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GIP Live Foodscaping: Questions and Answers

GIP Live Foodscaping: Questions and Answers

by | Apr 3, 2025

The Northwest District Agents discussed foodscaping by answering questions submitted by program participants. Included are the panelist’s answers along with supporting publications for the questions.  You may view the session on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEMXmaZqRTU

  • Suggestions for only 4-6 hours of sunlight in an oak tree hammock.
    Bell peppers can grow in some shade in containers or in the ground. Leafy lettuces for the cooler months.
    Publication: Peppers in the Shade, https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS368
  • What is the best citrus for North Florida?
    Satsuma would be a cold hardy selection with delicious fruit. Owari and Brown Select grow well in Panhandle. Tangerine and Meyer lemon is intermediate in cold hardiness. Start fruit in about a year but remove those early to but energy into the tree.  Look for harvesting fruit in about 3-5 years.  Look at our citrus publication for citrus fertilization with a fertilizer that contains zinc and iron.
    Soil test to match plants with the right locations.
    Publication: The Satsuma Mandarin, https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/CH116
  • What fruit trees can I grow?
    Choose a variety adapted to our area. Peaches, pears, plums, some citrus, Pineapple guava, Loquat. Choose ones with chill hours for our area. Look at Auburn and Georgia selections rather than Florida selections which are more adapted to central and south Florida.
    Publication:  Dooryard Fruit Varieties, https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/MG248
  • What about companion planting?
    One plant will benefit another – attracts beneficials, provides chemicals for a purpose. Use a trap crop that attracts insects to catch them before they move to your desirable fruit.
    Marigolds is an example of use around some edibles to reduce nematodes.
    Publication: Companion Planting, What is It? https://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/hort/2023/02/21/companion-planting-what-is-it/

 

  • I need to add soil to my native/food garden. What are considerations?
    Sandy soils may need some amendments. Compost should be mixed in and not grow straight in compost. Maybe add ½ inch.
    Soil test first so you don’t add too much nitrogen through amendments.
    Publication: Soils and Fertilizers, https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/lawn-and-garden/soil-and-fertilizer/

 

  • I have 3-4 blueberry bushes and they are 2-4 years old and haven’t fruited. What is wrong?
    Know the cultivar so you are sure they have a cross pollinator.  Need the right conditions too.  Blueberries set in the fall so if fall pruning, you may have cut off flowering structures. Soil pH is critical. Blueberries like acidic soil and they will struggle in higher pH soils.
    Publication: Blueberry Gardener’s Guide, https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/MG359
  • How do I grow lavender in the landscape?
    Lavender likes low humidity and drier conditions.  Soil should be well drained and plants need good air circulation.  Maybe try Phenomenal lavender.  Grow in a pot that is very well drained and don’t amend soil when planting in the ground. Prune as needed to open up plant.
    Publication: Lavender, https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/FP337
  • Which apple trees grow best in North Florida?
    You can grow a tree but it does not produce well due to lack of proper chill hours. Try the Shell apple which is more adapted to north parts of the counties.
    Our area may get 500-600 hours of chill generally.
    Publication: Dooryard Fruit, https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/MG248
  • What about edibles near saltwater?
    Many edibles won’t like saltwater intrusion.  Cowpeas, black eyed peas are the most salt tolerant. Some of the cuburbits (squash, pumpkin, zucchini, gourds) can tolerate some salt.
    Grow some plants in a protected area or in containers.  Consider some of the shrubby edibles that match the pH at the coastal sites.
    Publication: Soil Salinity and Vegetables, https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/media/sfylifasufledu/miami-dade/documents/disaster-preparation/post-hurricane-and-disaster/Soilsalinityinfodraft.pdf
  • How to protect plant from insects without pesticides, including squirrels?
    Reduce stressed by planting in the right spot and providing care.  You will also have many diverse plantings in a foodscape to allow beneficial to help manage pest. Monitoring the garden is very important to catch problems early and physically remove.  Consider safer options when pesticides are needed that are labeled for food crops.
    Might use some screening for small mammals and fencing for large animals. Motion activated sprinklers and scare devices such as ribbon, foils.  Chemical repellents that contain capsaicin.
    Publication: Natural Products for Pest Control, https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN197
  • Publication: Deterrents for Nuisance Wildlife, https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/UW371

 

  • What are the most common vegetables for small spaces?
    Some plants will need at least 12 inches of depth such as tomatoes.  Lots for winter edibles do well in small spaces and containers. Consider a patio version of the plant.  There are small selections of Pineapple guava and Pomegranate although they may produce smaller fruit.
  • How easy is it to grow in containers?
    You can grow in the ground with good soil and if you can work with plants on the ground.
    Containers allow you to create the right soil environment easy.  You do have to manage water carefully as the heat builds up.
    Publication: Growing Vegetables in Containers, https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/edibles/vegetables/growing-vegetables-in-containers/
  • What are the best tomatoes for the area?
    Determinate and cherry will perform a little better.  Choose early or mid producing plants to get fruit
    Panelist’s favorites are:
    Everglades and Sungold, Early Girl, Cherokee Purple is an heirloom
  • What edibles can handle full sun?
    Most fruit plants like sun since they are needing lots of energy.  Water must be available when rainfall is lacking.
  • Three fruit trees have not produced in 3 years. What do we need to do?
    We really need to know what they are first.  Do they need a plant for cross pollination? Are they flowering but not fruiting? How are they planted? Deep planting will cause a plant to struggle.  Contact your Agent for more help.
  • Will glyphosate residues from a fall application carry over to spring?
    Chemicals are regulated extensively so follow the label directions for safety. There should not be residue issues with this pesticide.
    Try to manage weeds with other techniques like mulches, handpulling, directed watering, soil solarization, etc.
    Publication: Use of Glyphosate and Herbicide Alternatives for Weed Control in Florida Landscape Planting Beds, https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/ep580
  • What are some native plants for foodscaping?
    Blueberries, blackberries, Chickasaw plum, pecans, persimmons, Maypop, Mulberry.
    Use native plants to attract animals such as beautyberry.
  • Where can we find compost?
    Cotton gin to get cotton gin trash will need to be composted first. Manure from equestrian centers or zoos.  Make sure it is composted too.
    Peanut processing facility.
    Escambia County has bloom compost from ECUA.
  • Note: Amended soil with compost can be flammable. Ash can benefit garden if needed. Test soil pH first so you don’t add too much.

 

 

Be a Better Gardener with Raised Beds

Be a Better Gardener with Raised Beds

by | Mar 16, 2023

With the arrival of spring weather in the Panhandle, many people have begun planning a vegetable garden.  However, many gardeners that I talk to tell me more of their gardening frustrations than successes.  I surmise the main reason for their frustration is simply doing what gardeners have done across centuries and all over the world, planting in the ground.  That’s a great strategy in many places; unfortunately, in the Panhandle, we are not often blessed with great soil.  We can overcome our poor soil conditions and be more successful by going above ground with raised beds! 

Gardening in raised beds has three primary benefits for area gardeners: the ability to control soil conditions, reduce disease problems, and be space efficient.  The first raised bed benefit is the most critical.  Soil in and around much of the Panhandle is sandy in nature with little rich organic matter.  To make matters worse, much of our native soil is either too well-drained and dries out rapidly or is the opposite and frequently stands in water – neither is conducive to garden success.  We can alleviate all the above issues by creating our own perfectly draining, nutrient-rich soil environment inside a raised bed.  One can either make their own soil concoction by experimenting with different ratios of compost, aged pine bark, peat moss, perlite, etc. or simply purchase bagged garden soil.  I use either 100% mushroom compost or a 1:1 mix of mushroom compost & aged pine bark, but many soil component combinations work well.  

Cabbage grown in a 4’x8′ raised bed. The soil media is mostly mushroom compost. Photo courtesy of Daniel Leonard.

Gardening in raised beds can also dramatically reduce the incidence of disease.  Many of the most serious vegetable garden diseases like Bacterial Wilt and Late Blight in tomato are soilborne, surviving for years in the ground and only needing a splash of rainwater to transfer them onto your vegetable plants.  Growing in beds with curated soil mostly alleviates this issue.  Our sandy soils also tend to have damaging levels of difficult to control nematodes (microscopic round worms that feed on plant roots).  Because nematodes prefer porous sandy ground, switching to raised beds with rich organic soils also removes that concern. 

Finally, growing in raised bed gardens allows for a very efficient use of space.  A typical raised bed is 4’x8’ in diameter, meaning you can site one nearly anywhere, regardless of how big or small your yard is.  You don’t even need a yard space in some cases!  If you have only a sunny porch or driveway, you can certainly mimic raised bed conditions with large containers.  Most people are surprised by the amount of produce that you can pack into one or several 32 square foot raised garden beds, especially when you pay attention to plant mature size and group accordingly.  The square foot gardening method is a great way to maximize raised bed produce yield. 

If you have struggled in past years to produce a fruitful, high-yielding, mostly disease-free garden, your problem might be below your feet in the soil.  As you plan your vegetable gardening activities this year, try gardening in raised beds and get ready for your best gardening season yet!  For more information about vegetable gardening, raised bed construction, or any other horticultural topic, contact your local UF/IFAS County Extension office.  Happy Gardening!

Tips on Building Raised Bed Gardens

Tips on Building Raised Bed Gardens

by | Nov 10, 2022

Want to grow a vegetable garden but don’t know where to start?

Raised bed gardens give you the ability to put a garden anywhere you have at least six hours of sunlight and access to water, regardless of your native soil type.

See the fact sheet below (Or Click Here for the downloadable PDF version!) for tips on how to build a raised bed vegetable garden. And be sure to reach out to your local Extension office with any questions!

Page 1 of the Building Raised Bed Gardens Fact Sheet created by UF/IFAS Leon County.
Page 1 of the Building Raised Bed Gardens Fact Sheet created by UF/IFAS Leon County Extension.
Page 2 of the Building Raised Bed Gardens Fact Sheet created by UF/IFAS Leon County.
Page 2 of the Building Raised Bed Gardens Fact Sheet created by UF/IFAS Leon County Extension.

Using Clover as a Winter Garden Cover Crop

Using Clover as a Winter Garden Cover Crop

by | Jan 20, 2022

One of the major recent movements in production agriculture has been the widespread adoption of cover crops.  This practice gives farmers a host of benefits, from erosion prevention to nutrient retention and recycling.  However, using cover crops isn’t just for large scale farming operations.  Hobby vegetable gardeners can absolutely employ similar systems on a smaller scale to reap the same benefits.  For the past two years, I’ve used Buckwheat to provide a soil building cover during the heat of summer between spring and fall gardens.  This winter, after my fall greens garden succumbed to frost, I decided to employ the same tactic with a mix of Red Clover (Trifolium pratense), White Clover (Trifolium Repens), and Crimson Clover (Trifolium incarnatum) to enhance my soil during the coldest months until spring tomato planting arrives!

Clover mix used as a cool season cover crop in raised beds. Photo courtesy Daniel Leonard.

While there are many different species of plants (rye, oats, wheat, various brassicas, etc.) that can be planted in November or December as cool season covers to deliver benefits like winter weed suppression, enhance soil organic matter, retain and harvest leftover nutrients, and provide habitat for beneficial insects, I chose Clover for an additional reason.  In addition to the above benefits, Clover is a legume and also fixes atmospheric nitrogen, making it available for subsequent plantings!  Not only is Clover an excellent soil cover, but it also provides some nitrogen fertilizer to the following vegetable garden!

Growing Clover, while not quite as simple as Buckwheat or small grain covers like oats and rye, is relatively easy for most gardeners.  The first step is selecting which clover species and/or variety to grow.  I chose a mix of Crimson, White, and Red Clover simply because I had several pounds of each left over from a previous field planting.  However, any one of the three may be used by themselves or in various combinations.  All are excellent choices for garden cover crops and have similar growing requirements.  Crimson Clover is the most readily available, but all three species can be found at most farm and garden supply stores.

The next step is to prep your garden beds for clover seeding.  I thoroughly remove weeds from my raised beds, lightly till the top couple of inches of soil, and rake to provide a level surface.  Since clover seed is tiny, a smooth, clean seedbed is a must for excellent germination.  Once this is done, your next should determine how much seed to plant.  Recommended clover seeding rates are usually given on a per acre basis and range from 3-4 lbs/acre (White Clover) to 20-25 lbs/acre (Crimson Clover).  Given these seeding rates, planting in a 4’x8’ (32 ft2) raised bed is only going to require a miniscule amount of seed.

Clover mix used as a cool season cover crop in raised beds. Photo courtesy of Daniel Leonard.

To ensure a good stand while minimizing risk of overplanting, I mix equal parts clover seed and either sand, vermiculite, or other media similar in size to clover seed and hand scatter over the surface of my beds, making sure to uniformly cover the entire bed.  If you think the stand is too thick, you can always hand-thin after emergence.

As a group, clovers prefer moist soil that is not allowed to dry out completely.  This isn’t usually a problem given the Panhandle’s frequent rainy cold fronts in winter, but if rainfall is inconsistent, some irrigation will be required.  Supplemental fertilizer isn’t normally necessary when planting a clover cover in vegetable gardens because nutrients remaining from the previous veggie crops are usually sufficient for growth and development (N especially is not needed as legumes produce their own through N fixation).  2-3 weeks before you’re ready to plant your spring veggies, chop the clover cover into the top few inches of your bed to terminate it and release its nutrients back into the garden.  It’s that easy!

Planting a winter legume cover crop like clover is a great way to harness the benefits of cover crops for your spring veggies and enhance the aesthetics of your otherwise barren and drab garden beds!  For more information about growing winter cover crops or any other horticultural topic, contact your local UF/IFAS County Extension office.  Happy Gardening!

Video: Growing and Preparing Horseradish

Video: Growing and Preparing Horseradish

by | Jan 22, 2021

Grow your own horseradish in your home garden. You can then harvest roots to make a delicious, spicy sauce for your favorite dish. Learn outdoor care and kitchen prep with UF IFAS Extension Escambia County. #gardentotable #homegrown #homegardening