Ground
Soil, mulch, and rain
Much of Orange County is sand that drains and then dries. Summer is the opposite problem: daily rain, humid nights, and leaf spots. Florida-Friendly mulch conserves water and keeps soil from packing. Keep mulch off stems. Water the root in the morning when the week is actually dry.
Sand
Add compost as a thin, repeated dressing rather than a one-time dump. Raised beds help where yards flood. Do not fight a lake with a tomato.
Mulch
Two to three inches, pulled back from the stem. Replenish as it breaks down. That is the FFL mulch principle in one motion.
Rainy-season fungus
Overhead watering at dusk in July is how leaf spots win. Water soil, not flowers. Space plants. Pull the worst leaves. Lady beetles do not eat fungus; they eat the insects that often come with stressed plants.
Questions
Should every bed be amended to loam?
Florida sand will stay sand. Compost and mulch are the practical tools. A northern loam recipe is a different climate.
Sources
- Florida-Friendly Landscaping. Nine principles for Florida yards.
- UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions. Home-garden hub.
- Vegetable gardening in Florida. Crops for Florida seasons.