Can I bring plants from Cape Cod to Florida in the fall?

13 years ago

I have an amazing strawberry patch on Cape Cod with tons of runners. I've read the Canadian farms send their plants to Florida farms. I just spent hundreds on annuals (I saw banana plants at the garden center, that was a first!) and wondered if I could bring some of them back in October.

I know that Florida has issues with citrus, but does it apply to garden plants or other fruits?

I was in Sarasota last week and it was dry, dry, dry. I watered and watered. It's dry on Cape Cod too.

Thanks, Guys!

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Comments (6)

loufloralcityz9
13 years ago
pabrocb,

I'm not sure you wouldn't have issues at the inspection station on entering Florida. You could probably sneak a few small strawberry plants through if you kept them hidden and didn't stop at the plant inspection station and buzz right by on I-95. But if you are planning to bring your garden in on a trailer with bushes & trees flapping in the breeze, I'm sure you'll be stopped & possibly fined.

It would actually be better to buy local plants acclimated to Florida's climate as most of the northern plants would not survive the heat here. I'm a transplant from New Hampshire and learned the hard way all your fruit trees have to be low chill hours type trees or you will have beautiful shade trees but no fruit. I bought fruit trees from the same nursery's (mail order)that I used when I lived up north and now I have a nice orchard that never makes any fruit just shade.

Lou
goldenpond
13 years ago
I was told strawberries need a cold spell.The strawberry gardeners I talked to bought new plants each year.
Your first year I would concentrate on reading EVERY thing about Florida gardening and SOILS! join a garden club and/or Native plant society.
Do you have soil or sand in Cape Cod,I have never been there so I do not know.
Visit your County EX Service in fact Google the IFAS site it will be great help to you!
Good Luck and get ready for the garden ride of a lifetime!!!!
My mom and in laws are snowbirds and don't move a thing.
We welcome YOU!
tanya
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florah
13 years ago
A friend and I just talked about this topic. She went to her local inspection station up north, paid $ 50 to have three houseplants inspected and got the paperwork. She stopped at the agricultural inspection station at the gates to Florida.

When the agents saw her plants and paperwork, they couldn't stop laughing. They told her that she must be the only housewife who imported her houseplants legally.

That said, I wouldn't bring any outdoor plants to Florida.
linda_leaf _z10a_southwest_fl
13 years ago
You will find that gardening in Florida is way different than Cape Cod. Strawberries are a Winter/Spring crop as are a lot of vegetables. When it gets to be Summer in Florida, it's tough to grow the fruits and vegetables you grew in the North. Some of your Northen annuals will grow in November through March (with a little help during frosty nights), but they will "melt" when the hot weather comes in April. Do check with your county extention service. They have a ton of information for you. My advice for you would be to leave all your plants in Cape Cod. They can bring happiness to your friends and loved ones. There are so many Florida plants for you here. It is just amazing how fast they grow, and the wondeful scents they provide is heavenly.
Linda Leaf
goldenpond
13 years ago
Biggest lesson we probably all learned about non Florida Friendly plants..
When a plant instruction sheet says FULL SUN they don't mean Florida's Full sun!!! LOL
pabrocb
Original Author
13 years ago
I'm sorry, I wasn't specific enough, IÃ¢ÂÂm a relatively new snowbird. This was our first year in Florida.
I did a lot of gardening. We bought a house that had "garden neglect". For us, the freeze was helpful. After a lot of clearing out, I planted Florida native plants, bushes and vines, citrus, avocado trees, and some annuals in the 50's concrete planter out front.
I could see on my recent visit that I should have planted cacti in the planter, and will next year. I just didn't want all my northern annuals to just die. TheyÃ¢ÂÂd do well in the winter in 9b.
Oh, and Cape Cod is one big sand bar, especially because we are on a hill.

Can I bring plants from Cape Cod to Florida in the fall?

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loufloralcityz9

goldenpond

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Can I bring plants from Cape Cod to Florida in the fall?

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loufloralcityz9

goldenpond

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