Florida Native Gardening: A Brief Introduction

One of the best things about living in Florida is the abundance of plants and wildlife. One of the reasons for this is our amazing climate. We rarely get frost in the Central and Southern parts of Florida, and almost never get snow. Even in droughts, we have more rain than a lot of other states. We also have diversity in our climate. We have beach, scrub, wetland, and forested areas all at our fingertips. Florida really is one of those rare places where, with lots of love and perseverance, you can grow anything. That being said, you don't get the perfect garden all by chance. You do still have to put a good bit of work into it. Some plants do better in pots, some plants work better in shade, you have to devote some of your time and effort in to figuring out just how you're going to put your garden together, and how much work you can afford to put into it.

What Comes Natural

One of the first rules with gardening, is that you have an easier time of it when you work with nature and not against it. This means that the easiest garden you can design is one that makes use of mostly native plants. Florida native plants have been tested, by time and nature, and have proven to be highly able to survive in the environment. This means that our native plant species are typically more drought tolerant, pest tolerant, and more hardy.

Florida has a host of little climates that all work best with different plants. Find out which one you're located in. Figure out what kind of soil you have, how long the growing season is, how hot it gets, how cold it gets, how much rain do you get, and at what time of year it tends to rain the most.

From there, figure out your personal space. Where on your property are you planning on setting aside the space to garden? Do you want to plan a raised bed? Or are you just going to plant in the ground? Do you want to plant in the shade, or full sun? What works best for me is to do a combination of planting in the ground and planting in containers/raised beds. That might not work for you. Do a little soul searching and figure out just where you want to build your garden.

Once you have a place for your garden, then you can begin to figure out which plants will fit best.

Find Beauty in Unexpected Places

Most people would be surprised at how many beautiful plants are native to their area. People I encounter are constantly surprised at how beautiful some of the plants I find are. And most of these plants are “weeds” and are typically not allowed to grow to their full, beautiful, potential before they are yanked out of the ground. Purslane is a common weed here in Central Florida. Not only is it really easy to grow, it has beautiful flowers, and its a super-nutritious edible!

However, many species are endangered so don't just go around grabbing up every wild plant you see. There are some great tools online to help you find the right plant for your Florida garden. Check out the Florida NativePlant Society for a great database that is arranged by county. You can even find some awesome plant nurseries that specialize in Florida Natives and Florida-Friendly plants. 

Plants Need Friends Too

Companion planting is a great way to help your garden succeed. It does mean that you're going to have to do a little more research, but it's well worth it! Plants work together in their environment. Some plants enrich the soil. Some plants ward off pests. Some plants provide shade or height that other plants can take advantage of. Either way, companion planting is the way to go.

Other plants aren't the only friends your garden might enjoy. Beneficial insects can help your garden remain free of pests. Butterflies and birds can help make your garden more beautiful. You might want to help the declining bee population in your area. Certain other animals may help keep your home free of unwanted pests as well. Whatever the reason, you may want to figure out which plants attract beneficial insects and animals to your garden.

If you decide that gardening is the hobby for you, or you want to start your own little farm, there are so many resources out there to find. A good basic gardening introduction can be found at Jen Reviews. I encourage everyone to try their hand at growing at least one plant. Who knows, you may even get hooked?

I hope these tips prove to be helpful. Feel free to ask questions or comment below! I also enjoy seeing pictures of your amazing gardens!

Resources:

Florida-Friendly Landscaping: http://floridayards.org/fyplants/

Florida Native Gardening: Your Florida Backyard: http://www.nsis.org/garden/garden-native.html

Florida Native Plant Society: http://www.fnps.org/home/

Florida Native Plants Nursery: http://www.floridanativeplants.com/index.html

How to Start a Garden: Jen Reviews: https://www.jenreviews.com/how-to-start-a-garden/

Plant Real Florida: http://www.plantrealflorida.org/

Bitter is Better

     I am a huge fan of foraging, wildcrafting, and ethnobotany. As a result, I have been on many “wild weed walks.” Some of these have been strictly about food, some about medicinal properties. There is one plant that I have encountered a few times, on both kinds of walks, but until this summer I never had the pleasure of having it grow in my own back yard. Bitter Melon Momordica charantia is strikingly attractive, but terribly stinky (smells like old gym shoes). This vine has attractive green leaves, yellow flowers, and fruit that starts off green, but as it matures it turns a bright orange. When it’s finally ripe, it splits open in three parts, showing off the red arils (a fleshy coating around a seed). In Florida, it is considered a class II invasive, which means it is spreading in the wild but hasn’t done any significant habitat damage. It is, however, a major problem for citrus growers. Which means it’s great for those of us who like to harvest wild plants for food and/or herbal uses!

    Bitter melon, also called bitter gourd or wild balsam apple, is commonly used in the traditional dishes of many cultures, but it is only edible when it is green. It is toxic when ingested raw and has been attributed to several accidental pet deaths, dogs are particularly susceptible. The young leaves are also edible when cooked and drained. Bitter melon is packed full of wonderful nutrients, if you can get past the bitterness.

    A side note on the bitter flavor profile. In the USA, our diets are full of things that are not very good for us. This is causing most health professionals to see a major increase in digestive upset and disorders. One of the things we are lacking in our diets that could help with these issues is the bitter taste profile. Americans only really have one bitter flavor that they consume, and that’s coffee. Those of us that drink beer have another bitter flavor to add, but we even breed the “bitter” out of our greens now, mildly flavored greens are way more popular. The bitter flavor activates our bile production in our digestive tract. Bile helps us to digest fats and absorb more nutrients. If you consume something bitter at the beginning of (or even before) the meal, your digestion will improve greatly. Bitter flavors also helps with addictions, especially for those of us who are addicted to sugar because it helps to curb our cravings for sweets. If we would just add in a little bitter to our diets, we’d be much healthier as a nation.

    So, after that rant let’s get back to this wonderful plant. Bitter melon might be used as an edible, but it is best known for its medicinal properties. In recent years, I have seen a number of advertisements for various nutritional supplements that include bitter melon. These adds are targeting diabetics and people who want to lose weight and look young. Well, they’re not all wrong. Bitter melon is high in a number of vitamins and minerals, but it is particularly high in those that are considered antioxidants. Recently, there has also been lots of scientific research done on this plant. Most scientific studies have shown that the fruit has lots of promise in treating diabetes. Some doctors even recommend that diabetic patients eat the green fruit, or drink the juice of the same, on a daily basis. However, alcohol extracts (tinctures or bitters), while still working wonders on digestion, do not have an effect on diabetes. This is probably due to the alcohol part of the extract, as alcohol can have a detrimental effect on insulin levels.

    Traditional uses of this amazing plant abound. It detoxifies the blood and colon. It has been used, in other countries, to combat HIV/AIDS as well as certain types of cancers (including leukemia). Some cultures even believe that it can cure leprosy. The Amazonian natives use the leaf tea internally for diabetes and as a carminative (relieves flatulence), and topically for wound care, sores, and infections. It is also used, both internally and externally, to get rid of worms and parasites. In the traditional medicines of both Asia and Africa, it is used for digestive complaints, as a laxative, to enhance metabolism, and to increase both blood circulation and immunity. It is used in Ayurveda (the traditional Indian medical system) to help control fever, purify the blood, and reduce jaundice. Ayurveda also lists the gourd as beneficial to the liver, skin, and to help with “windy complaints.” Asians, Panamanians, and Columbians also use bitter melon to treat malaria. The list of benefits from this plant can go on, and on. It really is amazingly useful.

    I know that I already covered the fact that this plant can be toxic. However I wanted to stress caution with this plant as the nature of its toxicity is tied to its medicinal uses. Bitter melon toxicity causes “violent loss of fluids from both ends.” Pregnant women should avoid using this plant as it can cause spontaneous abortions. Also exercise caution with this plant if you are hypoglycemic because it can lower your insulin level to a dangerous level.

Resources:

Eat the Weeds: http://www.eattheweeds.com/bitter-gourd-balsam-pear-pharmacy-on-a-fence/

Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council: http://www.fleppc.org/

International Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences: http://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijnfs.20150401.21.pdf

Prodifact: http://www.prodifact.com/1momordica-charantia.html

Wild South Florida: http://www.wildsouthflorida.com/bitter.melon-balsam.apple.html#.V3wob_krLIU