[tallrick]

When I lived in Key Largo the two biggest problems were bugs and drought. Since I moved inland only bugs are an issue. The soil is horrible in most places, in Key Largo it was coral rock with pockets of soil, here it is white sand, really worse than the coral rock. Yet thanks to yard waste, lot clearing debris and my woodchipper, bobcats and dozer, the soil is improving. My Key Largo garden included a rooftop hydroponic setup with a screened enclosure to keep bugs out. My current garden is mostly ground based but the lettuce and tomatoes are still hydroponic.

Since my old truck was wood powered, I had an endless supply of ash for fertilizer. Also composted pet waste from my dogs and from an animal rescue. Now I process horse manure but will not use cow manure or poultry manure due to fears of chemical contamination. In the Keys I was the go-to guy for landscapers who wanted to dump yard waste for free and my rocky yard gained 12 inches of compost which held rain water and built an amazing yard. Getting water for thirsty banana trees was the only limiting factor. Here banana trees grow abundantly.

Remember, compost is your friend and bugs are your main enemy.

[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by Fredesch

You can grow tropicals farther north if you are really close to the ocean. You have to know your microclimate or be willing to loose plants.

Even inland... I have tropical plants in my yard (papaya, several pineapple, and lately, a young coconut tree, although I doubt this one will last, as I may not be watering it enough...)

[CindyRoos]

Originally Posted by tallrick

When I lived in Key Largo the two biggest problems were bugs and drought. Since I moved inland only bugs are an issue. The soil is horrible in most places, in Key Largo it was coral rock with pockets of soil, here it is white sand, really worse than the coral rock. Yet thanks to yard waste, lot clearing debris and my woodchipper, bobcats and dozer, the soil is improving. My Key Largo garden included a rooftop hydroponic setup with a screened enclosure to keep bugs out. My current garden is mostly ground based but the lettuce and tomatoes are still hydroponic.

Since my old truck was wood powered, I had an endless supply of ash for fertilizer. Also composted pet waste from my dogs and from an animal rescue. Now I process horse manure but will not use cow manure or poultry manure due to fears of chemical contamination. In the Keys I was the go-to guy for landscapers who wanted to dump yard waste for free and my rocky yard gained 12 inches of compost which held rain water and built an amazing yard. Getting water for thirsty banana trees was the only limiting factor. Here banana trees grow abundantly.

Remember, compost is your friend and bugs are your main enemy.

Isn't Horse Manure "hot"? (someone told me that once but I never quite understood what it meant) HA

Good info though!! Thanks for sharing!! Love it!

[jwolfer]

Originally Posted by Fredesch

You can grow tropicals farther north if you are really close to the ocean. You have to know your microclimate or be willing to loose plants.

Also some winters are colder than others, and it can be decades between severe cold snaps.. For example Orange Park and Mandarin are both Jacksonville suburbs... named be for citrus groves in the area. They produced commercial citrus from the earliest days of Florida until the freeze of 1894-5.

I had a house in Middlburg, between Jacksonville and Gainesville about 100 feet above sea level, Florida Mountains LOL... The citrus trees were on the edge of the septic drainfield, it kept that area a tiny bit warmer so they did well, not to mention fertilizer. So you could have microclimates in your yard as well.

You will hear on the news when it gets cold about protecting plants and pets. People will grow some tropicals in Jacksonville area and either bring potted plants inside or cover with blankets. You can drive around neighborhoods on cold winter mornings in North and Central Florida and see plants covered in blankets all over.

Jacksonville Beach can have a low temp of 50 and 25 miles inland its 29 for low temp

[CindyRoos]

Originally Posted by jwolfer

Also some winters are colder than others, and it can be decades between severe cold snaps.. For example Orange Park and Mandarin are both Jacksonville suburbs... named be for citrus groves in the area. They produced commercial citrus from the earliest days of Florida until the freeze of 1894-5.

I had a house in Middlburg, between Jacksonville and Gainesville about 100 feet above sea level, Florida Mountains LOL... The citrus trees were on the edge of the septic drainfield, it kept that area a tiny bit warmer so they did well, not to mention fertilizer. So you could have microclimates in your yard as well.

You will hear on the news when it gets cold about protecting plants and pets. People will grow some tropicals in Jacksonville area and either bring potted plants inside or cover with blankets. You can drive around neighborhoods on cold winter mornings in North and Central Florida and see plants covered in blankets all over.

Jacksonville Beach can have a low temp of 50 and 25 miles inland its 29 for low temp

Interesting! Thank you

[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by CindyRoos

Interesting! Thank you

Yeah we haven't had a freeze here this year, and "winter" is practically over. I think we had maybe one or 2 cool weeks, with highs in the low 60s and lows in the upper 30s/lower 40s, but that's been it. The rest of the season has been nothing but 70s for highs for the most part.
Last year, I believe we had one freeze... Something like 31 degrees for maybe an hour at 6AM.

[CindyRoos]

Originally Posted by Arcenal352

Yeah we haven't had a freeze here this year, and "winter" is practically over. I think we had maybe one or 2 cool weeks, with highs in the low 60s and lows in the upper 30s/lower 40s, but that's been it. The rest of the season has been nothing but 70s for highs for the most part.
Last year, I believe we had one freeze... Something like 31 degrees for maybe an hour at 6AM.

That's why I want to move to Florida
Here in Wisconsin my garden is under a layer of snow for wayyyyyyyy too long. This last Sunday it was 60 degrees and I didn't have to wear a jacket.....all the snow was gone. Then, of course, Mother Nature gets PMS on Tuesday and dumps 5 inches of snow on us and today the morning temp was 5.
5? Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
I really need to get out of this frozen tundra!

[perry335654]

Originally Posted by CindyRoos

That's why I want to move to Florida
Here in Wisconsin my garden is under a layer of snow for wayyyyyyyy too long. This last Sunday it was 60 degrees and I didn't have to wear a jacket.....all the snow was gone. Then, of course, Mother Nature gets PMS on Tuesday and dumps 5 inches of snow on us and today the morning temp was 5.
5? Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
I really need to get out of this frozen tundra!

Here is a great place to visit if you ever get over to the Miami-Dade- Fruit and Spice Park





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnzH5nXJx_A

[CindyRoos]

[quote=perry335654;43216310]Here is a great place to visit if you ever get over to the Miami-Dade- Fruit and Spice Park

That looks like an awesome place!! I'll have to go there one of these days for sure!!
Thanks so much for sharing!!

[perry335654]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh6m-JnLVYg