Zone 11 help?

Joined
Apr 8, 2016
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Location
key west
Hardiness Zone
9b
Country
United States
hi all!

I live in Key West, FL. Various sources on the internet have told me that I reside in zone 11, but there is very little information available beyond that, seemingly because we don't have frosts down here. My first attempt at growing a few veggies ended mostly in failure or small yields, and I suspect this has to do with when I planted the veggies and how hot it got as they started to mature. We may not have frost, but we have intense heat and sun that can be a big pain too!

My primary goal is to Learn what plants will thrive here and when. Other zone 11 gardeners, I would greatly appreciate your input!
 
Joined
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Location
Colima, Mexico
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USDA Zone 11
Country
Mexico
Hello, Zone 11 here. I don't grow vegetables or food for human consumption, but the people who do usually grow most vegetables under structures of shade screen or in natural occurring shade...mostly leafy greens, tomatoes (in zone 11 grow in the shade or filtered sun), plus most of the cabbage family foods, etc. There are also lots of vegetables that will grow naturally in zone 11 sun and heat and many fruits as well. The Moringa o. Tree for example makes a great vegetable and leafy greens and salad greens in zone 11 and all parts are edible, plus it is a superfood. It will grow very tall and people who grow it commercially keep the trees pruned to about 8 to 10 feet tall in order to easily harvest the leaves and fruits. I have never done a search because i do not have a vegetable garden, but if i did, i would search "vegetables and fruits that grow in USDA Zone 11" or, better yet "vegetables and fruits that grow in tropical climates". This should yield quite a lot of information, including information about foods you have never heard of. Zone 11 often will produce 2 (or even 3) crops per year. Generally the term "tropical climates" includes usda zones 10 through 13.
 

Brandie

Mandrake Momma
Joined
Jun 20, 2016
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Location
San Diego
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10
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United States
I'm in zone 10, gets pretty hot here and I found a solar shade to be so helpful. Protects from scorching heat, yet still allows enough sun for the plants to produce and not die!
Especially my tomato plants!
 
Joined
May 23, 2016
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Well I would think you would do the best with tropical fruits and vegetables. You should be able to even grow bannanas there I would think. I guess citrus crops galore would grow down there. I think it would be fun thinking about what you could grow. However, like the others said, it seems like protection from the sun, would be your chief concern there. It has got to be intense. I wish you luck!
 

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