Jonelle needs help garden in Plant City :
“ We have about 3.5 Akka of lawn - ish , pepper with what we have been told is call Taurus grass . Our drain field for our septic is hatch in Dog common fennel , we have been tell . It drives my married man crazy , so he has been hacking at it , but it is slow die . I ’m not certain what to do about it , since I do n’t really want to maturate vegetables on my septic … But any estimate of how to get free of it and forestall it return would be with child .
Our house front door face west , and the South and East sides of the land are butt by Lowlands , according to the property appraiser ’s office . I would fuck to figure out if there is anything secure already there , or if I can habituate it to do some food forestry .
I have bought some seeds , see attached , but now I am at a loss as to where to plant them . With lawn , I ’m think raised beds might be fast , since we are renting and just move in Feb 1 . I do n’t have prison term to smother the lawn with all our prompt box . I got a twosome pots of herbaceous plant : stevia , and a combo pot of basil , oregano , thyme and Parsley . Oh , and I have Everglades Lycopersicon esculentum seeds on their way .
Any ideas would be welcome . This place has so much potential difference , I ’m drowning . We are also mean about volaille , ( hubby also wants to do rabbits ) since there are some form of pen on the south side of the property , almost in the woods . And I ’m considering red wigglers to help compost . ”
Well , let ’s see what we can do !
Gardening in Plant City
Plant City is the strawberry mark capital of the populace , so there is emphatically good agricultural potential drop there . The climate is mild and corroborate a broad range of fruit trees and veggie ; however , the summer are quite spicy and freezes do sometimes occur in the winter .
Here ’s an overhead view of the property :
All that mere background constitute for very raging conditions , but as it ’s a rental it ’s probably not worth adding in some more tint for now .
It ’s emphatically deserving hunting through the Wood for useful and edible species .
Chances are there are wild berries , smilax , edible cacti and maybe even someedible and medicinal mushroom . You could also plant some species but be sure you do n’t introduce anything that can mess up up the aboriginal ecosystem .
Removing Weeds Without Herbicide
If detent fennel is driving you nuts , get yourself a machete and hack them down , then keep the area mowed . in person , I leave wild patch of frank fennel and other “ weeds ” on purpose as they provide concealment space for beneficial insect as well as eatage expanse for birds and butterfly .
Lawn is a low - degree ecosystem .
Scrubby prairie with a mixture of species is better and will keep your nearby gardens salubrious .
One way to wipe out down an area if you desire to garden it later : just mow the area and put down some ofthis woven fictile Mary Jane barrierthrough the summer . In fall , you ’ll have a cracking , clear place to plant . I jazz that material – it ’s much better than even shameful plastic and lasts for age and days . It also allows strain and rain through but altogether suppresses Mary Jane . Put down a strip where you want a garden and get the sunshine do the rest period .
Raised Beds in Florida
I but abominate arouse beds in Florida . They are n’t a good option . They get too hot too quickly , plus they take more tearing than in - ground beds . You ’re better off just fag a patch of priming coat to loosen it , then planting there . No borders require .
Like this :
I used cinder blocks to adjoin my repeated bed but if I had it to do again , I would n’t even do that .
What Will Grow
Here are the seeds Jonelle purchase for 2017 ’s gardens :
It ’s too late to plant most of those choice . The heat will kill almost all of them within the next month or so .
What you’re able to plant now , though , is the foresighted beans and the cowpea . They ’ll sail through the warmth . Plant the Roselle as well – it should do amercement . you’re able to try Seminole pumpkins but my catgut says it ’s too tardily .
Most everything else I would wait until October / November to institute as the heat goes down .
We get two main gardening season in Florida : Late wintertime through spring , then settle through other winter . Some winters you’re able to acquire Madagascar pepper and cucumbers right through by throwing a few sheets over the gardens during the casual freezing , but other winters get too cold and will pour down thing off . Plant City is very mild , though , so you’re able to credibly push those winters .
Basil and stevia should grow , but keep the stevia well - watered and in part shade . The summer heat really roasts it . Basil is a caboodle tough .
I recommend cut into some bed through the summer and engraft them with Vigna unguiculata and peanuts as you finish them , then turn under the plants in gloam and growing your gardens on them . Or you’re able to just tarp areas with that landscape painting fabric and engraft them . I am a fan of cover cropping , though , as it keeps the ground alive and adds nitrogen and constituent affair .
Livestock
We tried rabbits and I gave up on them . Your married man may do well than we did , though . The maintenance , the random deaths and the infrastructure really was a mess – I was beaming to see them go .
Gallus gallus are also a nuisance in Florida as there are a lot of vulture . That said , a skilful , solid coop can keep them safe and happy . I would n’t barren - range them , though , as they will get kill . Dogs , hawks , hooter , possums , foxes , coons , rat … everything wish to eat crybaby . Here aremy idea on housing chickens .
Most of my experience with keep livestock have been losses . The impudent eggs and meat are unspoiled , but the cost of feed , housing , going through depredation , etc . , make the animals more expensive than they ’re really worth . Plants have always yielded much right for me . A layer of sweet potatoes does n’t need much baby sitting !
Raising Worms
Now worms ? Easy ! Too bad they do n’t make eggs or ( good ) meat !
I used to elevate mine inside an old dish washer – you may see how here .
The castings are swell , though you need a lot of worms to get enough cast for serious horticulture labor . I really enjoyed celebrate worms , though , and ingest them change state kitchen dissipation into amazingly rich compost .
Final Thoughts
In decree to deliver the goods at Florida gardening , you need to learn proper timing for planting , plus check that you keep the ground always fed .
This method works really well in Florida sand :
Just DON’T add any wheat , hay or manure , or “ garden soil , ” or compost from off - site . You need to make your own . Florida is absolutely infested with commercial-grade farmers using toxic long - term weedkiller that will dead put down your garden for a couple of years . It ’s in almost everything now , even bagged manure . bewilder some on , and your garden dies . It ’s harebrained . Just readthis narrative from a fellow nurseryman . I read new report of deadened garden all the meter . It ’s better to make your own compost , which is something you’re able to do over the red-hot months of summertime . cumulation up all the dope clipping and leaves you get from your yard and lease them rot down . If you may get some clay anywhere nearby , add it to your compost piles . It will make the compost “ stick ” and last a lot longer . Florida compost breaks down really fast without any clay in it .
And , at long last , have playfulness . If you do n’t havemy bookTotally Crazy Easy Florida Gardening , buy it . It will give you a vast foreland kickoff .
As Jen write in a recent review :
“ Just encounter this book and have already begun conk through it & David the Good is so right ! So many Florida gardener have the best of intentions when begin their garden , but often do n’t do as well & get monish along the room due to choosing the wrong fruiting / nut trees & plants . This book is well organized , and is a straightaway & easy read for those of you who do n’t have it away reading . David do Florida gardening so well-fixed ! He has taken the guess body of work out of gardening – and let ’s confront it – there ’s a peck of conjecture work if you just go to your local greenhouse – as there are a raft of trees & plant that will go in your area – but they wo n’t thrive – and they for sure wo n’t supply mickle of nutrient . David has done all the legwork for us ! He has literally tried to grow just about everything – let in trees & plants from other continent – some with much success ! David ’s Word of God is all about sharing with you what work , to make Florida horticulture easy – not a chore you dread ! This book of account will urge the fruit & vegetable that not only survive , but thrive in Florida – with minimal caution . If you want to be a successful Florida gardener , you need to get this book ! I absolutely enjoy it ! “
proficient fate , Jonelle , and as always – if you need help , stop on by and require questions . I ’ll keep you grow as well as I can .
- look-alike at top adapted from a photoby WalterPro4755 . CC License .
