Starting a Fall Container Vegetable Garden in Southwest Florida

Containers

• Kiddie pool: Punch large drainage holes. Fill with quality potting mix + mulch top.
• 5-gallon buckets: Many drainage holes. Mulch to retain moisture.

What to Plant (Sept–Oct)

• Tomatoes: 'Celebrity', 'Jet Star', 'Patio' (heat-tolerant determinate).
• Peppers: Hot peppers year-round; sweet peppers until April.
• Leafy greens: Lettuce, collards, kale, spinach (cool season).
• Beans: Bush and pole.
• Herbs: Basil, cilantro, parsley.

Care

• Full sun (6+ hours).
• Daily watering in heat; mulch heavily.
• Fertilize weekly with fish emulsion or organic liquid.

SW Florida's fall is prime planting time. Containers avoid nematode-infested soil and give total control.