Florida bound, shout out to local Permies!

Shout out to all Floridian Permies!

I want to do some networking so drop me a line! More than likely heading to central Florida to set my roots around the Melbourne area. I have spent so much time on research for North Carolina climates but now I am going to have to transition the focus further south. I will have to let go of sourwood and pawpaws, but I get to embrace citrus, avocado, and olives. I am ambitious, and I do like to stress my limits on what I can grow.



So clearly snowy winters are long gone. My hardiness map places me at 9b which is very flexible for many plants I want. Just from the tip of my mind;

Almond
Apple - yes you still can
Avocado - Mexican varieties with higher oil content
Banana - there are frost tolerant varieties
Bay
Citrus
Coffee - tricky
Fig
Florida Pennyroyal - good tea, excellent honey.
Guava
Macadamia - tricky
Mango - need more research
Miracle Fruit
Moringa
Mullberry
Muscadines
Olive
Passion Fruit
Pears
Pineapple
Plantain
Pomegranate
Sapodilla
Soapnut
Sugarcane
Starfruit

I am at the beginning phase of planning so suggestions on techniques, guilds and cultivars are much much appreciated. Might still need a greenhouse or bioshelter for some of the things I am interested in growing. Also I got to switch my focus to hazards such as mosquito and flood control and the occasional hurricane. Looking to encourage bat colonies. Terraforming will be more challenging with the low water table and sandy soil......I will miss Carolina clay. I was a Florida native years ago so I am not completely unfamiliar with the area thankfully.

Bon Voyage!

And as you are traveling through Georgia, might I suggest a rest stop at the Coastal Georgia Botanical Garden, it's just south of the Clarence Thomas interchange (I kid you not, they really named a freeway interchange after him). You can take a look at all the exotic varieties of bamboo they have. Maybe one of those will even fit in with your future permie plans.

Head a little further southwest and visit ECHO. www.echonet.org. They have a wonderful nursery and many of the plants you listed are available for sale. Check out my topic starter ECHO as I posted some pics. Blessings...Hugh

Hey guys, thanks for the suggestions. I have a lot of research to do obviously, but I also need to find an area to invest in around the Melbourne area. In the next 3 years I plan on spending roughly $300,000 on property (maybe 3,000ish per acre). My goal would be to find something close to 100 acres but I may settle for less with the prospect of expanding.

I have a LOT more to say on central florida 9b (because that is where I live), but I just wanted to jump in really quick and let you know that pawpaws are not off the list. There are 8 native pawpaw species here in Florida. They can all be purchased from Pietro's Pawpaws. Here are the details for them:
https://plus.google.com/113120857708535707183/about?gl=us&hl=en
http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/giam/plants_and_grasses/trees/pawpaw.html

Pietro's is attending Seminole Springs Herb Farm's Spring Festival this weekend (5/17/14) if you want to check them out there. They usually only bring half their varieties (4 types). They do grow all 8 varieties though.

Tim Eastham wrote:I have a LOT more to say on central florida 9b (because that is where I live), but I just wanted to jump in really quick and let you know that pawpaws are not off the list. There are 8 native pawpaw species here in Florida. They can all be purchased from Pietro's Pawpaws. Here are the details for them:
https://plus.google.com/113120857708535707183/about?gl=us&hl=en
http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/giam/plants_and_grasses/trees/pawpaw.html

Pietro's is attending Seminole Springs Herb Farm's Spring Festival this weekend (5/17/14) if you want to check them out there. They usually only bring half their varieties (4 types). They do grow all 8 varieties though.

I did not know that! Wow, I will definitely follow this link.

Welcome to Florida. There are so many plant choices here, many plants do well together once the soil is built. You have your choice of native nitro fixers and non native. Ice Cream Bean is an edible nitro fixer that may grow in 9B - love that tree. Pigeon pea loves Florida. There are a few of us talking about creating intentional community on acreage. Have you ever considered doing that?

Koreen Brennan
http://www.growpermacutlure.com

The handful of Melbourne permies would love to meet you. I live on two acres just east of the airport with lots of mangoes, avocados (of several races), mulberries, bananas, moringas, annonas, dragon fruit, papaya, pineapples and bamboo. My citrus are in decline from "greening", so I no longer replant them. Hugelkulture pond berms is the terraforming that I do. Would love to compare notes and share my successes and challenges. The Brevard Tropical Fruit Club meets in Melbourne monthly.

Rogers John wrote:The handful of Melbourne permies would love to meet you. I live on two acres just east of the airport with lots of mangoes, avocados (of several races), mulberries, bananas, moringas, annonas, dragon fruit, papaya, pineapples and bamboo. My citrus are in decline from "greening", so I no longer replant them. Hugelkulture pond berms is the terraforming that I do. Would love to compare notes and share my successes and challenges. The Brevard Tropical Fruit Club meets in Melbourne monthly.

Awesome man! I am currently trying to relocate to the area near or at Melbourne Fl. I am glad to hear that moringas, annonas, dragon fruit, and pineapples grow well there. I am literally at the cusp of migrating to the area. Lots of engineering opportunities but naturally difficult to establish roots as an entry level. I would definitely hit you up on that offer for a meetup.

Okay, I accepted a position offered to me and it is now official! I will be moving to Melbourne in a matter of weeks and would love to join a group of permaculture enthusiasts local to the area for some networking.

A friend and i are putting in a food forest on a couple of acres south of Sarasota. Any local permies on that side of FL that would like to meet up. We'd like to see your set-up. Most of my experience is in other climes.

Fred Tyler wrote:A friend and i are putting in a food forest on a couple of acres south of Sarasota. Any local permies on that side of FL that would like to meet up. We'd like to see your set-up. Most of my experience is in other climes.

Hey Fred, if you were east coast I would be game!

Please email me when you get settled near Melbourne and I'll introduce you to a few local permies and show you my suburban homestead. bamboojohn@hotmail.com

Hey I would love to meet up and trade plants with you all. I have potted Loquat, cannas, sage, cardamom ginger, and spiderwort right now, along with Cowpea and hibiscus sabdariffa seeds. Also New Zealand rabbit kits and rabbit manure. Come see pictures of everything I have for trade.willing to drive to meet up.
http://eatyoursand.blogspot.com
Thanks!
Chrissy, Lead Grower at Eat Your Sand