Us Floridians have seen a huge influx of people moving here from not only other states but other countries as well, and while we are a welcoming community it’s apparent that they don’t understand our climate. They hear what the media tells them about Florida and that’s how they determine their mental image of Florida. They picture a nice sunny beach with pleasant weather, with the occasional gator story thrown in for excitement.
Let me just stop right here and tell you that while it is frequently sunny, the summertime is more like the tenth level of hell because don’t nobody want to go out during this time. And if the heat doesn’t bother you, try dealing with humidity that can range somewhere between sixty or seventy percent and that’s without the guarantee of any actual rain cooling you off. You end up with swamp butt or if you are a female, a nice drenching of sweat underneath and encircling your breasts that is most unpleasant.
But for the sake of this article, let’s just strictly focus on the realities of gardening during the summer season. After the pleasant temps of spring segue into Summer, a symphony of consumption begins that doesn’t cease until well into the Fall. Whenever those temperatures change, it notifies every bug on this planet to relocate to Florida and devour our plants. If you’ve spent any time on gardening forums based in Florida, you’ll notice a recuring theme amongst the posts being put up.
- “What bug is this? Is it good or bad? Should I kill it?”
- “What’s wrong with my plant? What should I do?”
- “I moved from another state where I grew “xyz” crop but I can’t seem to grow it here. Why?”
For all that is holy, please consider taking a break during summertime (if you haven’t already given up) and use that period for educating yourself. I’m going to be your guide for some of it, but you need to get educated before you start spending hundreds of dollars on gardening supplies thinking you are about to become Farmer McDonald who can grow anything. I actually would recommend that you not buy any new plants or gardening supplies until you have successfully seen one full year of our seasons, and only after deeply educating yourself should you attempt a single small garden bed.
There is no such thing as a “bad bug” and while there are many out there squawking at me, my statement is true. They are not bad per say. If you chose to plant a variety that is not acclimated or designed for Florida weather, then nature will take its course. People do not realize that whenever a plant is struggling to survive, it sends out signals to nature around it and nature will send the bugs needed to cull the weakened plant to remove it from the eco-system. You interpret this in the way that most humans do, by assuming it’s the bugs that are killing your plants. No, you chose to bring these plants into an eco-system that they may not be adapted to and now nature is killing off the weak. Instead of you being grateful to nature for trying to show you the error of your ways, you want to douse them with carcinogenic chemicals that can last in soil for generations.
We see frequently that because of a lack of planning, people will post a call for aid and want to know what is causing a particular issue. An onslaught of responses will come about and usually the same responses are given no matter who the original poster is.
- Too much water.
- Not enough water.
- Too much sun.
- Not enough sun.
- Planter too small.
- Too much mulch.
- Not enough mulch.
- “xyz” bug, kill it with this chemical
- “xyz” blight/mildew/etc., kill it with this chemical
My favorite post is the one where someone admits they recently moved from another state, and they are trying to use the gardening methods learned from that state while having recently moved to Florida. While you may be able to grow beets, tomatoes, carrots, squash, white potatoes and greens up north, it will fail almost every time here in our summer conditions. We have aphids, ants, squash bugs, slugs, snails, vine borers, and so many other insects that will demolish all you plant.
If the bugs don’t get it, then you have to deal with mold and mildew growing in abundance due to the almost daily deluge that takes place in the evenings. The best way to water plants in Florida is to water the root and only in the very early mornings before the sun beats down on them. A good irrigation or drip hose will help you reduce the chances of mold or mildew but be sure to cover the hose with mulch to prevent UV damage to it. But since you can’t control the weather with the flick of a button, you have to accept that some species will not be successfully grown here.
Despite all the speak about what doesn’t grow here, let me encourage you that there are numerous other species of vegetation that successfully grow here in abundance. It’s a matter of properly educating yourself, locating the particular species and keeping a watchful eye for plant changes.
Greens/Grains:
- Tropical Spinach (Longevity Spinach, Okinowan Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Jewel of Opar, etc.)
- Katuk
- Chaya
- Moringa
- Manihot
- Red Veined Sorrel
- Red Amaranth
Warning: Some of the species above can cause mild to severe sickness if not prepared properly. Educate yourself before you consume any new plant.
Tomatoes:
- Everglades
- Cherry (variety matters)
- Tomatillo (variety matters)
There are many varieties of tomatoes on the market today that declare themselves to be pest or disease resistant, but there is no guarantee they will successfully handle our environment. Gardening is one great big science experiment requiring trial and error.
Squash:
- Seminole Pumpkin
- Chayote
- Luffa
- Calabaza
- Long Squash
Warning: Some of the species above can cause mild to severe sickness if not prepared properly. Educate yourself before you consume any new plant.
Roots & Shoots:
- Boniato
- Taro
- Yacon
- Sweet Potatoes
- African Potato Mint
- Chinese Yam
- Ginger
- Turmeric
- Cassava
Warning: Some of the species above can cause mild to severe sickness if not prepared properly. Educate yourself before you consume any new plant.
Beans & Peas:
- Pigeon Peas
- Southern Peas
- Winged Beans (variety matters)
- Pole Beans
- Long Beans
If you find someone by the road selling these plants, ask as many questions as possible to ascertain how they are to be grown and prepared once they are harvested. If the seller can’t answer either question, you will need to be the one to educate yourself prior to planting them. Many perennial plants have to be specially cared for in the beginning and a proper education is required for that care.
There are numerous medicines, fruit, nuts, fats and other miscellaneous plants that can be wonderful edible additions to your yard, but I’ll touch on those in another post but for now consider the options above for your next summer garden project.
Oh, before I go, I should mention that numerous gardeners are reporting entire crops withering away due to Grazon contamination in their soil. The chemical is so strong that it makes it through the harvesting process, the digestion process of multiple stomachs, pooped outdoors while being exposed to the UV rays, then composted and will still last approximately three years within ground. Choose your manure and potting soil sources carefully. A sure-fire way to test for contamination is by planting beans or peas, if they germinate and are mutated or die off quickly then you most likely have contamination and need to take steps to deal with it.
Suburban & Rural Homesteading Today 