Food forests in Florida are surging in popularity as sustainable, low-maintenance alternatives to traditional landscaping.  Edible foodscapes are sometimes driven by rising produce costs, increased interest in food security, and the desire for climate-resilient, perennial crops. Key trends include utilizing tropical and subtropical perennials that thrive in high heat, focusing on soil health, and transforming residential, suburban, and urban spaces into biodiverse, edible landscapes. Many of us just grow herbs, veggies and fruit trees just for the “fun of it!”

 

Dawn and James Pintauro are enjoying their first venture into the world of veggie growing in Florida. The couple initially owned a vacation rental on Siesta, but found themselves driving through the Southside Village neighborhoods often.  They found their special piece of paradise 20 feet above sea level in Hudson’s Bayou!   They have been in Sarasota since October 2021.  The couple hail from Pelham, NY; just a hop-skip-and jump from Yonkers…seems we were neighbors in our youth and now as Sarasota-ites! The couple enjoys boating and tennis; both are the gardeners on this property.  Dawn gets the ideas and James is “manual labor” (sorry James). Dawn notes “we are new to vegetable/fruit gardening and are learning as we go”.  When not gardening the bocce ball court and putting green offers family entertainment…as does the “en plein-aire” pool and al fresco dining area.

 

Dawn has just begun in her quest for “growing her own” with an herb and staple vegetable mini-greenhouse. An aesthetic Integration into the yard Instead of an isolated orchard or the extensive multi-layers found in full- fledged food forests will allow her success with her small edible garden.  Edible plants- herbs, a compact fruit tree, are tucked behind a lantana border near a walkway (attracting pollinators). Herbs and nitrogen-fixing plants are crucial in a food forest or edible garden to improve soil fertility and provide additional layers of benefits. This plot is usually open to the elements; the green house application has worked well this frigid winter!   

An even easier concept for the “newbie” to consider is a Micro-Garden or Vertical Garden: Even small patio areas can be treated as "micro-food forests," utilizing containers and compact cultivars. The dollar store affords an inexpensive stacking vertical garden perfect for the lanai or balcony! If you are a snow bird your garden is easily transportable to a neighbor for care when you are gone!

You can’t grow everything year-round here, and if you plant at the wrong time, your plants will fail. Stick to this suggested time line for the veggie gardener:

 

Spring (March – May): Tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers.

Summer (June – August): Sweet potatoes, okra, and tropical spinach. (Everglade Mini-tomato)

Fall (September – November): Greens like lettuce, kale, and bok choy.

Winter (December – February): Broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower.

Leaves and Branches: Don’t throw them away. Chop them up and use them as mulch. It breaks down, adds nutrients, and keeps weeds down.

Rainwater: Get a rain barrel (Dawn has two) or just use buckets to collect water. (Use mosquito dunks!) It’s free, and plants love natural water. Don’t Overwater or Waste It.  Florida summers bring plenty of rain, so you don’t need to water constantly. When it’s dry then use drip irrigation or soaker hoses. These techniques water plants directly at the roots. Even hand watering with an old fashioned hose works! Cover the soil with mulch to trap moisture and reduce evaporation. Remember Cypress is endangered and avoid this type of mulch. Group plants with similar water needs together.

Weeds:   Pull them, chop them, and drop them right back on the ground as mulch. Yes, even weeds can help. This is how you reduce costs and work with what’s already available. No need to buy bags of mulch or fertilizer.

A Trap Crops addition Dawn should consider: Nasturtiums attract pests, keeping them off your main plants. The flower adds a peppery addition to salads, aesthetically pleasing and colorful in the greenhouse!  Perfect addition, but remember they like shade or being an under-story plant.  They are best grown here in the winter; probably will die back in the summer.

My favorite new plant discovery I found in Dawn’s garden is Baby Jump Up. Baby Jump-Up, or yellow-flowered water hyssop, is a low-growing (4 inches high), mat-forming annual or perennial ground cover with tiny yellow flowers. Native to the Americas, it thrives in full to partial sun, blooming from spring to fall. It is ideal for baskets and borders, requiring regular watering and moist, well-drained soil. This wild-flower, Mecardonia procumbens, is an annual or perennial herb that has become widely spread in warmer regions worldwide, and is now common in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. This lovely plant is medicinal in nature and can be utilized in treating skin diseases, as well as for treating digestive and respiratory ailments. It has also been used as a food source and for making herbal teas. Use it in an herb garden…or even better yet an edible ground cover! 

Traditional tomatoes, cilantro, basil (Dawn lets some flower to attract pollinators), romaine lettuce, oregano as well as a prolific banana tree round out the novice’s first attempts. Dawn’s banana bread is delicious; this couple is truly embracing vegetable gardening.

More to come on integrating a food forest on your property! The sky is the limit….