Forty-three years ago, the folk herbalist Willow LaMonte began organic gardening on her mother’s farm in western Massachusetts. Since moving to the Bay area in 2004, she has been broadening the horizons of gardeners in her adopted home state of Florida, sharing her expertise in workshops like the recent “What About My Summer Garden?” at Sweetwater Organic Community Farm, the final presentation in the farm's 2012-2013 season.
Under a canopy of trees, LaMonte unloaded dozens of plants from her car — sugar cane, taro, yuca and more, all of which she grows in Valrico at Willow Herbal Delight Gardens, her organic nursery. According to LaMonte, Central Floridians are able to grow food year-round.
Tropical and subtropical edibles do especially well in the heat, humidity and longer growing days of summer. They're also immune to disease and act as insect combatants. Summer-friendly Everglades and Currant tomatoes grow unfazed by the heat. Currants are sweet, small and welcome the salinity of the coast. Once upon a time, they even grew wild in Hillsborough County.
LaMonte recommends against using raised beds for tropical plants, contending they need drainage and sandy Florida soil instead. And even when summer rains wash organic matter out of the soil, our area sees the highest lightning frequency in the state, and those lightning strikes provide the soil with nitrogen for plants to absorb.
Mulching is essential to Florida food gardening, whether in summer or winter. Mulch helps plant soil stay moist, and protects the soil temperature throughout the seasons.
Potted tomato plants need mulch to alleviate driness and weather stresses. And LaMonte said mulching sweet potatoes, including boniato, with bananas and additional perennials will allow the potatoes to last for years.
LaMonte believes oak is the best material for mulch, increasing organic matter in the soil and warding off nematodes (a common Florida pest). Another good mulching substance is Spanish moss. Referring to the moss as “a part of Florida gardening heritage we need to let people know about,” LaMonte talked about how farmers used to crush Spanish moss into a compost tea to fertilize plants. She has tried it herself, and found it a good way to guard against mosquito larvae.
Unlike oak and Spanish moss, seaweed from the Gulf of Mexico should never be used to mulch, LaMonte said. Seaweed decreases stress and kills diseases in plants, but the Gulf variety can also contaminate a garden with toxins. (Try a species local to the northern portion of the state, says LaMonte, where waters are less polluted than Tampa Bay.)
Pruning, or cutting back, garden tropicals is key. Take peppers, for example. Once a pepper plant becomes bushy, says LaMonte, it'll need a haircut. The majority of tropicals will live longer if pruned.
“Don’t be afraid to prune,” she said. “Be afraid not to prune.”
A Florida summer does bring one significant danger to plants: the sun. LaMonte said no plant should ever be exposed to full sun in Florida. Most plants will accept morning sun and afternoon shade, and many also prefer it. Mints, peppers and Japanese eggplants are each fond of shade.
LaMonte, with plants, organic seeds and books in tow, will transition to the Saturday Morning Market’s summer location at Williams Park in St. Petersburg on June 1. On June 18, she is hosting a similar workshop, “Growing Tropical Edibles,” inside her Valrico nursery from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. For directions or more information contact LaMonte at 813-643-7285.
This article appears in May 30 – Jun 5, 2013.