We are the seed delivery club and online learning resource you need to succeed in your edible garden
(27)
Our mission is to help people learn the basics of sustainable vegetable gardening so that they can lead healthier, happier lives and have a positive impact on our planet that leaves a legacy our children to be proud of. We firmly believe that “living green” can be more than just an idea – it is not a fad but a reality! As people become aware of the implications of our current industrial food syste
m, most realize that making changes are necessary and inevitable. By voting with our personal choices and our dollars we can start to shift the unsustainable food system that is currently in place to one that will support a viable future for our growing world. It all starts from the ground up and we are here to help by providing the educational resources necessary to empower people to start making these changes.
We have some great events happening this month and December at The Urban Harvest! 🎉
For more details on each event check out my website: https://theurbanharvest.com/
Will I see you at you at The Urban Harvest Meet Up on the 19th? Let me know in the comments!
SAVE THIS POST 🏷️ Strawberry runners are NOT your typical plant.
Strawberry runners are planted differently than most other plants.
HOW TO:
🍓 Plant strawberry runners just below the crown, not where the new leaf is sticking out.
🍓 Make sure to fan out the roots as best as possible and plant in good quality slightly acidic soil.
🍓 This dead looking plant will flush new leaves within a week and start producing within a couple months!
🍓 Nothing beats homegrown strawberries! Follow for more tips and tricks on how to grow food in your own backyard from annual veggies to perennials no matter how much space you have to dedicate to growing.
Here’s a look at what you start from seed/transplant for November! We’ve got a list of the fast growing crops and a second list for slow growing crops.
👉🏼 Want to know a more detailed list for what I recommend starting from seed this month for your Florida garden? Download my FREE What to Plant When Cheat Sheet for a full list for North, Central and South Florida.
Comment “CHEAT SHEET” and I’ll send you a link or grab it from our website.
🌱If you’re looking for seeds for these veggies and more, skip the big box stores and check out my Online Seed Shop filled with varieties that thrive in our unique climate.
If you are local to the St. Pete area and you don’t want to start via seed we sell seedlings too for local pick-up. SHOP: www.theurbanharvest.com.
One of my most favorite things about the work I do is showing people how much food you can grow in a small space!
It's surprising but also totally doable.
I recently launched a series of on-demand online courses to help you master the basics or level-up your skills no matter where you are in your food growing journey!
An on-demand course is super convenient because you can take the course at any time that works best for you.
I wanted to make these classes available to gardeners across the state. Also as a busy mom who juggles raising her kiddos and working full time, often we need some flexibility to make things work. And these on-demand courses do just that.
In each course I have also designed exclusive resources to guide you.
If you're wanting to grow more food, I recommend starting off with “Harvest Abundance: A Strategic Guide to Garden Planning for Maximum Yields.”
🌱 Comment "ABUNDANCE" below and I will DM you the link!
Tomatoes are one of those crops that most gardeners aspire to grow.
Nothing beats the flavor of a homegrown tomato!
Not to mention the variety of heirlooms that are available that put the standard supermarket tomatoes to shame.
Although, tomatoes may not produce as well for you if not transplanted correctly.
Are you making any of these common transplanting mistakes?🙈
What questions do you have when it comes to growing tomatoes in Florida?
In case you didn't know, I have an entire binge- worthy YouTube playlist dedicated to growing tomatoes here in Florida.
I'll guide you from starting from seed, transplanting, what to do when your plant is blooming but not setting fruit to my favorite heirloom varieties.
Definitely a gardener's gold mine! Watch here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXaHDuLes4F_aDsyMFLNBTxUn48oUWt1y&si=_P9aAGyvogF6jpf4
" Elise, how do you start your vegetable seedlings?" 👈🏻 This is one of THE most popular questions I receive especially during our fall and winter growing seasons here in Florida.
🌱 My personal preference is to start outdoors which may or may not be a surprise to you.
There are some caveats but overall the pros weigh out the cons.
Do you have a preferred way you like to start your seeds? If you have always started them indoors, I'm curious if you'd be open to trying some outdoors? Tell us in the comments down below.
I have a full YouTube video walking you through the pros and cons of starting seeds indoors versus outdoors.
🔴 WATCH HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHFpC1e3qps
NEW VIDEO ALERT: 🔴 This zone 13 community garden, ,is growing all of this food in an abandon city lot!
Literally on top of old building foundations.
Fantastic work in just 3 years time!
Find out what other inspiring work they have accomplished in my newest video: https://youtu.be/rcL-wZ077iI
Beans, peas & the legume family are a great addition to any vegetable garden.
There are many varieties and types depending on your personal preferences as well as space available.
📲 Here are 4 things to know about the basics of growing beans, peas & legumes.
Inoculant sounds a little bit intimidating if you've never heard of it before- but it is a step to not miss if you're getting started with your garden.
What questions do you have about growing beans?👇🏻
(SAVE THIS POST!)🔖 This is one of THE most popular questions I received this time of year, "how do I know when my sweet potatoes are ready for harvest?" especially for folks who are eager to turn over their beds for the fall season. 🍠 🍠🍠
There is no exact right time and the size of the potatoes will vary greatly based on the growing conditions (sun, soil, nutrients).
They will all taste yummy regardless of size so harvest whenever your ready.
🍠 Have you harvested your sweet potatoes that you planted in late spring/ early summer yet?
1+1=3, no seriously in the plant world its legit!
When you plant one cucumber it may produce for example 10 fruit, so 2 plants SHOULD produce 20 fruit.
But when they are able to cross pollinate with each other you will usually get much higher yields per plant.
You’ll likely be closer to 30 fruit from the 2 plants!
This applies for all cucurbits (cucumber, squash, and melon). We've got both live plants for local pick up (St. Pete, FL) and seeds (available to ship nationwide) in our seed shop!
Shop our specially curated collection here: https://theurbanharvest.com/collections/all-products
Make sure to follow for more gardening tips.
Roselle is ready to harvest about one week after the bloom has fallen off.
You can tell its ready because the calyx (base of the flower) will be large, with thick flesh, and just opening up in the center.
It should go from bright red to dark red and the feathery tips of the calyx should still be red and fleshy.
That being said you have around a week or so between ripe ready and past prime.
🌱 So there is no perfect moment, harvest when and as you need them!
Follow me for more tips on growing food in your Florida backyard- no matter the space you have!
Two great in-person events happening this month! The HIGHLY requested class is here- Florida Veggie Heirloom Cooking Class on the 15th at my urban homestead in St. Pete where I teach you how to prepare/cook with many of the veggies that thrive in our climate but might not be super common to you.
Cut down that grocery bill and serve your family delicious and nutritious homegrown meals with a little help from the Urban Harvest.
You can purchase tickets here: https://theurbanharvest.com/pages/calendar
On the 14th I'll be at David The Good's Scrubfest located in North/Central FL speaking on Creating an Urban Oasis: Small Space Gardening to Maximize Your Harvests. Hope to see you there!
Happy October - the weather is starting to cool down a bit and here at The Urban Harvest we are so excited for fall gardening! Hands down, one of the best times of the year. No matter if this is your first year or your 12th year growing.
🌱 Here's a look at what you can start from seed/ transplant this month.
Want to know a more detailed list for what I recommend starting from seed/transplanting this month? Download my free What to Plant When Cheat Sheet which you can find at this link when you sign up for our newsletter:
https://manage.kmail-lists.com/subscriptions/subscribe?a=S2x5dJ&g=Ya5gU5
Need some Florida friendly seeds to plant this month or for the upcoming Fall season? Skip the big box stores and check out my online shop filled with hand selected varieties that do well in our unique climate here in Florida! From classic favorites to some more uncommon varieties.
Shop seeds here: https://theurbanharvest.com/collections/seeds
A surprising fact that all health-conscious people need to know! 👇🏻
🌱 90% of spinach's vitamin C is lost within the first 24 hours of harvest
🌱Spinach travels an average of 1,800 miles to get to the grocery taking a minimum of 3 days.
It may look fresh but what is it offering to your body?
Follow along to learn how you can grow some of your own fresh foods at home and make sure the food you're eating has the nutrients you want out in them!
www.theurbanharvest.com
Oct 14th 2023- Only 2 weeks left to Scrubfest 2. We have the most innovative and inspiring Food Forest/Gardening/Orchard experts coming to give you all the information that you'll want to know to grow your own food and medicine. They'll be sharing with you tips and tricks that has taken decades for them to learn. This is an opportunity to take back the skills and information that we lost several generations ago. Make your yard a GROWcery store and FARMacy, no matter the size.
Plenty of food (Barbecue, Cheese melts, Hamburgers, Tacos and more) and drink vendors ( Vitality Kombucha , ExsqueezeIt Lemonades), water ( No Harm Farm ) will be available as well.
Event Speakers:
David the Good
Elise Pickett - The Urban Harvest LLC
Randal White - Flomaton Famous
Mark Bailey -UF/IFAS
Shana Alverson Food Over Pharma
Deborah Curry - Florida Native Expert
Other folks setting up booths with their products and sharing information.
Daisy Goodman -Selling Seeds , T- Shirts, and Books
UF/Marion county Ag Extension - Giving out information
Moringa John - Tons of Moringa information and herbal products
Earth Alchemy -Selling Gems and Stones
Soil Formed - Soil Food Web Lab technicians - Giving out information.
Charisma Products LLC
Embroidery & Screen Printing - Selling exclusive shirts that you can only get at this event.
Drake Arnold Art - Selling Art work and merchandise (Drake will be painting a custom mural while the event is going on.)
Pam Fahrner- selling hand made crafts.
Even Mayport Shrimp will be available for purchase (Bring a cooler and catch them on the way out).
David The Good - Book signing
Raffles- DTG book collection, Scrubland Farmz gift certificates, T Shirts etc
Our Scrubland Farmz nursery will be open throughout the event. You can also visit our website www.scrublandfarmznursery.com to get a sneak peak at some of the inventory. We'll have plenty of Rachel Goodman Mulberries.
This year we've tried to schedule more time between speakers, so you won't be as rushed to eat and shop. We'll also be offering again a plant pick up area so you don't have to leave your valuable new plants and trees in your vehicle while learning from the experts. This is going to be a Food Forest geek circus. I hope you all can join us and we look forward to seeing you here. Gates open at 8 am and closes when David's done talking. Bring mosquito spray just in case. They will carry you away at sunset if you don't have any.
Tickets are available at https://www.thesurvivalgardener.com/scrubfest-2023/
$50 per person if pre-ordered online, $60 at the gate. Children under 18 are free. We do have a splash area for the kids that will be available. Bring towels and spare set of dry clothes.
Directions - 22505 NE 130th ct rd, Fort McCoy, Fl. 32134 Thanks to a fellow Food Forester that also works for Google Maps, all is fixed and I hope we don't lose anyone this year. Please keep in mind, if you end up on any dirt road on the way, something is very wrong. Plenty of signs will be out to help as well. If any special handicap needs, please email me in advance so we can help when you arrive or talk to any of the volunteers when parking. Handicap parking will be available.
I am thrilled to start offering on-demand online classes where you can learn how to grow food in Florida with expert advice and time saving tips no matter if you are local to me in St. Pete!
Head to https://theurbanharvest.com/collections/events to sign up for one or all of these classes!
Plant more natives! 🌼 🐝 🪻🦋 Not sure what to plant? I've got you (and the pollinators) covered!
All of these plants will bloom in the next 1-3 months if planted now from live plants.
Bring some beauty (and pollinators) to your fall garden!
Fall Bloomers:
• Seaside Goldenrod
• Blue Curls
• Dotted Horsemint
• Hammock Snakeroot
• Elliot's Lovegrass or Muhlygrass
• Frost, Climbing, or Salt Marsh Aster
• Sneezeweed
• Spanish Daisy
• Scarlet Hibiscus
Locally grown plants available in my shop priced from $4-$14 or search for “florida native nursery near me”
https://theurbanharvest.com/collections/live-plants
The best time of the year is here- tomato season!
If you are brand new growing tomatoes- here’s a look at the three main types of tomatoes.
1. Cherry
2. Paste
3. Slicer
Swipe through to learn all about them! Each have their own unique properties but all delicious.
Check out my stories for my favorite varieties of these three types.
Live plants available in my shop! Seeds as well if you’re out of area.
Shop live tomato plants: https://theurbanharvest.com/search?type=product&q=tomato+live+plants
Shop tomato seeds: https://theurbanharvest.com/collections/seeds
Which type of tomato are you most excited to grow? Cherry tomatoes are a great place to start for beginners.
Looking for easy nutritious and homegrown recipes? SAVE THIS post!
Chaya chimichurri - South Americas version of Italian pesto… Bold herbal flavor with a bit of tangy vinegar and just a touch of heat (you can leave that out if you don’t like spicy).
This is a family favorite.
Fantastic on steak or kabobs, scrambled with eggs, pasta salad, sandwich spread, tossed with potatoes, as a pizza sauce, the possibilities are endless.
Best part?! It uses Chaya, an easy to grow perennial tree spinach which often goes underutilized.
RECIPE�Boil ~2 cups of 1/4 lb chaya leaves for 20 minutes.
Add 1/2 cup green onions, 4 garlic cloves, 1-2 jalapenos, 3 cups mixed parsley, basil, cilantro, oregano, or other herbs.
Add 1 tsp each salt and pepper, juice of 2 limes, 4 tbl red wine vinegar, 3/4 cup olive oil.
Blend it up and enjoy.
Will keep in fridge around a week, freezes well.
Do you have a recipe using Florida’s unique heirlooms that you loved to cook and enjoy with your family? Well, we would love to know about it!
The Urban Harvest is currently doing a recipe roundup to use in a future ebook.
Submit your recipe below and I’ll send you a link to submit your recipe(s) with a chance to win some amazing prizes!
Submit here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdR2dI60W1U5j78r8ZCFvOFcXqET7qEfo9kD4AHNNFAVkusFw/viewform?_kx=R_XSp8vCb9-2FkHSf0JUHsBEOx9Mr9TjCtTeSPntcqI8BqnlDBCknMhXWXcnkdvt.S2x5dJ
As a beginner gardener are you making these mistakes? 👇🏻
These are the top 3 “NOTS” that beginner gardeners forget to do when prepping beds for fall planting…
1. Not topping off the beds/containers with fresh compost and/or soil (erosion, compaction, and plants “using up” soil deplete beds - there should be absolute bare minimum 8-12 inches of good soil)
2. Not removing dead/dying plants in the hopes of a little more harvest (dying or stressed out of season plants attract more pests setting up your new seedlings for failure)
If you've still unsure what to even plant for fall- I've got you covered with two different resources.
🌱 Check out my on demand classes: This means you can start as soon as tonight- learn and review at your own pace. My top recommendations for classes will be either starting from seed or the fundamentals class.
Explore Our On Demand Classes: https://theurbanharvest.com/collections/events
🌱 Special Event with Garden Planning App this Weekend: Strategically planning your garden especially when working with a small space it critical to homegrown abundance. I'm excited to share this resource with you all. Join me this Sunday for this free event with SeedTime.
Sign Up Here: https://theurbanharvest.com/collections/events/products/free-garden-planning-event
Want to take your production to the next level? Then garden planning is for you. It can help you increase yields and reduce maintenance down the line. Watch my latest YT video to find out two tricks that garden planning really helps to maximize.
Check It Out: https://youtu.be/XtcRqht4L1c
Canning party! 🥳 I had some of my garden family come over to help me out because I’ve got so many green beans right now from my Thai Soldier Long Beans. We have been eating them in meals at least once a week and have had such excess that I’ve been able to can a bunch of them twice now!
We all got to learn the canning process together then everyone went home with some beans for winter when beans are hard to come by.
Everything is better when in community!
Thank you for joining me !
Do you have someone in your life who you think might like to share learning new skills with you? Take turns helping each other on projects so you can learn and grow together!
Stuff is dying in my garden but I’m not worried about it!
The long beans are slowly fading out just as the wing beans are coming into their prime.
The snake beans have kicked the bucket right as my luffa started producing (my squash substitutes).
The callaloo is looking rough from pest pressure but my Egyptian spinach is filling in nicely.
Point being… Food and gardening is seasonal.
The closer you observe the subtle shifts (anyone notice how the days are shortening & the nights are marginally cooler?), the more fine tuned you can be with your production.
Now is the time to start preparing for your fall garden.
But you don’t need me to tell you that, your summer plants are likely already letting you know.
🌱 We have fall plant starts and a huge selection of seed in my shop. Check them out via the link in my bio- I also have curated a selection of my top picks for Fall gardening if you’re 1.) wanting some extra guidance on what to select or 2.) You’re curious on my go-to favorites that I plant in my own garden.
Shop My Top Fall Picks: https://theurbanharvest.com/collections/top-picks-for-fall
Shop All Seeds: https://theurbanharvest.com/collections/seeds
Shop Live Plants (local pick-up only): https://theurbanharvest.com/collections/live-plants
There are so many great events happening this month at The Urban Harvest. To learn more details about each of these events and classes check out the events tab on my website www.theurbanharvest.com.
No matter if you are a beginner just getting started with growing food in Florida or you are experienced and looking to deepen your understanding of self-sufficiency and homesteading, I've got something just for you.
Let's learn together!
PS- As a heads up the in-person intensive is limited capacity, so if you're interested jump on it! Only 12 spots available.
Hip-hip-hooray! 🥳 September is here and there are so many amazing crops that we can start sowing this month!
Want to know a more detailed list for what I recommend starting from seed this month? Download my free What to Plant When Cheat Sheet which you can find via this link.
https://manage.kmail-lists.com/subscriptions/subscribe?a=S2x5dJ&g=Ya5gU5
Need some Florida friendly seeds to plant this month or for the upcoming Fall season? Skip the big box stores and check out my online shop filled with hand selected varieties that do well in our unique climate here in Florida! From classic favorites to some more uncommon varieties.
Check out: https://theurbanharvest.com/collections/seeds
Did you know I used to do small scale commercial microgreen sales when I first started doing The Urban Harvest to help supplement my business at start up? Well I did : )
Stopped once I was able to focus more on customer education but still love to eat and grow these amazing little nutrient power houses. Met up with an amazing family duo who has started growing microgreens here in St. Pete as New Terra Farms.
They do super fresh harvests (and even home delivery - sometimes on their bike if you're close enough) for a nice selection of microgreens.
They offered up a discount if you all would like to support local and get some fresh to death micros.
I am NOT and affiliate with them and get no compensation, I just love supporting local growers whenever I can!
Use code URBANHARVEST20 for 20% off your first purchase!
📣 Last call for the Florida Seed Club! Subscription window closes tomorrow (8/31) night so if you’ve been on the fence- today is your day.
Join gardeners across the state in Florida’s only seed club specifically curated for each of Florida’s unique growing seasons.
Sign up prior to tomorrow night (8/31) and receive your first shipment next month just in time for fall gardening!
Comment “Club” for a link to join or head to https://theurbanharvest.com/collections/subscription.
Oxalates sensitive? 👉🏼 Then Chijimisai is the leafy green for you.
Tastes/looks/cooks just like regular spinach but has no to low oxalates according to multiple medical sites. They are truly delicious.
They are good to start planting in September for most of the state.
Interested in giving this green a try? Grab a packet along with a few others to add to your fall garden in my online seed shop.
https://theurbanharvest.com/collections/top-picks-for-fall/products/chijimisai?_pos=1&_sid=79894e941&_ss=r
When it comes to plant ID apps like Seek and Picture This (that's the one I use), they do fairly well.
They can miss the mark on some edibles but do well with natives and ornamental plants.
Also UF/IFAS (UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences) extension center will ID things for FREE from photos!
For edibles making notes of plants/seeds as you buy them allow you to go back later and figure it out with a quick google search. And never underestimate the power of plant labels!
Follow for more tips to get your garden started and thriving by the end of 2023!
I’m second on the The Laura Shepherd Show, it’s live now 😊
My #1 fave leafy green for salads in summer - Egyptian Spinach!
It also does well in green smoothies or cooked with some onion, garlic, and broth then blended as spinach sauce (amazing over rice).
Egyptian spinach can take the heat without issue and will produce pounds of greens per plant before it flowers and dies back around November/December (depending on our cold for the year).
We have live plants on BOGO this week - pick a few up and enjoy the bounty!
https://theurbanharvest.com/products/egyptian-spinach-live-plant?_pos=1&_sid=57dfd2ba7&_ss=r
FYI the spinach sauce freezes great for a quick weeknight meal.
Order by Thursday to pick up this weekend!
Did you know that money DOES actually grow on trees? 💸💸💸
➡️ Average jackfruit weighs 10-20 lbs., mature trees will produce anywhere from 100-200 a year, the cost is around $2-4/lb.
Let's go with the low end for all that and just one jackfruit could bring you $3,000 a year!
➡️ How about bananas, a relatively cheap fruit? Non-organic bananas go for an average of $0.65. Happy bananas will produce one bunch a year and can have between 75-150 bananas per bunch.
That puts it between $50 and $100 worth of bananas and most bananas will produce that in year one - no waiting! Point being… that old saying clearly didn’t come from a gardener!
🍌🌸 I’ve got Jackfruit, Banana, Jamaican Cherry, Mulberry trees and more in my plant shop for local pick up! Place your order by tonight to pick up this weekend.
Shop here: https://theurbanharvest.com/collections/live-plants
Saint Petersburg, FL
33710
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Urban Harvest LLC posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Send a message to The Urban Harvest LLC:
Roselle Quesadillas! Then can be used for more than just tea or cranberry sauce : ) Chop roselle and some onion and sauté it. Then towards the end when its soft but not mushy add chili powder, cumin, salt and if you want black beans (I usually do). Cook a minute longer then stuff in as a filling for the basic quesadilla. It is absolutely delicious!Submit your own recipe for my crowd sourced Florida veggie e cook book, submissions taken through the end of September. We will have 7 randomly selected prizes awarded worth over $400! https://forms.gle/dpbfXNexGTg2RxUf8
Networking ideas for gardeners to find like minded folks in their area: 1. Social media groups 2. Local garden organizations (FNPS, TRFC) 3. Community school or work gardens. For more ideas check out this video on 9 ways to learn gardening and make social connections. //youtu.be/7v2S9gEoCNg
Round 3 of transformation Tuesdays where I’m showing you how I turn an overgrown lawn into a productive food scape. Once you get things cleaned up its important to NOT PLANT right away! As tempting as it is you need to take time to observe. We would have totally missed the drainage issues this yard if we hadn’t waited for a good rain. We could have put plants in the ground, just to redo it later after wasting that time and money. Make sure to click follow from my profile to get more tips on turning your space into a bountiful garden!
Our mission is to help people learn the basics of sustainable vegetable gardening so that they can lead healthier, happier lives and have a positive impact on our planet that leaves a legacy our children to be proud of. We firmly believe that "living green" can be more than just an idea - it is not a fad but a reality! As people become aware of the implications of our current industrial food system, most realize that making changes are necessary and inevitable. By voting with our personal choices and our dollars we can start to shift the unsustainable food system that is currently in place to one that will support a viable future for our growing world. It all starts from the ground up and we are here to help by providing the educational resources necessary to empower people to start making these changes.
From backyard raised beds to apartment balcony container gardens, we know each model of growth looks different and requires knowledge to succeed. No matter where you are in your journey, we will help you create the garden of your dreams. If you're looking for personalized support for your home garden then a private consultation is just what you need! If you are comfortable with the basics and want to learn a new technique or approach then our public classes and workshops can be the perfect tool.
We would love to chat with you and find out what is important to you and your family. Feel free to shoot us an email or give us a call!
Fayyaz South City Grocery & Halal Meat Market
22nd Street S
#}
