Florida is trying to kill my plants (yes a little dramatic)

Koreansoul

Koreansoul

I direct sow because I'm in Florida and my house is very cold. I've never had a problem with that but this year, oh my, this year is different. 
 
For some reason every time I direct sow it decides to rain. Not a light sprinkle of rain but MONSOON rain. I just re-planted some seeds that got washed (blown, taken, hit by lightning) away last time and guess what today is? Monsoon time!! (mumbling profanities) 
 
I've had the flu (cold, plague whatever) and I needed to mix a new batch of soil for some new peppers. I just got the stuff for the mix and it's monsoon time. The good thing is those seeds wont have to contend with the rain and I'll be able to start them in some (hopefully stable weather. 
 
This will not stop me. I will have peppers (shaking fist in air)!!!
 
I've stopped growing in the ground in FL, too many pests eating the roots combined with poor soil. Switched to pots and homemade potting soil.
 
I've had root-knot nematodes, grubs, and mole crickets, you name it they eat it.
 
Oh, I don't plant in the ground. That's why I'm mixing soil. I have raised beds and pots. Sorry I wasn't clear. The year I tried to put a garden in the ground everything died. EVERYTHING. 
 
Sorry to hear about the heat Smokin'. I haven't had blossom drop here in the heat (knock on wood). 
 
Jamison said:
Why don't you try to sow your seeds in some solo cups or other pots first,  then transplant into your containers or raised beds?  It would save you a lot of heartache! 
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That's the best way IMO. Start them in solo cups and then Go to their final home. Just poke 4 holes in the bottom of each cup. The cool thing is they are small so you can put them anywhere. Also you can put plastic wrap on them when their young to keep humidity up for faster growth.
 
The issue I have is that I can't start them in the house because it's too cold in here. I know from trying to start Habs last year. They just wont grow. Yes it is that cold in here I hate the heat lol. I am going to put together a grow system but since I live in Sunny Hot Humid Florida. I decided to just go for it. I'll post some pictures as they get older so you guys can see how they've done. :) 
 
Too cold? Hah. If I can manage to start seeds in December in the UK ;-)

Ok so I may have used a heated propagator. Those things are awesome, thoroughly recommend!
 
Koreansoul said:
I direct sow because I'm in Florida and my house is very cold. I've never had a problem with that but this year, oh my, this year is different. 
 
For some reason every time I direct sow it decides to rain. Not a light sprinkle of rain but MONSOON rain. I just re-planted some seeds that got washed (blown, taken, hit by lightning) away last time and guess what today is? Monsoon time!! (mumbling profanities) 
 
I've had the flu (cold, plague whatever) and I needed to mix a new batch of soil for some new peppers. I just got the stuff for the mix and it's monsoon time. The good thing is those seeds wont have to contend with the rain and I'll be able to start them in some (hopefully stable weather. 
 
This will not stop me. I will have peppers (shaking fist in air)!!!
Click to expand...

I love the way you write!

Good luck!
 
Koreansoul said:
The issue I have is that I can't start them in the house because it's too cold in here. I know from trying to start Habs last year. They just wont grow. Yes it is that cold in here I hate the heat lol. I am going to put together a grow system but since I live in Sunny Hot Humid Florida. I decided to just go for it. I'll post some pictures as they get older so you guys can see how they've done. :)
Click to expand...
with a heat mat i imagine you can start them in 40-50 degree air temps... i can't imagine your house could be colder than that. Even without a heat mat you don't have anything in your house that provides heat like a fridge, xbox, etc? My peppers were growing in january in a closet just fine... 
 
annnyway, when you sow them outside are you buring them a couple inches / covering with mulch? that would probably help them not get washed out? Also you could put the black plastic mulch / landscape fabric which would help sheet off some of the rain in a "monsoon" .
 
In my experience you can't sow much of anything directly in the ground in Florida.  As you've experienced it will either get washed out by the daily afternoon downpours or something else will come along and truncate your efforts by stealing the seed or killing the seedling.  Maintaining proper humidity and soil moisture are also a challenge when starting in-ground.
 
I start everything on heat mats inside and then move to 4" pots on a light table, pot up to 7" pots until the plants are at least 10" tall before moving out to harden off and finally plant in the ground or in containers.
 
If you use a seedling rooting/heat mat and a covered propagator then the ambient air temperature indoors matters very little unless you are living in an industrial walk-in freezer.  If you still think that the air might be working against you just cover the seedling station in a towel to hold in the heat from the mat.
 
Using a seedling heat mat has made all the difference in my grow.  I can start germination EARLY in the Florida "season" (December) and have 10" plants ready for plant out as early as April if the weather permits.
 
I am in N.E. Ohio and sprout my seeds between damp coffee filters placed in a plastic tub and put on top of the fridge in… oh, January. Trust me, if I ran the furnace to the point the house was actually warm I'd not have enough money to eat, yet the seeds sprout. It may take a bit longer than if it's warmer, but that's ok by me. Just how cold is your house, and do you not have a fridge/stereo speaker/something that is warmer than the ambient air that you could place them on/close to? 
 
A  note about heat mats, should you decide to take that route - also get a thermostat for it, as they have a tendency to fry stuff if a thermostat is not used. 
 
Koreansoul said:
I direct sow because I'm in Florida and my house is very cold. I've never had a problem with that but this year, oh my, this year is different. 
 
For some reason every time I direct sow it decides to rain. Not a light sprinkle of rain but MONSOON rain. I just re-planted some seeds that got washed (blown, taken, hit by lightning) away last time and guess what today is? Monsoon time!! (mumbling profanities) 
 
I've had the flu (cold, plague whatever) and I needed to mix a new batch of soil for some new peppers. I just got the stuff for the mix and it's monsoon time. The good thing is those seeds wont have to contend with the rain and I'll be able to start them in some (hopefully stable weather. 
 
This will not stop me. I will have peppers (shaking fist in air)!!!
Click to expand...
 
I feel your pain! Though if I ever lose a pepper to lightning, I'm going to have to assume that it is the universes way to tell me to stop planting more peppers.  :)
 
You don't have to start them inside under a light in the cups.  You have the best light there is for free outside.  I was just saying start your seeds in the cup outside under the sun.  Plus then you skip the whole hardening off process.
 
Starting in cups outdoors in Florida still requires some sort of semi-sheltered area.  The sun will bake the seeds and the soil in a matter of hours if left in direct exposure and the afternoon rains are unlike anything you can imagine until you experience them; they are typically accompanied by hurricane appropriate wind gusts and lots of lightning.  Red solo cups left on the patio will end up 5 doors down the street!
 
The rains here have been prettily wild the last few weeks, I'm right down the road in college park... Looks like tomorrow is going to be no exception either! Have all mine in 5gal buckets this time - but even that can't prevent the issues when my back yard gets 2in or so of standing water in the middle of the storms!
 
I will have to agree with what has already been said.
 
Central FL sucks for in direct sow.  I live in Orlando.  So far the best has been a heat mat if its too cold inside the house.  Or you can use the garage if you have one to sprout the plants.  Then definitely plant in pots.  Even then, I recommend root pots and not plastic, as when it rains the plastic ones will hold too much water.  Ugh.  
 
Ok, I'm sorry guys let me be more specific. I sow into pots or into raised beds. You can't put anything in the ground in Orlando. As others have said I can't start cups outside. I do have large pots that I start in and they do well. 
 
I've made some grow bags and will transplant them once they get larger. I'll take pictures for everyone :) 
 
Genie
 
 I start my plants on my front porch and have no issues . Super fast germination . I make sure they only get some late evening sun until they are big enough to go out on their own . I live just down the road from you K soul . 
 
One month ago 
 
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Today 
 
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