Permaculture/polyculture gardens in Miami? (Coral Gables, Homestead: condos, townhomes, neighborhoods)
MiamiMiami-Dade County
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For almost two decades I have been growing fruits and veggies in a non industrial manner. Managing soil fertility with waste and compost, managing insects with natural predators and using no industrial chemicals. I have seen experiments in the following years at places like Miami Dade Community College and with individual gardeners. In fact I have set up over 10 of them myself. Permaculture is another reason I have come to appreciate animals like Muscovy ducks. So is anyone on here practicing permaculture? Do you know of any organized gardens? I would like to set up U-pick permaculture businesses someday, but in the meantime it is just a personal thing.
I would like to hear more about this, despite currently being in Monroe County, and when I lived in Miami-Dade only having a brick patio to grow on. I am working toward permaculture, but could not say I am there yet.
I have gotten so far as to plant many endangered and native plants that have medical or edible uses, as well as non-natives that are non-invasive and adaptable to our conditions, and make my own compost, mulching from yard debris, nitrogen-fixing plants to help the soil, etc. I will soon be adding rain barrels and the use of seaweed from private homes that want to remove it from their personal beaches.
I posted elsewhere about Verde Gardens in Homestead which is an organic farm/nursery/farmer's market that serves 145 green townhomes for families who were formerly homeless with disabled members.
Additionally, while not in Miami, the Growing Hope Initiative is working to restore Grimal Grove down on Big Pine Key using similar values.
It would be a wonderful service to the community to start a U-pick business like this some day, or to do some version of the above initiatives in creating a self-sustaining farm for a community center, low-income housing project, school, etc. It's also of great benefit to teach other locals how to use these ideas for their own yard, for the benefit of their own health, as well as Florida's environmental (and medical) future.
I would like to see such initiatives take place in neighborhoods like Overtown, Little Haiti, and Liberty City, especially.
I remember helping out a group in the Northside area set up gardens near the Metrorail. Had taken one of my Bobcats there to remove trash from the lot and spread soil and compost around 2008.The man in charge of the group wanted to set up organic gardens on land owned by people who wanted someone else to maintain it. If I remember his name was Tony? Muscular black guy into health foods and extremely well spoken. Lost contact with him but I know he had problems with the county hassling him because people in the area were dumping trash on the street near his gardens.
I remember helping out a group in the Northside area set up gardens near the Metrorail. Had taken one of my Bobcats there to remove trash from the lot and spread soil and compost around 2008.The man in charge of the group wanted to set up organic gardens on land owned by people who wanted someone else to maintain it. If I remember his name was Tony? Muscular black guy into health foods and extremely well spoken. Lost contact with him but I know he had problems with the county hassling him because people in the area were dumping trash on the street near his gardens.
The city/county has done nothing whatsoever to support improvement of those areas. That's why they were allowed to become dilapidated and unsafe. Notice that Coral Gables has no trouble with trash on the street, law enforcement, or getting a simple trash can where needed. Same with Pinecrest, and other similar locations.
Permaculture is very big in Cuba, Urban Permaculture. Large plots in the city abandoned by "capitalists" have all sort of crops, orchards and fresh greenery all around the city. They call it "hicropónico", but it's permaculture. There are also Permaculture Towns for tourists. Seems to work, at least the quality of produce is very good. They have permacultyure schools, permaculture conventions. At firt I thought it was just propaganda, but no, it seems to work.
Permaculture is very big in Cuba, Urban Permaculture. Large plots in the city abandoned by "capitalists" have all sort of crops, orchards and fresh greenery all around the city. They call it "hicropónico", but it's permaculture. There are also Permaculture Towns for tourists. Seems to work, at least the quality of produce is very good. They have permacultyure schools, permaculture conventions. At firt I thought it was just propaganda, but no, it seems to work.
I think they by and large have much better soil than we do...
Singapore also works on establishing permaculture models in their condos, etc. and throughout the city/nation, if we're talking about international examples in tropical/subtropical locations.
We have more of a challenge though, with a marked rainy and dry season, and poor soil - we do not have the same variety of sustainable plants that make for beautiful ornamentals or delicious edibles compared with many other locations with similar climates. Additionally, the stressful conditions and international port for plant shipping can make our plants more susceptible to local and invasive pests than some other locations around the world.
So it's a challenge, but certainly not impossible!
I would be interested to know more about Native plants that are good edibles or have useful medicinal purposes, or are great ornamentals, because certainly there is nothing more sustainable than plants native to the region! (To that end by the way, I believe Native Plant Day in the Cutler Bay area is this Saturday!)
I am growing quite a few native and endangered plants in my yard currently, but I must say that it is a challenge to find species that are not scrubby looking, and/or have a good taste! So I have to make do by supplementing with non-invasive tropicals because I'd like to be relatively self-sustaining and not have to purchase almost any food in stores. We have some gorgeous local plants, but usually the best-looking ones are hard to find for purchase, which is a shame. It might be a bit easier for those of you up in Miami-Dade though, since you have more nurseries to choose from.
Last edited by StarfishKey; 03-17-2016 at 11:15 AM..
I think they by and large have much better soil than we do...
Singapore also works on establishing permaculture models in their condos, etc. and throughout the city/nation, if we're talking about international examples in tropical/subtropical locations.
We have more of a challenge though, with a marked rainy and dry season, and poor soil - we do not have the same variety of sustainable plants that make for beautiful ornamentals or delicious edibles compared with many other locations with similar climates. Additionally, the stressful conditions and international port for plant shipping can make our plants more susceptible to local and invasive pests than some other locations around the world.
So it's a challenge, but certainly not impossible!
I would be interested to know more about Native plants that are good edibles or have useful medicinal purposes, or are great ornamentals, because certainly there is nothing more sustainable than plants native to the region! (To that end by the way, I believe Native Plant Day in the Cutler Bay area is this Saturday!)
I am growing quite a few native and endangered plants in my yard currently, but I must say that it is a challenge to find species that are not scrubby looking, and/or have a good taste! So I have to make do by supplementing with non-invasive tropicals because I'd like to be relatively self-sustaining and not have to purchase almost any food in stores. We have some gorgeous local plants, but usually the best-looking ones are hard to find for purchase, which is a shame. It might be a bit easier for those of you up in Miami-Dade though, since you have more nurseries to choose from.
Yes, the Native Plant Day is this Saturday at Bill Sadowski County Park. Have you visited Plant Creations Nursery? They grow quite a few native species and have some nice display areas. Two of my favorite Keys native plants are Guaiacum sanctum (lignum vitae) and Exostema caribaeum (Princewood).
I think they by and large have much better soil than we do...
Singapore also works on establishing permaculture models in their condos, etc. and throughout the city/nation, if we're talking about international examples in tropical/subtropical locations.
We have more of a challenge though, with a marked rainy and dry season, and poor soil - we do not have the same variety of sustainable plants that make for beautiful ornamentals or delicious edibles compared with many other locations with similar climates. Additionally, the stressful conditions and international port for plant shipping can make our plants more susceptible to local and invasive pests than some other locations around the world.
So it's a challenge, but certainly not impossible!
I would be interested to know more about Native plants that are good edibles or have useful medicinal purposes, or are great ornamentals, because certainly there is nothing more sustainable than plants native to the region! (To that end by the way, I believe Native Plant Day in the Cutler Bay area is this Saturday!)
I am growing quite a few native and endangered plants in my yard currently, but I must say that it is a challenge to find species that are not scrubby looking, and/or have a good taste! So I have to make do by supplementing with non-invasive tropicals because I'd like to be relatively self-sustaining and not have to purchase almost any food in stores. We have some gorgeous local plants, but usually the best-looking ones are hard to find for purchase, which is a shame. It might be a bit easier for those of you up in Miami-Dade though, since you have more nurseries to choose from.
I guess that the type of habitat for such plants is similar in large parts of Florida and Cuba, the so-called "manigua". That bush that contains tress and entire habitats inside. I don't know if you have problems with "marabú", a sort of invasive bush-tree that invades hugue areas and you need to excavate to remove the root, 10 times worse than kudzu. Marabú has invaded much confiscated land and sugar mill. The land is richer, red land and there are small tracts of rain forest.
As to those plants....I'm trying to think, not a good weather for leafy lettuce type plants. During the special period, when URRS fell, there were many recipes with flowers..anything that could grow locally..there was a tv program that was a constant joke..
Awful invasive plant, do you have it in Florida?
It is native to Africa but has been introduced to India, the Caribbean and parts of Southeast Asia. In Ethiopia, the species is common in the Nechisar National Park.[2]
The tree was brought to the Caribbean in the 19th century.[3] In Cuba, where it is known as El Marabú or Marabou weed, it has become a serious invasive species problem, occupying close to five million acres (20,000 km²) of agricultural land. Plans are underway to exploit it as a source of biomass for renewable power generation.[4][5]
Description and ecology
Flowering
Dichrostachys cinerea is a semi-deciduous to deciduous tree characterized by bark on young branches, dark grey-brown fissures on older branches and stems and smooth on the spines. They typically grow up to 7 metres (23 ft) in height and have strong alternate thorns, generally up to 8 cm (3.1 in) long. Flowers of the Dichrostachys cinerea are characteristically in bicoloured cylindrical spikes that resemble Chinese lanterns and are 6–8 cm long and fragrant.[6] Upper flowers of a hanging spike are sterile, and are of a lilac or pale purple. Pods are usually a mustard brown and are generally twisted or spiralled and may be up to 100 × 15 mm. The species has can be subcategorized with two slight variations that have been recognised: D. cinerea ssp. africana and D. cinerea ssp. nyassana, the latter which is typically larger and less hairy in its foliage.[1]
The species tends to grow in rainforest zones that are clearly defined and in altitudes up to 2,000 metres (6,600 ft). It often occurs in areas with a strong seasonal climate with a wide ranging mean annual temperature and with a mean annual rainfall ranging from 200 to 400 mm. It occurs in brushwood, thickets, hedges, teak forest and grassland and generally takes to poorer quality clay soils or deep and sandy soils with a wide ph scale range.[1]
In India, it can occur in dry deciduous forest.
In southern Africa, Dichrostachys cinerea generally flowers from October to February with fruiting from May to September. In Indonesia, however, the species has been found flowering from September to June and fruiting from March to May. The tree generally grows at a medium to slow rate, 6–8 cm per year.
They have a vegetarian restaurant - in national currency- parque lenin, habana (picturesque name) were they prepare all sort of dishes with autoctonous species. The island is very rich in autoctonous species that only grow there because before the entire island was divided in hundreds of small islands, each developed its own flora and fauna.
Last edited by Krokodill; 03-18-2016 at 05:40 AM..
I guess that the type of habitat for such plants is similar in large parts of Florida and Cuba, the so-called "manigua". That bush that contains tress and entire habitats inside. I don't know if you have problems with "marabú", a sort of invasive bush-tree that invades hugue areas and you need to excavate to remove the root, 10 times worse than kudzu. Marabú has invaded much confiscated land and sugar mill. The land is richer, red land and there are small tracts of rain forest.
As to those plants....I'm trying to think, not a good weather for leafy lettuce type plants. During the special period, when URRS fell, there were many recipes with flowers..anything that could grow locally..there was a tv program that was a constant joke..
Awful invasive plant, do you have it in Florida?
It is native to Africa but has been introduced to India, the Caribbean and parts of Southeast Asia. In Ethiopia, the species is common in the Nechisar National Park.[2]
The tree was brought to the Caribbean in the 19th century.[3] In Cuba, where it is known as El Marabú or Marabou weed, it has become a serious invasive species problem, occupying close to five million acres (20,000 km²) of agricultural land. Plans are underway to exploit it as a source of biomass for renewable power generation.[4][5]
They have a vegetarian restaurant - in national currency- parque lenin, habana (picturesque name) were they prepare all sort of dishes with autoctonous species. The island is very rich in autoctonous species that only grow there because before the entire island was divided in hundreds of small islands, each developed its own flora and fauna.
Just read it was planted in Florida in 1998 and no reports of natural proliferation, good time to remove it.
Last edited by Krokodill; 03-18-2016 at 05:56 AM..
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