Happy New Year! A fresh new year of food gardening lies ahead of us.

This time of year conditions are not always comfortable for working in the garden, but if you plan on growing a spring garden, now is the time to begin preparing and feeding the soil. Feed it with compost, shredded leaves, dry grass clippings or other such organic materials. Turn it into the soil to a depth of about 6 to 8 inches.

Working the soil in my garden areas and developing new beds this time of the year serves as a nice exercise regiment for me to help work off those extra holiday calories. Better than wasting all of that energy in a gym!

Also, this is the month to order your seeds.  In some instances, you’ll need to start seeds before the end of the month. You’ll find a much greater variety of vegetable seeds available on the Internet than at local stores. My custom search engine will help you find seeds. You’ll have the greatest success if you grow the varieties recommended by the University of Florida but don’t be afraid to experiment with new or different varieties of veggies. I always add in something new with my old favorites each year.

Many of you from all over the state have contacted me to let me know your garden plans, ask a question or otherwise make a comment. Thanks for that. I greatly appreciate hearing from you and learning about how your garden grows.