Culinary Opportunities in the Florida Garden

Andrea Light
Jul 6
3 min read

Florida’s extended growing season and abundant sunshine make the perfect opportunity for creating a culinary herb garden. Culinary herbs offer a low maintenance option with less pest and disease issues than many other plants. Culinary herbs usually require well-draining soil, a little sun, and not much else. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a beginner, in Florida you can enjoy fresh herbs at nearly any time of year.

Rosemary

Florida has an abundance of culinary opportunities for the garden, but rosemary is a wonderful place to start. In addition to adding flavor to your food, rosemary can make a

show stopping topiary in the ground or can be kept in a container and pruned to a smaller size. This plant can reach up to six feet tall, and over four feet wide. Originally from the Mediterranean, rosemary is drought tolerant but suffers when watered too frequently. It thrives in full sun and

may need protection from prolonged freezes in colder regions. Used fresh or dry, rosemary is an excellent choice to enhance your recipes. Look for the scientific name Salvia rosmarinus.

Basil

Another all-star herb is basil (Ocimum spp). This versatile herb can be grown indoors or outside in the garden. The plant comes in a multitude of varieties and delivers an equal choice of flavors. Sweet basil, such as ‘Genovese,’ is often used for pesto because of its large leaf size. Whereas, Thai basil is commonly used in Asian cuisine due to its distinct spicy flavor. ‘Marseillaise Dwarf’ is a popular French variety for overall flavor, and it only grows to about a foot tall. Basil prefers warm temperatures and is usually grown as an annual in most of Florida. Once the nighttime temperatures reach above 55 degrees, it can be planted outside from seed.

Turmeric

The part of turmeric commonly used in cuisine is the rhizome which grows underground. The edible showy leaves are tropical looking in the garden, and they can be used as wraps like cabbage or banana leaves. The plant will die back in winter, but it returns from dormancy in late spring. This common ingredient is used in everything from curries to mustard.

Considered a reliable perennial plant in the Florida garden, turmeric is a good garden bet. Look for the scientific name Curcuma longa. Turmeric is best planted from rhizomes in early spring.

Oregano

Appearing is everything from Mediterranean to Italian dishes, oregano is an aromatic wonder to

grow in the garden. Propagation is just as flexible because oregano can be grown from cuttings, seed, or division. This herb can reach twenty-four inches tall and eighteen inches wide. Oregano needs full sun to partial shade and has a moderate tolerance to drought. The flowers attract pollinators. Harvest the leaves just as the buds are forming to get the best flavor. This little plant is a wonderful addition to an herb garden or landscape and can be grown in containers as well. Look for the scientific name Origanum vulgare.

Dill

Dill (Anethum graveolens) is used in pickling and as a flavor in dishes and dips. In fact, dill counts as two herbs. The leaves make the familiar taste that goes with pickling and the seeds are known as coriander, which is another excellent addition to cooking. Dill in Florida is

planted from seed from September until December. However, you can also plant it in the spring. Even the flowers of dill are edible. Dill has the potential to grow to around four feet tall in the outdoor garden. ‘Long Island Mammoth,’ is a variety that performs well in Florida. It can be planted in full sun to partial shade, but it is not tolerant to drought.

There are so many options in Florida for growing herbs. If you choose to do so, you’re just a step away from a year-round source of freshness and flavor. Check out our herb guide for information on the many wonderful culinary options at: https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/edibles/ vegetables/herbs/