difficulties of gardening in Florida

Wow, I also moved from Illinois to Florida. I felt the same way at first, but now I love it because I can garden year round. I do miss a lot of the bulb plants, but there are so many more varieties of beautiful plants that I can play with year round! I know what you mean about the heat...there is about three months out of the year that all I do is go out and water, because it's too hot to do anything else. But if you think about it, there are more months up north that you can't garden because of the cold and snow...The longer you are here, (in Florida), the more you will get used to the heat. And as far as the bad soil goes, all you have to do is bring in some topsoil, or potting soil. You only have to do it every few years, ans it does wonders for your garden. I get a truck load every two to three years from a landscape supply store, it's not very expensive, just a lot of work to get it moved to where you want it. They will deliver for a charge if you don't have a truck. Or the other way would just be to go buy A LOT of bags from walmart! I sure do hope that gardening will become fun for you again. I was the same way when I moved here, and six years later, I have the most wonderful yard! Good luck!

I haven't really had gardening spoiled per se' by moving but, I have had to pack up some of my plants and take them with me. I live in Florida and the weather doesn't really give me much trouble with the plants. I've been looking for a Central FL gardening group on Yahoo or something.

I would like to suggest a raised garden. If you are in a home you bought, you can make a permanent one with railroad ties or bricks. If you are just renting for now, make one out of large tubs or wooden carts. Check around for varieties of pretty wildflowers for your area. Also look for flowering bromelaids. They usually like hot. You fill the garden with topsoil. Then plant your garden. When I had plants in Texas and Alabama, I waited until early morning or after dusk to garden. The heat was less and the watering wouldn't just evaporate away. For people-eating bugs, I use Cutters repelent. Mosquitoes LOVE me, but this stuff works great! And no stinging and smell like you get with OFF.