I start vegetable seeds indoors in July to plant out in August, because it's so hot and wet that I've found that if I plant them outdoors, they just die or something eats them. If you have a very shady spot, like a large tree, you could probably start seeds there, but I don't so indoors it is. Things like squash and beans, I always plant in the ground in early August, because beans especially don't like to be transplanted.

You're a bit west and south of me, so I'll let someone from your area tell you more. Seems you would plant according to the South Florida schedule. Here's the vegetable gardening guide.

Florida Vegetable Gardeniing Guide.

I'll be planting more flowers than vegetables, but I did see that it says Strawberries Sept 25th to Oct 25th, I might want to try a strawberry!

Oh and I just saw it says to plant pumpkin in mid July... I wonder if I have any pumpkin seeds? maybe I'll try a pumpkin... maybe, I'll have to see how clean up of the sunflowers and beans along with the flower beds go.

You have the right idea in using the hot summer months for cleaning and preparing, I do the same and limit my time outdoors.

Flowers are a good way to start, at this time you would do great with cuttings if you can get some. Some of the easy flowers from seed are marigolds, zinnias, and they keep coming back in the same spots, when colder you can try nasturtiums.

Strawberries are not that easy because they can get buggy, I always pick them in the organic farm near my house, if you are close to Plant City you can do the same. I visited a house in Tampa from a gardening friend and he had some very tasty wild strawberries, he said they were from seed and gave me some, I would consider growing those because you cannot buy them.

If you are planning to grow winter squash, your best bet would be an acorn variety like Table Dainty, they do well and are tasty.

Silvia

I wonder when the weather will start to cool a little so I will be more in the mood for the garden. The daily rains are starting to let up a little and so that is helping. I repotted my bleeding heart that ended up being MEGA root bound, but weed galore are in the beds and all I can do is look... lol

It starts cooling a little in September. October is usually very nice.