Start with a salad

Tomatoes

The smaller varieties, like cherry and grape tomatoes, tend to be less challenging than the large ones. When choosing the variety, look for initials that indicate resistance to certain diseases and pests: V = Verticillium wilt; F = fusarium wilt; N=nematodes; TSWV = tomato spotted wilt virus. When planting a starter plant, bury it up to its neck - yes, really! Leaving just the top few inches above ground helps ensure a good, strong root system below.

Recommended varieties: For large tomatoes, Florida experts suggest Better Boy, Walter, Sun Coast or Floramerica. Good small varieties include Sun Gold (very easy), Floramerica, Florigold, Florida Petite and Red Cherry.

Cucumbers

Cukes grow on vines, which can sprawl all over the ground or, as many people prefer, be trained up strings or trellises. That saves space and, better yet, keeps the fruits up off the ground. Feed plants a high-nitrogen fertilizer when they're a few inches tall.

Recommended varieties: Large, for slicing: Straight Eight, Cherokee, Dasher II, Sweet Success. Good smaller varieties for pickling include Burpee's Bushmaster, Ohio MR 17 and Liberty Hybrid.

Bell peppers

Sweet peppers are easy to start from seeds and easy to grow. Most experts advise starting seeds in little pots indoors, so the tiny seeds won't get washed away by the rain. If you prefer green peppers, harvest when they're green. Otherwise, let the pepper mature and it will turn red (or yellow or orange, depending on the variety) and grow sweeter. Peppers like regular fertilizing.

Recommended varieties: Big Bertha, Pimento, California Wonder, Yolo Wonder

Lettuce

The seeds are very small, but can be planted directly outside by sprinkling over the ground and covering with a fine layer of soil. Water them with a gentle shower from a watering can. Once the plants have produced three or four sets of their grown-up leaves, they should be thinned to the spacing described on the package. Leaf lettuces are the easiest to grow.

Recommended varieties: Black-seeded Simpson (leaf); Buttercrunch (Bibb); Great Lakes (crisp); Parris Island Cos (romaine).

HELPFUL RESOURCES

"Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide": The University of Florida publishes lots of research- and science-based information to help home gardeners. This easy-to-read guide covers a wide range of topics, from "no-pesticide pest management" to a long list of vegetable varieties recommended for Florida: http://

edis.ifas.ufl.edu/vh021.

County Extension Service: An extension of the University of Florida, each county has an Extension Office with staff and volunteers devoted to educating the public. You can call them with questions, bring soil samples in for low-cost analysis, or take extension-sponsored classes held in libraries and other venues all around each county. Phone numbers for Bay area offices are Hillsborough: (813) 744-5519; Pasco: (352) 521-4288; (813) 996-7341, ext. 4288; (727) 847-2411, ext. 4288; Pinellas: (727)582-2100.

Organic Vegetable Gardening Workshop: Pick up tips and get your questions answered during a one-hour class 10 a.m. Sept. 25 at USF Botanical Garden, 12210 USF Pine Drive, Tampa. Cost is $10. To reserve a spot, call (813) 910-3274.

"Florida Gardener's Resource," (Cool Springs Press; $19.95): This new book by Tom MacCubbin and Georgia B. Tasker is full of color photos and details on growing fruits, vegetables and herbs, as well as ornamental plants. It's easy to read, and includes a monthly calendar of chores and to-do lists with each chapter.

"Guide to Florida Fruit and Vegetable Gardening," (Cool Springs Press; $19.95): Another new book, this one by Robert Bowden, distills years of experience as a home gardener combined with the wisdom of a horticulturist: The author is the executive director of Leu Gardens in Orlando.

Garden blogs: A number of Florida gardeners share their experiences growing vegetables on blogs. The great thing about these is you can ask them questions and get answers, as well as learn from the comments and questions posted by other readers. My personal favorite is The Dirt at TBO.ly/dirtblog - but I admit, I'm biased. For blogs with a stronger focus on growing veggies, you might try http://centralfloridagarden.blogspot

.com; http://gardeningunder

thefloridasun.blogspot.com; and http://thevegetablehatt.blog

spot.com.

Penny Carnathan