What plants grow in South Central Florida? (landscape, growing, palm)

[fredmertz100]

I am moving to Sebring and my serious hobby is gardening. Sebring looks like an interesting challenge with an occasional freeze, hot and and possibly stormy summers. Outside of the annual vegetable garden, I expect to be able to grow some citrus, loquat, and highbush blueberries. With the right planning I wonder if I could grow guava, avacado, fuzzy kiwi, papaya, mango, ginger or banana. I also dream of growing a Jacaranda and possibly even Plumeria in a protected area. Does anyone have an input on what grows best in that area and what is possible with extra effort?

[qdogfball]

You might be able to get away with most of those plants.. Need to factor in the occasional freeze for them though.

North of Orlando, we had the Papaya die out back in 2009 with a cold snap of under 30 for 4 days.

Things that need cold wouldn't be a good bet.

[Latina7]

Originally Posted by fredmertz100

I am moving to Sebring and my serious hobby is gardening. Sebring looks like an interesting challenge with an occasional freeze, hot and and possibly stormy summers. Outside of the annual vegetable garden, I expect to be able to grow some citrus, loquat, and highbush blueberries. With the right planning I wonder if I could grow guava, avacado, fuzzy kiwi, papaya, mango, ginger or banana. I also dream of growing a Jacaranda and possibly even Plumeria in a protected area. Does anyone have an input on what grows best in that area and what is possible with extra effort?

Besides the weather factor, the next thing a serious gardener takes into consideration is the SOIL conditions.

Florida's soil is pure SAND, so unless what you are planning to grow is citrus, or plants that grow well in the sand, I would not consider Florida.....

[hotzcatz]

A raised bed garden where you can fill in your garden area with topsoil might be useful. It is much easier to reach the soil for weeding, as well as short plants for harvesting. It also uses a lot less water and fertilizer since the garden area is compact.

I have a relative who grows plumeria around the Orlando area, although he does lose them occasionally to cold conditions. He has his favorite ones in big pots that get moved inside during the coldest parts of the winter.

My zone is 11B or some such never freeze sort of number which is a bit worse than central Florida for most stone fruits. If you are very selective about which variety you plant, you can grow apples, peaches and such in a no freeze zone. I've found Bay Laurel nurseries in California to have a great selection and they mail order, too.

[fredmertz100]

Thanks to hotcatz for your raised garden suggestion. I grew some Plumeria in pots when I was in Ocala Florida and had great fun growing them until they got too big to move inside. Thanks also to Latina7 for your admonition about vegetable gardening in Florida. I'll take it to heart, but also as a challenge. My grandmother in Arcadia composted to amend the soil and she always had a very healthy vegetable garden. I'm trying to find out what perenial plants people have had luck with in the Sebring area. Anyone have a big Loquat tree that has weathered the storms, an avocado against a protected wall, a blueberry hedge or a Guava patch? How about a pomegranite or a Pakistan Mulberry etc.?

[southernnaturelover]

You could probably grow pineapple gauva pretty easily. There are some cultivars like 'Coolidge' that produce larger fruit.

http://tropicalfruitsocietyofsarasot...avarieties.htm

Loquat trees are common up here in the panhandle, but the problem is the blooms get frozen which prevents fruit. They're grown mostly as ornamental non fruiting trees. In central FL I'd think you could get fruit at least some years.

[qdogfball]

You would get tons of loquats, since we have like 40 trees of them in our Town home community in Apopka that produce every year.

[fredmertz100]

Thanks qdogfball for the positive response. I think I will be using Loquats to provide some height and protection for some more delicate plants in my future Sebring landscape. With a little care, loquat trees can be very attractive and I love just about any plant that provides food. Regarding your earlier post, I actually grew a papaya from seed here in north Georgia a couple years ago and it grew almost 12 feet tall before it froze in the winter. It was a beautiful and unusual conversation piece.

[wireyourworld]

I'm in south florida, west palm area inland. I grow all my veggies in pots, it makes them somewhat mobile and eliminates the poor soil issue. I started them all this year with Vigaro's new organic potting soil, and they are growing like crazy, lots of tomatoes! Expecting the chill tonight, I have done this before. I have moved most of them to the windbreak of my van. Most are staked, and I went out last night and bought some taller stakes (over 6', the tomatoes are getting that tall) to support my blue tarp. The tarp gets attached to the luggage rack of the van, draped over all the plant stakes, then a few concrete blocks hold it from blowing in this wind. Smaller plants like peppers are in the middle of the taller tomatoes and will hunker down nicely. Learned my lesson with basil, that comes into the house.

Come 10am I'll be able to lift the tarp and they can have the sun of the day, and be covered again the following night.

[julian17033]

Marijuana does very well I've heard.