Best potted plants for a Florida liveaboard

[vonchris7]

Hi,

I live on a sailboat in Northeast Florida. Would love to add a couple of potted plants that I can have on the deck (under canopy while at the dock) and leave on the dock while sailing. Any suggestions?

[Hudson Force]

We keep some (actually my wife) .... keeps some plants aboard on shelves just inside our portlights. We have Aloe, Philodendron, and few few other ornamentals that I'm not familiar with.

Your plan may work well for you, but we are careful not to add any task that would delay our ability to leave the dock at any moment's notice for a spontaneous sail.

At this time we need to lay down one lamp, latch a swinging TV brace, remove a windscreen cover & bow shade tarp, unplug the shore power cord and tend the dock lines.

These tasks can multiply and "glue" you to the dock!

[GordMay]

Maggie liked to keep a small “potted” herb garden on our dock. Nasturtium, parsley, and basil grow very nicely in pots.

[Sea Dreaming]

"One word: plastics,"
Ha ha! I cant resist. Grows well anywhere, even in low light conditions. Unlikely to be stolen. May be savlvageable after a disaster and available in any variety of plant you want!

But really, almost any plant sold as a "house plant" will be ok. Some are a little fussier. Ferns and fica are probably not the best because they dont like being moved. But most other "house plants" are chosen because they are hearty and can suffer through indifferent care.

Your choices are really wide open. The biggest thing is protecting from accidental knocking around when the plants are on the dock. An opened top dock box might be a good idea. Top with a cover of landscape shade cloth to protect against burning by the sun. Most varieties of house plants are selected from semi tropical jungle plants because they tollerate the, usually, low light in most homes. Jungle plants adapted to having lower light conditions. But many will burn with too much direct sun so a little shade cover is advised if you are going to be away for a while.

[Alterboy 65]

I second SEA DREAMING !!!!!!
They also make some realistic Silk Flowers .
I am a landscaper , all my own flowers are silk and plastic.
My lawn is Astro Turf. I sip beer while my neighbors mow.

[PuttingDoctor]

Make all your plants edible and you're on the right track. Fresh cut flowers are very nice below and last longer than most will give credit if the water is changed every few days.

[Dave22q]

Cherry tomatoes and herbs (oregano, thyme, basil, etc) Of you cannot eat it, don't waste time on it..

[adlib2]

Originally Posted by vonchris7

Hi,

I live on a sailboat in Northeast Florida. Would love to add a couple of potted plants that I can have on the deck (under canopy while at the dock) and leave on the dock while sailing. Any suggestions?

I kept an assortment of highly perfumed Roses in large pots on the Dock. Withstood the NE Florida sun well if watered daily.

[fishin4bogey]

Sea Dreaming beat me to it.....

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[tstano]

Any that don't need soil or water, orchids, etc.


All U Get

[Safari38LH]

We grow mint for mojitos in a window box that we move around depending on weather and if we are sailing.


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[ThomasWeiss]

I second mint! I know a few people around the marina here grow peppers - they seem to do pretty well not getting full sunlight all day. If you don't mind me asking where abouts in Northeast FL? I'm in the Destin area but looking to find a better liveaboard marina than the one I'm currently at.

[Hudson Force]

I should add that we sometimes leave our plants in Florida when we go to the Bahamas. Any citrus should be and will be confiscated and destroyed when re-entering to Florida. Often we have other plants that are ignored, but we expect any plants could be disallowed at our re-entry to the USA.

We do have a Philodendron that has been living in our forward head for close to thirty years. It's not that I'd miss "Phil", but we've grown accustomed to him. If any customs agent disapproved of Phil, I would not speak in his defense!

[adlib2]

Originally Posted by ThomasWeiss

I second mint! I know a few people around the marina here grow peppers - they seem to do pretty well not getting full sunlight all day. If you don't mind me asking where abouts in Northeast FL? I'm in the Destin area but looking to find a better liveaboard marina than the one I'm currently at.

Reynolds Park Yacht Centre, Green Cove Springs on the St. Johns River is a good live aboard marina. Was a US Naval base and has over 3 miles of sturdy docks built for warships.

[hsi88]

Never thought of plants. Perhaps I can kill two birds with one stone. I will put a plant under my leaky air vent. Plant gets water, leak ceases to be an issue!