Growing a Vegetable Garden at Your Coastal Sanibel Home

There's something about growing your own vegetables that is so satisfying and rewarding. But growing a vegetable garden on Sanibel Island can come with some challenges as the location of Sanibel Island near the salt water brings a higher salt level to the soil of Sanibel Island homes.

Vegetables can be pretty temperamental and not only vegetables but many other plants are not tolerant of high salt levels. Sodium can draw moisture out of a plant and can burn the roots. But there are some vegetables that can still thrive in a garden near the ocean when you choose the proper soil techniques and the right types of vegetables.

Techniques for growing vegetable gardens in coastal areas like Sanibel

Getting the soil ready to receive vegetable plants

Many coastal areas near large bodies of saltwater will expectedly have higher amounts of salt in the soil. If you are dedicated to planting a vegetable garden in the existing soil near your Sanibel home it is good to start by digging down at least 9 inches and working in some compost. This will help increase the drainage of your soil and add nutrients to it that your plants will thrive on.

Before putting any plants into your soil you want to make sure you deeply water the area after adding in some compost and nutrients. Watering will help to move some of the salt down deeper into the soil away from the plant roots. You want to deeply water your prepared soil for about a week before putting young plants into the ground.

Choose vegetables that can thrive in your area

No matter what you try to do to prepare your coastal Sanibel island soil to receive vegetable plants there are some that just won't have a chance. You want to stick with vegetables that have a higher tolerance level and can grow rapidly when well looked after. These plants include beets, kale, spinach, and asparagus. All of these plants do rather well in a salty environment with good supervision.

There are also some plants that have a fairly good tolerance to salty conditions but may need a bit more care. These include potatoes, peas, broccoli, some types of squash, tomatoes, lettuce, and cabbage. These plants can do fairly well in an amended type of garden such as a raised bed.

Types of vegetables you want to avoid as they will not have much of a chance at all include radish, celery, beans, and corn.

Trying a raised garden approach

One method for having more success with a larger variety of vegetables with an outdoor garden near the saltwater on Sanibel is to go with a raised vegetable garden. A raised garden bed is one that sits above ground level. This allows the soil to warm faster than ground-level soil. Raised garden beds are also easier to protect from salt spray by covering them. A raised bed can be filled with brand-new soil enabling you to start with a lower salt level. Your raised bed will eventually take on some salt because of the salty air in the environment.

You want to make sure that you strategically plan where you will put your raised vegetable garden. The best place is to find a spot that has full sun for the majority of the day. You also want to be able to provide and retain adequate amounts of water so that you will have a good harvest of vegetables. Using a row cover will also help to protect plants from salt spray and pests.

Growing vegetables can be done almost anywhere if you have the right dedication and determination for your vegetables to thrive even in a salty coastal location like Sanibel Island.

For more information on real estate on Sanibel and Captiva Island please contact us anytime.