Lulling Your Garden Beds to Sleep

We love William Horvath’s information about permaculture and growing food.  His website, Permaculture Apprentice, can be accessed from the Permaculture Resources list on the right sidebar.  You can sign up on his site to receive his periodic emails   They always furnish tons of great information to inspire your gardening.  If you’re interested in learning more about permaculture, he offers excellent online courses.   

His latest offering is detailed information about improving your garden soil during fallow periods.  While it refers to gardens in cooler climates with no winter crop, this method can be used any time your garden beds are not in use for even short periods, or if some of your garden space is unused for a season, or any time you want to rejuvenate or boost your garden fertility.  It’s also good for annual ornamental beds in the off season.  

This method is a good idea to prepare for each new growing season, and doing it several weeks or months ahead gives soil organisms time to multiply and begin their work   

We share William’s information on putting your garden to sleep here:

“Imagine a lush and mature forest in the fall. Tall trees tower above, while diverse plants carpet the ground, and mushrooms sprout among them. As autumn progresses, trees shed their leaves, blanketing the forest floor, which is already full of plant debris. This rich organic matter layer made of dead plants and fallen leaves then creates a natural mulch atop the soil. Over the coming months, microorganisms slowly break down this mulch, recycling nutrients and delivering them to plant roots in spring. This is the process that creates that black, earth-smelling soil that's buzzing with life and full of nutrients! I want to help you mimic this process in your garden and prepare your garden beds for spring. If you are in the Northern Hemisphere, now is the best time to do this fall/winter soil building and improve the soil fertility of your overworked garden beds. I call this gardening project Putting Garden Beds to Sleep. So, let’s gently lull them to sleep, shall we? There are five simple steps to put your garden beds to sleep. STEP 1: Clean up the garden bed First, remove all weeds and plant debris from the garden bed. Pick up the dead and rotting vegetable parts and plants to eliminate the possibility of pests and diseases overwintering, and then restart in spring. Pull all weeds from the bed and dig their roots out; this will prevent them from taking over the bed in spring. STEP 2: Loosen up the soil Next, loosen up the soil a bit. This will add oxygen to the soil and help improve drainage before winter weather. Use a broad fork or pitchfork to do this. Here’s how this step looks like: Broadfork in Action STEP 3: Add soil helpers Now, inoculate your soil with helpers that will aid in decomposition and nutrient uptake. Unless the soil is already rich in soil life, add worms, mycorrhizal fungi, and beneficial bacteria. You can do this in a number of ways, from compost to compost tea and various inoculates you can make yourself (more on that some other time) STEP 4: Add organic materials and amendments Next, add soil amendments and compost to the beds. [Based on the results of a soil test] Depending on the nature of the deficiencies of your soil, you could use: Sulfur to lower the pH Lime to raise the pH Bonemeal or Phosphate Rock to increase phosphorus levels Alfalfa meal to improve the soil condition and nutrient composition. Kelp to supply a range of trace nutrients, as well as a dose of plant hormones. Wood Ash – to increase potassium levels and raise pH. Composted animal manure – to supply a variety of nutrients. Once you are done, spread generous amounts of compost, preferably from your compost pile or worm castings. Apply it in a 2 – 4 inch (5 – 10 cm) thick layer. Finally, work in the soil amendments and compost into the top 6 – 8 inches (15 – 20 cm) of the soil with a spade or digging fork. In my case, I’ve spread my not-fully-yet-decomposed compost, which will break down over the next 4-5 months. STEP 5. Add organic mulch for protection Lastly, add a layer of organic matter in the form of mulch. Mulch is like a warm blanket you spread over your garden to keep it safe and protected through the winter. A good mulch insulates the soil, keeping it from freezing or at least from freezing as deeply as it otherwise would. This allows soil organisms to remain active for much longer. It also prevents weeds from invading the dormant bed during winter, and as an icing on the cake, as it breaks down, it releases new nutrients into the ground. Leaves and leaf mold, grass clippings, straw, and hay are good choices for winter mulch. Spread the mulch evenly with your hands or rake. And that’s it. That’s how you lull your garden beds to sleep. You’ve added all these organic materials, and now it will start breaking down, enriching your soil, and becoming biologically active for your plants in the spring. Happy growing, -William”

All About Loofah Gourds and Sponges

The loofah gourds that have been growing all summer on the central arbor in the VegHeadz garden are maturing and ready for harvest. What do you do with a loofah gourd? Thanks to Master Gardener Peggy McDonald for the photos and this detailed information on growing and processing Loofah.

Natural loofahs or luffas are easy to grow from seed in your own backyard.  They produce biodegradable, environmentally friendly sponges from a gourd in the cucumber family. You may eat raw or cook small 6-inch loofah fruit as you would a squash or wait until the fruit matures to one and a half to two feet long to process into a vegetable sponge.

 Sow seeds in North Florida by mid-March directly in the ground in an area that has full sun, well-draining soil and always use a sturdy trellis or fence. Full sun means 6 hours of sunshine each day, but a little shade in the afternoon is okay. The seeds need to be planted about 1/2 inch deep and space them one foot apart. But be prepared, the vigorous vines can grow over ten feet long. Loofah-covered trellis arches can create a nice focal point in your garden.

 

These are annual vegetables, so they typically die in the winter. Our area, Zone 9a, can support two four-month growing seasons, one in the spring and another if planted in late July. If planted in the fall, try to pick the fruit before the first frost. 

 You may start harvesting when the skin of the gourd feels loose and pliable. Some say harvest when the fruit becomes light weight and the seeds rattle inside, others say wait for the loofah fruits to turn brown on the vine before harvesting them. Use clippers to cut the tough stems.

 

If you have timed it right, the skin will fall off very easily. Peel the brown skin off the fruit and you will be left with just the spongy, fibrous loofah sponge. But if the gourds are hard and brittle, let them soak in water for a few hours or overnight.

 

If you experience frost while growing a fall crop, harvest all the large fruit and peel them quickly before they decay. Some underdeveloped fruit may have fiber worth peeling. Throw each gourd hard to the ground. If the skin cracks, try peeling, if the gourd breaks throw it away. I do not suggest composting unless you can maintain a hot compost pile long enough to kill and break down the many large seeds.

 Submerge the peeled sponge in a bucket of warm water, squeeze and soon it will become flexible. Be sure to get rid of any pulp or slimy feeling by changing the water frequently.

 

The large black seeds can be removed by shaking the gourd over a container. To make it easier I cut my sponges into six-inch pieces and the seeds fall out easily. Each gourd will contain close to 100 seeds! If you do this outside in your garden be careful or you may have loofah seedlings coming up everywhere.

 

Leave the sponge to dry fully in the sun but rotate it so all sides get the same sun exposure. If there are brown spots on the loofah, you may use a very light 2% bleach solution (1 oz. or 2 tablespoons of bleach in 5 cups of water) for a few minutes, then rinse thoroughly. Do not soak overnight in bleach. I know from experience it causes the sponges to turn white and the fibers start to break down. Make sure the sponges are completely dry before storing.

 

Dry the seeds at room temperature for a few weeks and they will be ready for your next crop. Refrigerate or freeze in airtight containers for long term storage.

 

Natural loofahs are stronger and more abrasive than traditional sponges, making them better options for cleaning. Loofah sponges also make great holiday gifts.

 

IFAS Luffa

https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/edibles/vegetables/luffa

 

One loofah planted in a 
Vertical pallet garden 

 

Fall Cover Crops

Winter cover crop mix. Almost no weeds

in this area. Includes Austrian winter 

peas, cereal rye, hairy vetch, crimson

clover.

One of the things the VegHeadz are doing at this time of year is planting fall cover crops in open areas or where we’re not currently growing annual vegetables.

 

In addition to the usual benefits of cover crops – increasing organic matter, feeding microorganisms, suppressing nematodes, adding nutrients, preventing erosion, etc. — allelopathic cover crops can be selected to help combat weeds.

Allelopathic plants release chemicals that can inhibit the growth of other plants and reduce seed germination, including weeds. Some common allelopathic cover crops include:

Cereal Rye (Secale cereale) – One of the most widely known cool season allelopathic cover crops. It releases allelochemicals, which can suppress weed germination and growth. 

   

Hairy Vetch (Vicia villosa) – Also a cool season crop often used in combination with cereal rye, hairy vetch has some allelopathic properties that can suppress certain weeds.

Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) – Known for its quick growth and ability to suppress weeds during warmer weather through both shading and allelopathy.

Sorghum-Sudangrass (Sorghum bicolor x Sorghum bicolor var. sudanese) – This hybrid tropical crop is highly allelopathic and is often used to suppress weeds and even some pests during warm seasons.  This is a large plant, but it can be chopped and dropped several times during its growth to keep it more manageable.  It is even reported to discourage nutsedge.  

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) – Releases allelopathic compounds which inhibit the growth of nearby plants, making it useful for weed control during late spring and early summer.

Mustard (Brassica spp.) – Many mustard species produce glucosinolates that can suppress weeds and soil-borne pests throughout fall and milder winters into early spring.

Most cover crop mixes contain several of these varieties with different mixes for summer and winter planting. 

Allelopathic plants can be used strategically in crop rotations or mixed plantings to reduce weed pressure and improve soil health, but care should be taken as their allelopathic properties may also affect desired food crops if not managed properly.  For instance, plants with tiny seeds, like lettuce and carrots, tend do be more susceptible to allelopathic chemicals so you wouldn’t want to plant them in areas where weed-suppressing cover crops are growing or have just been grown.  Other plants with larger seeds are more resistant, such as beans and squash, or may be somewhat allelopathic themselves.  All allelopathic chemicals are not the same and specific plants may not be susceptible to a particular chemical.  

This is an area which needs more research and there is not much information available about specific plants and their allelopathic characteristics or tolerances.   Depending on your goal, allopathic plants can be helpful or harmful. 

Plant alleopathic cover crops and companion plants where you want to combat weeds. When you are planting a subsequent crop in that area, try one or more of these techniques:

• Terminate the cover crop at least two weeks or more before planting new crops. It’s a good idea to add mulch so the soil does not dry out. When planting the next crop, the mulch can be moved aside where you’re planting.
• Instead of chopping and dropping or turning under, pull up the allelopathic cover crop, roots and all, and deposit it in some other area to help deter weeds. The roots and decaying matter from terminated crops can continue to exude allelopathic chemicals.
• Apply several inches of new soil or compost before planting seeds to encourage germination in soil that does not contain detrimental chemicals.

Utilizing a crop rotation guide using information from whatever sources are available and your own observations will help manage the interactions between succeeding plantings in a way to maximize the desired results for both edible crops and cover crops. The four-year crop rotation schedule developed and used at the VegHeadz garden is available in the left sidebar.

More about Allelopathy

Cover crop planting and management guide

Cover Crop Growing Guide

Cover crops for North Florida

Wednesday in the Garden

It was lovely to see so many gardeners out on a Wednesday morning. It was slightly cooler and there was a lovely breeze, making it much easier to work.  We were delighted to be joined by some new gardeners, and we hope they become regulars.

Some things we noticed today —

We now know it’s possible to transplant a citrus tree. Our Meiwa Kumquat was not producing much fruit in the forest garden so we moved it further up the hill where it receives some morning sun and a good bit of afternoon sun. It is now thriving and full of fruit, as is the Owari Satsuma, which still remains in the forest garden.

Meiwa Kumquats

Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis)

Owari Satsumas

The Bay Laurel shrub/tree is also thriving. There was a time when it looked straggly and pitiful and was covered with scale insects and mildew. The leaves today are pristine and would make enough Bay leaf seasoning to fill a swimming pool with soup.  We have no way to account for that other than we have many, many blooming companion plants and cover crops attracting good bugs which are no doubt helping to control pests.

Carole is growing pearl millet in her square foot plot.  Pearl millet is a good cover crop, and is tolerant of drought, heat, and poor soils.  It is not usually susceptible to pests and diseases.   It is also beautiful and is good food for birds and chickens. In other cultures it’s also eaten as porridge, as flour, and other culinary uses. It is high in protein and contains many vitamins and minerals. 

Pearl Millet— Pennisetum glaucum
‘Purple Majesty’

 

We were blessed last year with a donated Sweet Almond bush. (Thank you Kathy Rost) It was meant for the forest garden, but there was not enough sun there, so we planted it up the hill in front of the compost bins where it is very happy, even with no water in the heat, and has bloomed throughout the summer with a sweet almondy scent. It is not a native, but it is well suited for feeding pollinators. Read more about Sweet Almond Bush in the current issue of Gardening in the Panhandle. 

https://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/hort/2024/09/04/florida-friendly-sweet-almond-bush/

We managed to catch some of the VegHeadz gardeners in action as we wandered through the garden. A number of the early arrivers had already gone home so we missed recording them.  Notice how happy they look.  Gardening is good for the soul.

The Edible Forest Garden is beginning to look like a real 
forest .  Pictured here in one small corner of the garden, on the left is
an olive tree backed by a native plum,
and farther back is a dwarf Cavendish banana.  On the right
is Turmeric next to a Loquat tree.   

Wednesday in the Garden

Last week, the VegHeadz had their fall planning meeting. We closed out the summer crops, reported our results, and plans are underway for the fall season

Yesterday we were back in the garden in full force. Following is this week’s VegHeadz coordinator report from Cathy Alfano.  Just a sample of what our Wednesday workday is like from week to week.  Join us any Wednesday to learn more, help, or just hang out   

Evelyn and Peggy

Hi there, VegHeadz. We had a great turnout today!
We weed whacked and hand weeded in the forest, and Janis trimmed some of the trees. Camille and Heather weeded in the upper flower bed and you can really see the improvement. Everyone worked in their beds, pulling weeds, planting cover crops and preparing for fall.

Peggy reinforced her trellising for the tomatoes, and the roselle is plumping up. Evelyn weeded around the upper beds and some pathways. Joanne was working in her beds, as was Glenn. Dave was prepping Bed 10 for his fall snap peas. Carole’s milkweed has taken a leap forward and its blooms were attracting a steady stream of butterflies.

Monarch butterfly on 
Milkweed. Can you find it?

Laurie was weeding and watering the wildflowers and library seed beds. Nancy planted clay peas and some marigolds in the C beds.

4-H Beds are under relocation
and renovation 

Jessica is transforming the 4H garden, and it’s going to be great. We can plant and reposition any containers when that’s completed. 

Hanging out in the shade of the grape arbor

The grapes are all gone – perhaps harvested by 2-legged critters. They were beautiful, though, and will be back next year.

Evelyn found a wood-handled 3-prong hand fork with faded orange lettering on it. It’s in the mailbox, which is full of lost items. Check it sometime and you might discover a tool you forgot you had!

Emma, I’m sorry to say I weed whacked the G-4 small irrigation hose by accident. That will need some repair.

Wasps! Laurie got stung after I left for the day. They think the wasp nest may be somewhere in the plants between the hose/sink and the raised beds – please be careful. Jessica reminded me that they have some first aid supplies for stings in the office if anyone ever needs it.

That’s all for now, folks.

A Little Salt and Lots of Basil

Basil is one of those things that is thriving at this time of year. It loves the sun and the daily rains. Just how much basil can you use? And what about all those little flowers that are starting to pop on the top of the plant?

It is recommended that you pinch basil back regularly throughout the growing season —as much as a third of the plant a month—whether you use the leaves or not. The more you pinch basil back, the more basil you get. Put the sprigs that you pinch off in a tiny bud vase in your kitchen, and it will provide a delicious scent for quite a while. You should also pinch off the flowers as it will keep the basil sweeter and help keep it from getting bitter as it matures. The plant will also last longer. You can use the flowers in salads or to garnish pasta or other recipes.

It does deteriorate rather rapidly once it’s picked. To keep basil fresh, submerge it in a bowl of cold water.  If you place the bowl in the refrigerator, the basil will remain fresh for several days.  

In addition to drying there are a number of ways to preserve freshly picked basil longer for future use. The most well-known use is pesto. Pesto can be frozen for up to a year. We like to prepare it for freezing, omitting the grated Parmesan cheese. The cheese is added when it’s thawed and ready to be served. Stir the cheese into the thawed pesto, maybe add a little bit more olive oil if it’s dry, and you’re ready to go.

Basil can also be frozen, and other easy and delicious ways to preserve basil include  basil salt, basil vinegar, and basil oil. Recipes follow.

Pesto

1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. pine nuts, blanched almonds, or walnuts (toasted, optional)
1 to 2 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves (dried basil won't work)
2 large cloves garlic
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 to 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a skillet over medium low heat. Add nuts and sauté, stirring and shaking pan constantly, until nuts are light brown (30 to 45 seconds). Transfer to a paper towel to drain. Rinse, drain, and stem basil leaves. Pat dry with paper towels.  Combine nuts, basil leaves, garlic, salt, and remaining olive oil in food processor or blender. Process until finely chopped. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in cheese. Refrigerate, covered with a thin layer of olive oil or in a zip lock bag with the air pressed out, up to one week, or freeze for several months. Bring to room temperature before serving. 

Frozen Basil

Purée basil leaves and olive oil in a food processor, using 1 tablespoon of olive oil per 1 cup of basil. Freeze the pureed basil in an ice cube tray. Remove the frozen cubes and store in the freezer in a resealable plastic bag or freezer-safe container.

Basil Salt

Place 1/2 cup basil (or other herb) in a food processor and pulse a couple of times.  Add 2 cups Diamond Crystal kosher salt and blend until well combined and particles are uniform.  Spread parchment paper on a sheet pan and spread the basil salt out evenly. Allow to stand at room temperature for three or four days until completely dry, stirring several times a day.

In the alternative, preheat oven to 170 degrees.  Place the parchment (or Silpat) lined baking sheet in preheated oven for 30 minutes.  Cool and break up any clumps.  

Store cured basil salt in a tightly sealed container and enjoy on roasted vegetables, potatoes, deviled eggs, salads, fresh tomato slices, or any other food.  Great as a gift.

Basil Vinegar

2 cups vinegar (white wine vinegar or unseasoned rice vinegar result in a milder product, but apple cider vinegar or plain white vinegar can also be used,)
1/2 to 1 cup washed and dried basil leaves

Bring vinegar to a simmer in a stainless steel pan. Place basil in a clean glass jar with a lid and pour the hot vinegar over the basil.  Close the jar and let it stand at room temperature for 24 hours or up to two weeks. When the flavor has developed to your liking, strain through cheesecloth and pour into sterilized bottles. A fresh sprig of basil may be added if you wish. The flavor will diminish over time, but it should last until the following season when you can make more vinegar.  Using the dark red or opal basil varieties will produce a beautiful ruby colored vinegar.  

Basil Oil

Large bunch of basil.
One cup extra-virgin olive oil.

Wash basil under running water, dry thoroughly, and remove leaves. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and blanch the basil leaves for about 10 seconds to set the color. Remove and immediately place into an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Once cool, remove the basil and squeeze to remove the excess moisture. Press it between paper towels to ensure it is as dry as possible.

Place the blanched basil into a blender or food processor . Add the olive oil and process until smooth. Pour into a container and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight to allow flavors to develop.

After refrigerating, bring basil oil to room temperature to return it to liquid.  Olive oil will solidify when refrigerated.  Strain the oil through a sieve lined with cheesecloth. Squeeze the cheesecloth to make sure most of the oil has been extracted.  Transfer the oil to an oil cruet or small squeeze bottle. Keeps in refrigerator for about 1 month.

Basil Oil Sauce

1 cup packed fresh basil leaves, stemmed and washed
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons water
4 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Place the basil, water, garlic, salt and red pepper flakes in a food processor and pulse a few times. Add the olive oil and blend until you have a smooth sauce.  Use immediately or refrigerate. Flavors are even more intense the next day. Refrigerate for up to 2 to 3 days.  Drizzle on pizza, over pasta, vegetables, use as bread dip, or use your imagination!

Summer in the Garden

 

It’s pretty much the same old, same old – pulling weeds, controlling out of control squash, loofah, bitter melon, and melon vines, harvesting a few straggling peppers, okra, tomatoes, etc., and thinking about our fall crops. 

The VegHeadz have scheduled a planning meeting in a couple weeks. We do this at the beginning of the spring and the fall seasons to decide how that season is going to go and what happened in the previous season. It’s an exciting time in each case because we know new plants will be growing, new things will be tried, new information will be gained.

Depending on when you planted your sweet potatoes, it will soon be time to start harvesting them. Enter sweet potatoes in the search box in the right side bar to access our posts about sweet potatoes, how to grow them, and what to do with them including a few recipes and links to more information. Knowledge is always good. 

For Nathan Ballantine‘s (The Man in Overalls) excellent suggestions about how to prepare your beds for the next season, click here.

More Input on Regenerative Gardening

Tridens flavus
Purpletop 
Photo by Mail Order Natives

The VegHeadz received an email this week from Hope Corona, a follower of our blog, who wanted to make a comment on a previous post.  Her comment was too long for the blog app to accept so she contacted us to see if we could post it for her. 

She is referring to our previous post about sustainable and regenerative gardening.  Link to Previous Post  Here is her very interesting comment.  She’d love to have some feedback.  Thank you Hope, for your thoughtful input and for providing information on new things to try!  As our contribution, we have supplied links for more information on her reference plants and refer you (and Hope) to this study of native plants in North Florida landscape conditions. Link

Hope’s Comment:

I'm always delighted to see one of your new blog posts in my email box :) !  Love your posts! 

I wanted to submit a comment to your recent post "Beyond Sustainable Gardening," but my comment was rejected as "too long." Perhaps you can help?

Wow...I've been thinking these same thoughts lately too....and realizing I need to move further towards regenerative urban veganic farming, but I'm encountering some challenges along the way.

IFAS has virtually NO published research or recommendations (at least that I have yet found)  regarding the use of NATIVE plants (grasses, legumes, nitrogen-fixing and nematode resistant species, etc.) that can be utilized for our cover crops and perennial "chop and drop" and pathway plantings in a regenerative tiny lot urban home landscape.

So....it appears to suggest that it's going to be up to all of "the rest of us"  (backyard gardeners and small market farmers)  to work together, doing our own trials and research, collaborating "virtually" to develop a list of potential regenerative native plants, seed sources for same, and the seeding dates that work most successfully for the obvious and most desirable planting windows in Florida's North, Central, and Southern areas.

Anybody else "IN" on this project? Or an easy "virtual" way to collaborate (a place here on your awesome site?)

Here are some of my observations so far from my tiny, urban postage stamp lot in Zone 9, Chassahowitzka, FL (34448):

*Perennial nitrogen-fixing chop and drop: 
Senna Ligustrina, aka "Florida Native Privit Cassia: 

Link to more information
Awesome Success!  Disease free, gorgeous glossy-green compound leaves that make beautiful compost and chop & drop when mixed or covered with any "brown" (leaves, pine straw, etc.).  Seeds are easy to come by (look for them when you hike the woods...they're plentiful, readily germinate, and the resulting plants will self-seed forever....you'll never run out of seeds to keep and share).  It attracts beneficials and pollinators; it hosts native butterflies; it gently shades and protects whatever seedlings (that the birds or your compost planted ;) beneath it, such as squash, pumpkin, watermelon, peppers, etc.  It's strong branches don't lodge and can provide trellis for climbing volunteers (cowpeas, etc.).  It dies back in a hard freeze, sometimes comes back from its roots in spring, and definitely reseeds to replace itself.  It's easy to take out if you don't like where volunteers landed too :).   If Senna ligustrina isn't the native Senna in your own Florida neighborhood....look for the Senna that IS :).

Nitrogen fixing lower shrub / herbaceous annual plant position (flower bed front or mid border height): 
Chamaecrista (fasciculata, nictitans, etc. - the ones in your area): Partridge Pea: 

Link to more information

Perfect for that position, but tricky to get the timing right on seeds for the "it's getting hot" window.   I haven't found the best seed scattering time yet.  They're "hard seed," meant to have uneven germination, and they do seem to prefer some cold stratification here in Zone 9, but when there are lucky "volunteers," they are just perfect.  It's really hit or miss for me, especially as the spring turns to summer.

Pollinator attracting, Nematode suppressing flowering plant:
* Gaillardia (o.k....I know...not really a "native," but it seems Florida-friendly enough here).  

Link to more information

It's another marigold-like nematode suppressive plant that is (according to published research online) a marigold alternative where and when tagetes may not be an optimal choice (such as where pests - slugs, spider mites -or pathogens (foliar pathogens), or soil conditions keep killing your marigolds).   Gaillardia chop and drop readily decomposes too when you just can't handle their sprawl into your paths towards the end of their season :).  Gaillardia seems less demanding of perfect soil conditions, and often provides welcome "color," and cut flowers for your garden at the times when few other flowers are blooming.

*Grass: 
this is the most difficult for me: please post your finds!
So far:
Native  Purpletop - Tridens flavus

Link to more information
seems most promising here (Zone 9), but I can't quite figure out the right seeding time.  However, the existing plants we have provide excellent chop and drop, accept high-mowing when necessary (for neighbor-friendly front yard), come back with resilience when used as a perennial landscape element, and are easy to remove entirely where you don't want them anymore.   They're a nice height for urban residential planting (knee-height), and their seed panicles are gorgeous purple-y decorative elements in your fall to winter landscape.  Seeds are readily available online, affordable, and purchase of new seed becomes unnecessary if you maintain a perennial patch for your own seed-saving.  It seems more tolerant of semi-shade, and the dramatic sun to shade conditions that can happen in urban landscapes where "urban" features of the tiny lot (your neighbor's trees and fences, the daily and seasonal shading caused by your own house, your neighbor's homes, etc.).  It seems to tolerate urban alkaline-ish soils (like that over your existing or former septic field) much better than some of the acid-soil demanding native grasses.

Woodland oats (Chasmanthium) volunteer here....but I haven't gotten enough seed yet to trial.

Link to more information

Everything in your landscape is a candidate for chop & drop or compost - even your roses - thorns and all! :)  (I used chop and drop rose parts in a worm bin one year and the worms LOVED them; rose parts readily broke down in my vertical worm tubes and in-ground hole-y compost buckets too :).    Ditto with peach and plum tree clippings, etc.

Lots more to share...but this "comment" is already much too long.

I know you guys already know most if not all of the above...but perhaps my comment inspires or incites :) some of you to post your own better suggestions :).    

I'm ALL ears!

Looking forward to the day when we can all surf online and find affordable bulk quantity seeds for Florida Native Cover Cover Crops and path grasses (like the OTHER states already have with their "eco-grass" selections).   

Why are our Florida University extensions so behind the ball on this?  

(Doesn't suit their corporate donors' best interests? So no funding for regenerative / native / affordable?  Therefore no interest?  Come on PhD candidates out there....find the right prof and pitch it!)

Hope I haven't offended anyone or poked the bear too badly.

I'm old, and on the spectrum...so please forgive me.

Wishing you all health and happiness!

Hope (E. Hope Corona)

Gardening on an impossibly tiny postage stamp urban lot in Chassahowitzka, FL (Zone 9, on a canal to the Chassahowitzka River & Gulf....the front lines of sea level rise and climate change 🙄)