Christine ask about starting a small - space Grocery Row Garden in Central Florida :
Hi David , I am a Master Gardener Volunteer at the _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ office in ( Central Florida , near the sea ) .
I also have a Permaculture Certification from New Zealand . I now have 3 of your books and have just ordered Grocery Row Gardening ! I went to Scrubfest last year – so much fun ! I did my display for my Master Gardener class on Survival Crops for Florida using your book ! I am very new to Florida . Have been here since June of 2022 and have now got rid of most of my lawn and planted yield trees and crops in my own thousand – yay !
Anyhow , I have consider over the Raised Beds at the Extension and I very much want to do a survival of the fittest garden there too – trying to enliven people to grow food not lawns ! I ’m looking for a bit of advice from you on what to grow .
There is some space next to the raised beds between the bed and a sycamore Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree ( that will be pruned ) . The place is approximately 20′ long x 12 metrical unit or so wide . I was thinking of doing 2 grocery row 4′ wide with a 3′ itinerary between each and 3′ away from the fence on one side and 3′ away from the nurture bottom at the last with 3 - 5 dwarf fruit tree and other survival crops as listed in your book on survival crop .
Anyhow since I ’m in 9a / b wondering if you might recommend some trees and selection crops that would knead in that space . I have some ideas but not certain what might crowd out what !
My approximation for dwarf tree are as watch – what do you think ?
Cavendish bananaEverbearing mulberryRed Lady papayaPremier LoquatFuyu PersimmonBrown Turkey Al-Jama’a al-Islamiyyah al-Muqatilah bi-Libya
Then maybe a chaya or katuk , cassava .. need to do mostly repeated vegetables or ones that readily self - semen like arugula since I can do yearly in the raised beds . What do you reckon ?
How much space should I leave between the raised beds and the first fruit tree and between fencing and first wrangle ? Is it a freehanded enough space to make it work ?
Any feedback would be most welcome .
Congratulations on moving to the Sunshine State , and on your work with the Master Gardeners . you may reach a lot of people there .
That space is enough for a decent small Grocery Row Garden demonstration . Since you ’re pass away to cut twice a twelvemonth as part of the system , the ultimate sizing of most Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree is n’t that important . However , you ’re probably impertinent to stick with the littler tree anyhow , since succeeding volunteers might not know how the system of rules lick .
You do n’t ask much space before you get to your first Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree . Just prune accordingly if things get too crazy .
Your initial leaning of tree diagram is mostly solid . The banana tree is likely to stop dead down every other year or more , since you ’re not in a secure geographical zone for it . The same is unfeigned of papayas . You ’re close to their range , but not quite , and the few Frost you usually get in winter will take off their tops and may obliterate the papayas . It ’s worth a endeavor , even knowing you may turn a loss them , but they ’re not ideal for the mood .
Other good options there for shrubs / trees include :
Blueberries ( Rabbiteye or Southern Highbush)Cattley GuavaCherry of the Rio GrandeKumquatGoumi berryMysore raspberryCalamondinTea ( Camellia sinensis)Goji berryThornless blackberry bush ( University of Arkansas selections are good)Sugarcane ( plant a cane or two – beautiful addition )
And for other layers :
LemongrassRosemaryLongevity spinach plant ( may become flat in winter)Cuban marjoram ( may break down in winter)Sweet potatoName yam ( needs a trellis)Yard - long beans ( on a trellis)Everglades tomatoPotato mintGarlic chivesMalangaGingerTurmericCayenne peppers
All of these should do well in your mood .
I am proud of you – thanks for including me in the well work you are doing , and thanks for enjoin “ hi ” at Scrubfest .
