Elaine - THANK YOU!!! I knew I was planting them at the wrong time! But I kept thinking they needed the heat to grow! Ha! Least I forget I live in central Florida where we typically don't have freezing winters. And I do cover my plants when the temps drop close to freezing. Thank you for the info about your 3 spray bottles, too! That really helps me!
I gave up on cukes and squash because of powdery mildew several years ago. I do currently have success with bell peppers grown in pots. I figured that nematodes would get many edible crops. I should take a photo of what the nematodes did to the roots of one of my penta plants. It's amazing, yet the penta is still alive and blooming. A tough plant!
I had heard of that book you mentioned. I think that is one that I will also find and purchase. I can probably find it on Amazon.
Mary - I had already read over and over that link that your son sent you. It IS a good link, I just didn't follow the planting times like I should have.
So probably the best way to grow edibles is in pots, not the ground? My soil is horrid.
One winter I did have great success with cherry tomatoes! It was a very cold winter and I would move the container in and out of my garage every night/day. They would get the warm sunny south side area where the garage is facing. They were the BEST tasting cherry tomatoes I ever ate. I ate them as fast as I could pick them. They never made it to the dinner table. I wonder if I ever knew what a real tomato tasted like before then.
Thank you so much for all your wonderful advice. I do believe planting/growing timing is the key to success. That and growing them in containers. I happen to have had good success with those self-watering bucket containers. I made a bunch of those containers and that is how I grew my tomatoes that winter. Very similar to earth boxes.
