As the summer heat continues, community gardens in Jacksonville are experiencing weed overgrowth and fungal disease and gardeners are facing harsh working conditions.
Jacksonville has a wide variety of community gardens that residents can use to grow produce. However, Florida summers can be difficult for these gardens. Northeast Florida has a subtropical climate, with inland and coastal Northeast Florida falling in the U.S. Department of Agriculture zones 9a and 9b, respectively.
Because Florida’s hot and humid, plants that normally survive summer can struggle in the Sunshine State, according to the National Center for Appropriate Technology.
Risks to gardeners and tending challenges
The heat can also be dangerous to people maintaining the gardens. Randolph Olfus, a staff member at the University of North Florida’s Ogier Gardens, said that he almost got hurt working in the heat…