Wednesday, April 14, would be a good time to pick up a shovel and some seeds, and start your homegrown bounty since it’s National Gardening Day.
When the pandemic began, many homebound people started growing their groceries in their backyards.
Gardeners says now is a good time to plant hot-climate vegetables, like peppers, eggplant, and corn.
Local corporate chef and gardener Steve Stallone recommended Wednesday on First Coast Connect with Melissa Ross that gardeners plan their spaces, but without overcrowding plants. The idea is to keep it simple at the start.
“Don’t go out and buy every single seed on the shelf. Buy a couple of items that you know are going to be easy, you know, some cucumbers, some tomatoes, some cabbages and carrots, and then really research each vegetable and learn how to grow each one individually,” said Stallone.
If you need more help, the Duval County Extension Service has a Florida Vegetable Gardening guide.
The entire interview with Stallone is available on Wednesday’s First Coast Connect with Melissa Ross, which encores at 8 p.m. on WJCT News 89.9.
Michelle Corum can be reached at mcorum@wjct.org, 904-358-6308 or on Twitter at @MCorumonME.
