cup torn Basil in the last 5 minutes.  Discard the onion. Season with a little salt and black pepper if desired.  Add in cooked rigatoni and sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan. 
Recipe adapted from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan.

 For information on growing vegetables in containers, see my book: Container Gardening for Health
 

Vote for the Wellborn Garden

Hi everyone.  This is a short entry to ask you all to support our efforts to plant a community garden in Wellborn, Fl by voting for our garden on Justmeans.com (http://www.justmeans.com/contestidea?ideaid=NDky).  We can win up to $50,000 for the garden if our garden idea gets the most votes.

The garden was started in the foundation of a cabinet maker's shop after 2 teens burned it down to divert attention from another robbery.  Wellborn is a small town with few other businesses.  The fire left a big black hole in the center of town.  From the ashes, we've planted a community garden.

You can help us expand the services we offer from the garden by voting!  Please take just a moment to visit the above link and vote for our garden.

Thanks!

Organic Pest & Disease Control

Here's an excerpt from my book, Container Gardening for Health regarding pest and disease control. In the book, charts identifying pests and diseases follow this segment.
The reduction of pests and diseases is a big advantage
container gardeners have over traditional gardeners. Follow these few simple
rules and you will reduce the risk of pests and diseases even further:
Begin with healthy soil. Plants are better able to fight off diseases and
overcome pest damage when they have all the necessary nutrients they
need for growth. I never re-use soil. Soil from spent plants can be spread
on the lawn or dumped back into the compost bin.
Be sure that compost for use in container gardens reaches 105º–145ºF during
the composting process. This will kill many pests and diseases. Soil
with visible destructive pests should be discarded.
Always use clean containers.Wash used containers with a dilute bleach
solution before reusing.
Keep garden area free of debris and spent produce. Pests like to feed on
spoiled food and take shelter under dead plants and weeds.
Look for pests daily. They can usually be found on plants early in the morning,late in the evening, and just after a rain. Look carefully! Many pests camouflage quite well on stems, leaves and flowers. Remember to look under the leaves and remove any eggs.
Except during times of pollination, use floating row covers.  These can be purchased to fit containers.  Many pests hatch in the soil and then fly onto plants to lay eggs. Covering plants prevent
the continuation of pests’ life cycle. Continue to examine plants for pests even if you use row covers.
Control moisture. Most diseases affecting container plants are related to
moisture levels. Frequently, gardeners over-water plants. Inexpensive moisture
meters can be purchased at your local garden center. Remember to
dig down below the crust of the soil to check for moisture before watering.
If leaves are cupped, the plant usually needs water. If leaves are limp and
pointing down, they may have been over-watered.
Become acquainted with beneficial insects. Encouraging beneficial insects
in your garden is like employing your own personal 24 hour bug control
service.

Organic Pest Control for Beginning Gardeners & Upcoming Garden Workshops

When I first started gardening,  I found pest control to be the most vexing of all challenges in the garden.  I've never been willing to spray my garden with pesticides so there were seasons when the bugs had a better harvest than my family. I remember coming in to the house one day and exclaiming "pests have no values!"  Really -- its true.  I was always willing to share with them, but they greedily took a bite out of every tomato.   Luckily, my good friend Leslie Kurtz (Kurtz and Sons Dairy) introduced me to the topic of organic pest control and helped ease my frustrations with those pesky pests. 
The principle of understanding nature is at the heart of all organic gardening. Your very first step in creating an organic pest control program is in understanding the nature of pests.
If you spot Colorado Potato Beetles on your plants, for example, try to interrupt their life cycle. Colorado potato beetles pupate in the soil during the winter and emerge in spring to mate and feed on host plants. The female lays about 2 dozen orange-yellow eggs on the underside of leaves for several days. She can lay up to 500 eggs in a months time! Larvae hatch and begin feeding on foliage about a week after eggs are laid. In 2-3 weeks, larvae return to the grown to burrow. They emerge as fully grown beetles in about 7 days. The adult beetle feeds on roots for several days before the female begins laying eggs and begins the cycle anew. The effects on your plants will be dramatic stunting of the plant and skeletonizing of the roots.

What's an organic gardener to do to stop this cycle? Be as aggressive as the beetle at every stage of their development!

-Dig trenches at a 45 deg. angle and line with black plastic between garden rows. This blocks the beetle's journey from the soil to the leaves. Beetles have difficulty navigating on an angle.
-Use floating row covers, such as Remay, to provide a physical barrier in early spring. I have found this method to be the most useful. You'll need to remove the barriers when it is time for your plants to pollinate.
-Inspect leaves for eggs when weather warms. (Be careful not to remove the eggs of beneficial insects.)
-Remove any plant debris that might provide cover for the beetles as they make their journey back down into the soil.
-Manually remove adult beetles.
-Encourage predatory insects by planting pollen and nectar host plants.
-Last resort: If the infestation is threatening the majority of your harvest, apply Neem or Pyola at the dilution rates specified for vegetable plants on the bottle.
Note: Container vegetable gardeners do not face as many challenges with pests as growers who garden in the ground. For more information about organic vegetable gardening, see my book: Container Gardening for Health: The 12 Most Important Fruits & Vegetable for Your Organic Garden.
The bottom line: Know your pests! Study the little scoundrels and get between them and your plants.
In my next blog, I'll cover organic prevention and control of disease in the garden.
For my local readers, I'll be giving a workshop on herbs at the Madison Garden Club on Saturday, March 13 at 11 AM. Then I'll be off to Borders Book Store in Gainesville to give a seed starting workshop/book signing at 4 P.M. It will be a busy day. Hope to see you some where along the way.

Easiest Veggies to Grow and Lake City Home & Garden Show

This is the first in a series of blogs for beginner gardeners.
I'm frequently asked which vegetables are the easiest to grow from seed. My favorites are beans, cucumbers, pumpkins, summer squash, radishes and lettuce. These can be planted directly in the garden and are vigorous growers.

Variety Selection: Select varieties with resistance to pests and diseases found in your region. Call your local agriculture extension office for recommendations. It's fine to branch out and try a few that aren't recommended for your area too. Sometimes you'll get lucky! I like fin de bagnols, for example. These slim green bean are tender and delicious. They are recommended for northern climates, but grow fine for me in Florida.
Grow in Season: Sometimes it is fun to trick mother nature into giving you beans in December, but generally you will have more success in the garden if you grow at optimal planting times.
Sun: All of these vegetables require at least 4-6 hours of full sun. Lettuce can be grown in partial shade and will even fare better in partial shade in warm climates.
Moisture: Lightly water all the above plants on a daily basis until they have two sets of leaves. Once established, beans, cucumbers, pumpkins, and summer squash all need to receive about 1" of water a week. Radishes and lettuce require light daily waterings throughout the growing season.
Soil: Beans and peas are nitrogen fixers. They can take nitrogen from the soil and convert it for their growth needs. Other vegetables require nitrogen for steady growth. I add fish meal or kelp to my garden for a boost of essential and micro nutrients. All vegetables benefit from the addition of compost to the soil. Compost adds structure and micro-organisms to the soil.
The back of any plant packet will give you advice on sowing the seeds so I won't bore you here with this information.
It is hard to go wrong when growing beans, cucumbers, pumpkins, summer squash, radishes and lettuce. The above guidelines will give your plants a good start. Once your plants are up and growing, you'll need to be vigilant about pest control, however. More about that in my next blog.
Lake City Home & Garden Show It's this weekend! We'll be there -- inside where it is warm! Please stop by and see us.

Workshop-Tallahassee

Anyone in the area --

I'm giving a workshop tomorrow night at New Leaf Market in Tallahassee. Details

Creating Indoor Light for Seed Starting

The groundhog has made his move -- we all know there is only 6 more weeks of winter and the seed starting fever is in full swing. Kitchen countertops, television cabinets, ping pong tables have all been cleared -- all flat spaces will be used for seed starting for the remainder of winter. We've pulled out the bags of used yogurt containers, blended our seed starting mix, and read all that tiny print on seed packages.
Our dreams of an early spring garden can die, however, if indoor lighting is not given enough attention. If your seedlings are tall and "leggy," they probably lack adequate light. Here is a quick primer on creating light for seedlings.
Natural Light A south facing sunny window may provide enough lighting for your seedlings, but I usually find my indoor plants need a little more light than mother nature provides. If you have a good window, you may only need to add a reflective material, such as mylar, to give your plants a boost. If your flats are stashed away in a basement or an area with low visibility, consider painting the floors and walls for greater light reflection. Flat white paint is said to provide more light reflection than other types of paint.
Grow Lights Light from incandescant bulbs may be an adequate supplement to natural lighting. Incandescant lights are not especially efficient and produce a lot of heat, however.
High pressure sodium lights don't have the necessary color range to provide light exclusively, but are often used by professional growers as a supplement to natural lighting.
Flourescent Lighting is usually adequate for home gardeners needs. Compact and High Output flourescent lights come in both cool and warm versions. High Output flourescents are often preferred for color range and coverage.
I have not tried LED grow lights yet, but I believe they will be used widely by gardeners in coming seasons. LED grow lights have two red and two blue wave lengths that correspond to the chlorphyll peaks of plants. They produce very little heat and do not consume as much energy as other lighting.
With adequate lighting, your plants will grow strong, healthy stems and leaves. They'll be ready to transplant as soon as the sun melts that last freeze.

Florida Vegetable Seed Varieties and Sources

August 3, 2011-Update: The Gourmet Gardener is now selling seeds for Florida and other parts of the Southeast. Click here to enter our store: Gourmet Gardener Store
Hi everyone-
I've received many inquiries about seeds/plants this year.  Given my busy workshop/book signing schedule, I've decided not to retail (except at workshops) this year.  For my Florida gardening pals, here is a list of recommended vegetable seed varieties and sources.  Note: I'm having difficulty activating the links for seed sources on Blogger. The list with active links can be found on my website: The Gourmet Gardener.

Florida’s warm, humid climate is ideal for growing pests and fungal diseases.  The following vegetable varieties have natural or bred resistance to the most common garden challenges in Florida.  Much of this list comes directly from The University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agriculture Science (IFAS) recommendations.  We recommend you contact them for information specific to your county’s growing conditions.
 http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_hs_minor_vegetables

Note:  Though we cannot guarantee satisfaction, we believe the sources listed below to be reliable.  If you have any comments regarding personal experience with these companies, please email us at gginfo@windstream.net
Beans, Bush
Snap: Bush Blue Lake, Contender, Roma II, Provider, Cherokee Wax
Source: The Cook’s Garden
Shell: Horticultural, Pinto, Red Kidney, Black Bean, Navy
Beans, Pole
McCaslan, Kentucky Wonder, Blue Lake
Source: Henry Fields
Beans, Lima
Fordhook 242, Henderson, Jackson Wonder, Dixie (Speckled) Butterpea, Early Thorogreen
Source: Southern Exposure Seed Exchange
Beets
Tall Top, Early Wonder, Detroit Dark Red, Cylindra, Red Ace, Yellow Detroit
American Meadows
Broccoli
Early Green, Early Dividend, Green Sprouting/Calabrese, Waltham, Packman, De Cicco, Broccoli Raab (Rapini)
Wood Prairie Farm
Cabbage
Rio Verde, Flat Dutch, Round Dutch, Wakefield types, Copenhagen Market, Savoy, Red Acre
Next Harvest

Cantaloupes and Honeydews
Athena, Ambrosia, Galia (green flesh)
Henry Fields
Carrots
Imperator, Nantes, Danvers, Chantenay
Seeds of Change
Cauliflower
Snowball Strains, Snow Crown, Brocoverde
Millington Seeds
Celery We don’t recommend celery for Florida gardeners.  Try Utah Strains for limited success.     The herb, Celery Leaf, is a good alternative.
Next Harvest
Chinese Cabbage
Michihili, Bok Choy, Napa, Baby Bok Choy, Pak-choi, Joi Choi
Sustainable Seed Co
Collards
Georgia, Georgia Southern, Top Bunch, Vates
Seeds of Change
Corn, sweet
Silver Queen (white), How Sweet It Is (white), Sweet Ice (white), Sweet Riser (yellow), Early Sunglow (yellow)
Southern Exposure Seed Exchange




Cucumbers
Slicers: Sweet Success, Poinsett, Ashley, MarketMore 76, Straight Eight, Space Master
Henry Fields
Picklers: Liberty Hybrid, Eureka, Boston Pickling
Reimer Seeds
Eggplant
Black Beauty, Dusky, Long, Ichiban, Cloud Nine (white)
Millington Seeds
Endive/Escarole
Endive:Green Curled Ruffec
Escarole: Batavian Broadleaf
Jung Seeds
Kale
Vates Dwarf Blue Curled, Tuscan, Winterbor, Redbor
Southern Exposure Seed Exchange
Kohlrabi
Early White Vienyna, Purple Vienna
Henry Fields
Lettuce
Crisphead: Great Lakes
Butterhead: Ermosa, Bibb, Tom Thumb, Buttercrunch,
Loose Leaf: Simpson types, Salad Bowl, Red Sails, New Red Fire
Oak Leaf: Salad Bowl, Royal Oak
Romaine: Parris Island Cos, Outredgeous
Sustainable Seed Company
Mustard
Southern Giant Curled, Florida Broad Leaf, Tendergreen, Giant Red, Green Wave, Mizuna
Reimer Seeds

Okra
Clemson Spineless, Emerald, Annie Oakley II, Cajun Delight
Reimer Seeds
Onions
Bulbing: Granex (yellow)
Bunching (Green): Evergreen Bunching, White Lisbon Bunching
The Onion Shed
Leeks American Flag
Reimer Seeds
Peas English or Snow
Wando, Green Arrow, Sugar Snap, Oregon Sugarpod II
Victory Seeds
Peas, Southern (Field Peas, Cow Peas, Crowder Peas, Cream Peas)
California Blackeye No.5, Pinkeye Purple Hull, Texas Cream
Victory Seeds
Peppers
Bell: California Wonder, Red Knight, Big Bertha
Local Harvest
Other Sweet: Sweet Banana, Giant Marconi, Mariachi, Cubanelle
Victory Seeds
Jalapeno: Early Jalapeno, Jalapeno M
Specialty Hot: Cherry Bomb, Hungarian Hot Wax, Big Chile II, Numex, Ancho, Thai, Anaheim Chile, Long Cayenne, Habanero, Caribbean Red Habanero
Sustainable Seed Company
Potato
Red Pontiac, Yukon Gold, Gold Rush
Ed Hume Seeds
Potatoes, Sweet
Centennial, Beauregard, Vardaman
Henry Fields
Pumpkin
Big Max, Connecticut Field, Prizewinner, Jack Be Little, Jack O Lantern
Sustainable Seed Co
Radish
Cherry Belle, White Icicle, Sparkler, Champion, Daikon
Millington Seed Co.
Spinach
Melody, Bloomsdale Longstanding, Tyee, Space
Reimer Seeds
Squash
Summer: Early Prolific Straightneck, Summer Crookneck, Early White Scallop
Southern Exposure Seed Exchange
Winter: Spaghetti, Table King, Table Queen & Table Ace (Acorn), Waltham, Early Butternut (Butternut)
Wood Prairie Farm
Zucchini: Cocozelle, Spineless Beauty, Black Beauty
Seeds of Change

Strawberry
Chandler, Oso Grande, Sweet Charlie, Selva, Camarosa, Festival
Mountain Valley Growers
Swiss Chard
Bright Lights, Bright Yellow, Fordhook Giant, Lucullus, Red Ruby
Seeds of Change
Tomatoes
Large Fruit: Celebrity, Heat Wave II, Better Boy, Beefmaster, BHN444-Southern Star*, Amelia*, BHN 640*
Small Fruit: Sweet 100, Juliet, Red Grape, Sun Gold, Sugar Snack, Sweet Baby Girl
Heirloom: Green Zebra, Cherokee Purple, Eva Purple Ball, Brandywine, Mortgage Lifter, Delicious
*Resistant to TSWV (Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus)
Totally Tomatoes
Turnips
Roots: Purple Top White Globe
Roots and Greens: Purple Top
Greens: Seven Top, Shogoin
Henry Fields
Watermelon
Large: Jubilee (aka FL Giant), Crimson Sgweet, Charleston Grey 133
Small: Sugar Baby, Mickeylee

For information about growing vegetables in containers, consider purchasing my book:Container Gardening for Health: The 12 Most Important Fruits & Vegetables for Your Organic Garden

Information Sources:
1.Document is SP103 Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date, December 1991. Revised March 1994. Reviewed May 2003. Revised February 2009. Visit the EDIS Web site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.
2.
J.M. Stephens, professor emeritus, Horticultural Sciences Department; Sydney Park Brown, extension associate professor, Environmental Horticulture Department, and consumer horticulture specialist, Gulf Coast Research and Education Center--Plant City, FL; Danielle Treadwell, assistant professor, Horticultural Sciences Department, and organic farming specialist; Susan Webb, associate professor, Entomology and Nematology Department; Amanda Gevens, assistant professor, Plant Pathology Department; R.A. Dunn, retired professor, Entomology and Nematology Department; G. Kidder, retired professor, Soil Science Department; D. Short, retired professor, Entomology and Nematology Department; G.W. Simone, retired professor, Plant Pathology Department, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville FL 32611.

Container Fruit Trees

Since winter is the time to order deciduous fruit trees, I thought a blog on selecting fruit trees to grow in containers would be helpful.

Why grow fruit trees in containers?
Aside from their ornamental value (citrus trees by the pool are beautiful!), container fruit tree gardens are an excellent choice for gardeners who have limited space or poor soil. The portability of container fruit trees open up the possibility of growing tropical and citrus fruits in cold climates.
When selecting fruit trees for containers, always select dwarf trees.  They produce full sized fruit and grow just 6'-8' tall instead of a typical fruit tree which can grow 30'-40'.

Deciduous Fruit Trees: Deciduous Trees lose their leaves and become dormant during the winter months. Peaches, Pears, Cherries, and Apples are a few examples. Though each type of tree is different, here are a few general considerations when selecting a tree.
Chill Hours: Deciduous fruit trees usually require a certain number of "chill hours" in order to produce fruit. When purchasing fruit trees, select a fruit tree matching the hours your region receives on average below 45 deg.f. 
Moisture:  It is important to select varieties adapted for moisture levels in your region.  Peaches and pears are especially susceptible to moisture.
Sunlight:  Basically, all deciduous fruit trees require 4-6 hours of direct sunlight during the growth/fruiting phase.   Artificial light will likely be needed for trees grown indoors.

Citrus and Tropical Fruits: Thanks to the portability of container gardens, tropical fruits can be grown in most regions if brought indoors during the winter months.  Just  remember to cover outdoor trees during periods of light frost and to bring them indoors prior to any freezing temperatures.  Some varieties are more cold tolerant than others.  Harvey Lemons, for example, tolerate light freezes quite nicely.
Moisture:  Citrus and tropical fruits originated in areas with ample summer rains.  Plan to water them daily during periods of warm weather.
Sunlight:  Tropical and Citrus trees require at least 8 hours of sunlight a day.  They do not have a period of dormancy and so will require supplemental light if moved indoors during the winter months.

Sources for Deciduous Fruit Trees:
Arbor Day Foundation sells inexpensive, dwarf fruit trees.
Trees of Antiquity  sells heirloom and organic fruit tree varieties.
Just Fruits and Exotics, based in Florida, sells every fruit tree from Apples to Quince.  Their website is also very informative.

Sources for Citrus Trees:
Florida, California, Texas, New Mexico:  Floridians can only purchase citrus trees grown in Florida.  Florida growers may not sell to other states.  I like Harris Citrus in Tampa. 
California, Texas, and New Mexico prohibit the import of citrus. Four Winds Growers is a good choice for California gardeners. In Texas, I like Thompson Citrus. 
All other states:  Four Winds Growers ships to most states outside of the quarantined areas (even Alaska and Hawaii).

For additional information about organically growing cherry, apple, peach, nectarine and pear trees in containers, consider purchasing my book, Container Gardening for Health: The 12 Most Important Fruits and Vegetables for Your Organic Garden