Recently, garden YouTube channels have exploded. But since gardening in Zones 9 to 11 is so different than other areas of the U.S., you may be looking specifically for Florida gardening YouTube videos.
Since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic, gardening has really taken off. After all, even if you can’t go to work, and you can’t go shopping, you can still stand outside and pick hornworms off your tomatoes.
But which ones are the best? Which of the many garden YouTubers really, TRULY understands the struggle. Because the struggle is real.
And while the rest of the country watches their sweet corn reaching for the clouds, we’re hiding inside behind hurricane shutters.
The empty hours of the lockdown have left many of us with plenty of free time. When you run out of hornworms, you need to know what to do next. So, many of us have turned to YouTube for help and instruction.
If you’re new to gardening in Florida or new to YouTube garden videos, I’m happy to help you find the best Florida gardening YouTube channels. As much as I love classics like PBS’s Victory Garden and BBC’s Gardeners World, let’s face it: very little of the content on either show has anything to do with Zone 9-11 gardening.
So, Which Are the Best Florida Gardening YouTubers?
The best YouTubers all have their own special gifts and perspectives to add to the conversation. So, I’ll start with my top five choices and their pros and cons, and you can decide who your own favorites are.
5. The Urban Harvest
Elise of Urban Harvest in the Tampa Bay area knows what she’s talking about. While her YouTube channel doesn’t offer a plethora of videos, she also offers more information on her website.
She also has a seed club that sends you seeds for plants that are timed right for our unusual growing cycles. She also offers classes on garden planning, composting, and other topics.
Pros
Elise is one of the few Florida gardening YouTubers that really understands how to work with our wonky seasons and unique (i.e. humid) conditions. She’s also extremely knowledgeable about those little-known alternative vegetables and herbs that grow easily here.
Cons
The Urban Harvest only has a few dozen videos on YouTube. So, if you may not be able to find the exact answers you’re looking for. On the other hand, it also means that she’s there to inform, not for the views.
4. Scott Head / Black Gumbo
Sometimes, the best Florida gardening YouTube channels aren’t run by Floridians. In this case, Scott Head lives in Coastal Texas, along the Gulf, in Zone 9a. So, he has a good idea of what kind of climate and growing calendar we use in Florida.
You’ll find many seasonal videos covering all things edible in the garden, plus some great instructionals on how to cook those things. His blog goes back even further, should you prefer reading to viewing. Sometimes, you need the deets and don’t have time for chit-chat.
Pros
Extensive library of information videos about Southern gardening, cooking, and even preserving food. Extra credit for backyard chicken vidoes.
Cons
Southerners are pretty laid back, and sometimes Scott can be a bit too laid back if you’re in a hurry to get answers.
3. Pete Kanaris / GreenDreamsTV
Pete’s nursery and landscaping service, GreenDreams, sits north of Tampa. Along with an extensive array of edible and permaculture-friendly plants, GreenDreams also offers design and installation services. However, the best thing about Pete’s YouTube channel is that you’ll become inspired. Pete shares his experience of subtropical and tropical edible plants, explains their unique flavors and growing needs, and you’ll want half a dozen of whatever he’s talking about by the time the video is over.
Pros
Professional plantsman with specialized knowledge of unique and unusual edible and beneficial plants for a Florida landscape. Probably the most knowledgeable Florida gardening YouTube channel you’ll find.
Cons
You won’t find much about growing the common zucchini on Pete’s channel, although occasionally, he’ll visit with a market gardener, Joe Kowaleski, who grows them. The two have teamed up to produce a vegetable garden masterclass, but it’s pretty expensive unless you’re going pro.
2. Mark Valencia / Self Sufficient Me
Another great Florida gardening YouTube channel that isn’t filmed in Florida at all — not even close! Mark’s a stay-at-home dad from Australia. But even though he gardens on the other side of the planet, he also gardens in a subtropical climate. Many of the edible fruits and veg you’ll see him plant are the same ones that grow here in Florida.
And believe it or not, he’s got even more intimidating pests than we have!
Mark’s website also features a lot of great information if you’d prefer to read up. He also has an active user forum for sharing information with other gardeners.
Pros
Knowledgeable about growing in a subtropical and tropical climate without being too academic or pedantic. Mark is as entertaining to watch as he is informative. His relaxed and somewhat hokey style is just what’s called for if you need low-stress gardening entertainment.
Cons
Even though Mark’s climate is very similar to ours, it’s still on the other side of the planet. That means that if you want information for our current season, you need to search back on his channel about six months to find the relevant information.
1. David the Good (Goodman)
I’ve been reading David’s Survival Gardener blog for several years and have even purchased many of his Florida-specific gardening books. And it took the pandemic for me to discover that he also has a YouTube channel. (Granted, it took the pandemic to get me back to YouTube after Vevo took over music videos.)
David’s irreverent humor is obvious in his written work, and it carries over into his videos. His specialty is “survival gardening,” which we can assume means information for preppers when the SHTF. And although he does provide a lot of good prepper info, it’s also excellent information for those of us who simply want to be more sustainable. Sustainable is better for the earth, and it’s cheaper, too. What’s not to love?
Because of his many years of experience, wry style, and deep dives into growing on the cheap (and natural), David gets my vote as the single best Florida gardening YouTube channel to watch. Even though he now lives in Alabama.
Pros
David is fun to watch. He provides plenty of actionable information for any type of vegetable gardener, but his wit is much appreciated. His gardening experiments are especially helpful. He always seems to have plenty of land to play with new methods and new crops.
Cons
Sometimes David falls a bit too far into the humor genre. And while I may think it’s hilarious, others may not appreciate his darker song lyrics or more cynical asides.
Who Are Your Favorites?
Those are my top five picks for the best Florida gardening YouTube channels to watch. More specifically, they’re my top five picks for Florida gardeners, since not all of the Tubers involved are in Florida.
If you have a favorite Florida-specific gardening channel on YouTube, please let me know. I’m always interested to see what else is available on the platform.