Winter is my favorite time of year, because in most southern states that’s when the gardening can begin. The weather cools and the days get rainy, but we still get plenty of warm daytime temperatures and clear skies, perfect for growing various crops.

While many of our northern compatriots are putting their gardens to bed this time of year, those of us who are lucky enough to live in a warmer southern climate are just getting started. So don’t listen to what a lot of the gardening wisdom says out there, if you live in the south, the winter is the perfect time for growing.

I could easily jump into all the crops you could grow in southern climates that most other gardening wisdom puts out there, like how the winter is a great time to grow greens, potatoes, lettuce, beets, radishes, onions, and garlic. And that’s all true.

However, many tropical and subtropical fruits and veggies will grow well in southern climates that most people overlook. That’s right, you could be growing bananas or pineapple under the right conditions. I once managed a small farm in Malibu, CA that grew papaya, coffee, pineapples, sugarcane, and more. The best thing is, this is the perfect time to plant many of these plants, given that you provide a good microclimate.

What Growing Zones Are Best for Growing Tropical Plants?

Under the right conditions, tropical plants can be grown almost anywhere. I once visited an arboretum in Massachusetts during the middle of winter that had pineapple and taro growing. They were growing inside of a temperature-controlled glasshouse, but they were growing nonetheless. Most of us don’t have those resources; we’ll most likely be growing outside. In that case, the best-growing zones for tropical plants tend to be anything from Zone 9 and up. You may get away with Zone 8 if you grow the hardiest of varieties, but Zone 9 and up is better overall for growing tropical plants. Zone 9 and up tends to be located in the southern part of the southern states.

Using Microclimates To Grow Tropical Fruit

Most tropical plants do not like freezing temperatures, not even for a little. They can tolerate cold, but not freezing. That said, you can create microclimates to help your tropical plants thrive.

One way is by the use of sun traps, which can be on the south side of a building, or on the south side of a windbreak that you plant. This can help harness the heat of the sun as well as protect your plants from the wind. I once visited a site in a cooler part of Northern California that was successfully growing citrus because it was located at the edge of a pond on the south side of an earthen house. The pond, because of its location, would reflect the sun’s rays and heat the earthen walls.

Those earthen walls would slowly radiate heat all night long until the walls were heated again the next day. This kept the citrus warm, even during the coldest months. You can also utilize natural microclimates on your site. For example: a shallow gully would be a great place to protect tropical plants from cold winter wind and trap in heat, whereas a southern-facing slope will be warmer than a northern-facing one. If your area tends to frost, planting a larger tree to provide cover or using a mechanical cover to protect your tropicals on a frosty night would be necessary.

The best thing you can do to boost your microclimate is to utilize a greenhouse. A simple hoop house will do; it doesn’t have to be temperature-controlled. A clear plastic roof in the winter and a shade cloth in the summer are all you need to grow a variety of tropical edibles.

This not only helps you keep your tropical plants warmer, but you can control the water flow as well. This is especially important if you have really rainy winters where you live. We had a hoop house in Malibu that grew pineapples, papaya, coffee, bananas, dwarf mango, cassava, perennial tropical greens, sweet potatoes, and more. It was the ideal climate for growing plants that did not want to grow outside.

A greenhouse helps but you do not necessarily need one. We still grew all of the same crops outside that we grew in the greenhouse, the greenhouse just gave us a warmer climate to work with.

Planting Tropical Fruits and Veggies In the Fall and Winter

Now that you know how to be successful growing tropical plants in a not-so-tropical growing zone, let’s find out what types of tropical plants we can grow. Let’s start with tropical veggies. It is important to note that when it comes to the tropics, most veggies are perennial, but you may have to grow them as annuals.

Some of the easiest to grow over the winter would be Asian Greens. Best planted in early fall, you can seed bok choy, pak choi, daikon, chinese broccoli, collards, tat soi, and have a harvest of greens all winter long. If you wait until late winter or early spring and ensure they’re planted in a warm microclimate, you can start cassava, chaya, katuk, lemongrass, turmeric, ginger, sweet potato, and even sugar cane, and have a harvest ready by the following winter.

Tropical fruit trees love heat, but they also love water. They can tolerate a little cold, but too little water and they’ll shrivel up and die.

By planting tropical fruit trees in the fall in the southern states, the weather may be cooler, causing your tree to grow slowly, but the root zone should be getting plenty of moisture, giving your new plant a few months head start to spread out their roots before the dry season hits. Ensure that you mulch your trees well to keep the soil temperatures warmer during the winter months and retain moisture over the summer months. Installing supplemental drip irrigation is advised as well.

And remember, tropical plants love to eat. Add as much compost, manure, and organic matter as you can. You can never have too much.

Enjoy Tropical Edibles All Year Long

So what types of harvests can you expect over the winter by adding tropicals into your southern garden?

Let me just say, you’ll be the envy of all your neighbors. Avocados and citrus trees produce fruit all winter long—from fall to early spring—with some varieties even lasting into summer! You can also harvest sugar cane and bamboo shoots (depending on the variety) in the later winter months. Bananas and papayas are possible as well, depending on how warm you can keep them during the winter.

We harvest macadamia nuts every fall at that farm in Malibu, with longons ready to harvest in the spring. I have friends in Florida who report harvests of abiu, ackee, jackfruit, egg fruit, guava, pineapple, coconut, cacao, mango, and others.

There is a wide variety of tropical fruits that you could be growing to expand your available harvests over the winter months.

How to Get Started Growing Tropical Edibles

Hopefully by now you’re excited to begin growing some tropical edibles in your southern garden. But before you set off and start planting, start slow and make a plan.

Take time to find the warm spots in your garden. Don’t go overboard with planting—just plant a few. The majority of your plantings should focus on what grows best in your microclimate; these are just for fun if you have a little extra wiggle room.

Last, make sure you start off with good plant stock. I sell fresh viable tropical tree seeds and perennial plant cuttings through my store on Etsy.com/shop/HomesteadInHawaii.com. By purchasing your plant stock through me, I can ensure that you are getting the best quality plant material personally prepared by hand and inspected by the USDA. That way you’ll have the best start possible to ensure success with growing your new tropical edible plants.

Have fun pushing the envelope in your garden!