August is all about preparing for the fall vegetable garden. Here are some of the things you'll need to know:
LOCATION: Select a plot of good, well-drained soil near a water supply. Most vegetables need six to eight hours of full sun each day.
SOIL PREPARATION: Have the soil pH checked to determine if additives are needed.
Vegetables of minor note
Florida is a national leader in producing commercial vegetable crops. These include 20 to 30 vegetables usually regarded as major crops, but also quite a few of the so-called minor ones.
SWISS CHARD: a winter vegetable because it thrives during the cool season; it's also a summer green because it tolerates heat well.
HUSK TOMATO: also called ground cherry, strawberry tomato and Chinese lanterns, it is a member of the solanaceae family. It is similar to the tomatillo, but smaller.
KOHLRABI: grown for the turniplike enlargement of the stem just above ground level. Planting time and propagation are similar to cabbage's, but plant spacing is about 4 inches.
LEEK: a biennial that is grown as an annual. It forms a thick, fleshy structure that looks like a large green onion plant without a bulb.
HERBS: The majority will grow satisfactorily under the same conditions - sunlight, soil and cultural techniques - as those required by vegetables.
