Question 1

I killed a garden before. Why would this time be different?

Accepted Answer

Because the plan was wrong, not you. Almost every gardening video, seed packet, and magazine article was written for a northern spring, and Florida does not have one. You followed good advice on the wrong calendar and then watched it burn up in July. In here your planting dates come from your part of your state the way UF/IFAS Extension sets them, so the same hands and the same yard get a different result. Nothing about you has to change. The dates do.

Question 2

Do I need any prior gardening experience?

Accepted Answer

No, and beginners often do better here. There are no northern habits to un-teach. The Masterclass starts at the soil and goes in order, all the way to harvest, and the lessons are short enough to watch with your coffee. When something looks wrong, the Plant Doctor reads a photo of the plant and tells you what it is, so you are never standing over a sick leaf guessing. Your first week is one short list and one small job. Do that, and in a few weeks you are carrying something into your kitchen that you grew.

Question 3

Am I too old to start this?

Accepted Answer

No. Growing food in Florida is not decided by how young you are. It is decided by timing, by shade, and by doing one small thing at a time instead of one big thing all at once. Raised beds and containers bring the soil up to you, so there is far less bending. The work belongs in the cool part of the day, morning or evening, which is what Florida wants anyway. Picture yourself walking out after breakfast, picking what is ready, and carrying it back inside. That is the whole job.

Question 4

My back and my knees are not what they used to be. Can I still do this?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and the plan is built for that. Raised beds, grow bags, and containers put the soil up near waist height so you are not down on the ground. Small beds beat big ones, because a bed you can reach across from one side never asks you to climb into it. The daily plan hands you one job at a time instead of a weekend of digging, and it tells you which jobs can wait. If you want to build the strength for yard work, The Movement training program is already included and starts wherever you are today. As with anything new, check with your doctor first.

Question 5

How much time does this take every week?

Accepted Answer

Less than you think, because the Plan tells you what to skip. Your dashboard opens on your garden's week: what to plant right now, which of your plants to check, what is close to harvest, and one maintenance job. Most days that is a short walk through the yard and one small task. Planting weeks ask more of you, and you get told which weeks those are before they arrive. There is a print button, so the week can live on the fridge and you just do the next line. You are not keeping up with a course. You are keeping up with your own yard.

Question 6

I only have a patio, a balcony, or a few pots. Is that enough?

Accepted Answer

It is enough. Plenty of Florida food does better in a container than in our sand, because in a pot you control the soil and you can move the plant out of the hard afternoon sun. Tell the Plan what you actually have, a patio, a side yard, four pots by the door, and it plans for that space instead of for an acre. A few good containers in a sunny spot will put greens and herbs on your table this season.

Question 7

I rent. Can I do this without changing the yard?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Containers, grow bags, and beds that sit on top of the ground all come apart and go with you. Nothing has to go into the ground and nothing has to be permanent. Much of what we teach is about soil you bring in rather than soil you dig, which is the honest answer for most Florida sand anyway. If you move, the garden rides in the truck and you are picking again at the new place.

Question 8

I am not good with computers. Is this hard to use?

Accepted Answer

It is a website. You open it in a browser on a phone, a tablet, or a computer, and there is nothing to install to get started. You log in by clicking a link we email you, so there is no password to remember and none to lose. When you land, one page tells you what your garden needs this week, and a print button puts that page on paper if you would rather hold it. If you ever get stuck, you email us and a person answers.

Question 9

What USDA zones does this work for?

Accepted Answer

Planting dates are live for Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Louisiana. Every date comes from that state's own extension service, not from a hardiness zone, because two gardens in the same zone can plant a month apart. Alabama and North Carolina are being read now. The rest of the Plan, the course, the 764 plant files, the pest help and the training program, works anywhere the summer is hot and wet.

Question 10

What do I get in the membership that I cannot get free on the channels?

Accepted Answer

The channels are where we teach everybody. The Plan is where we teach you. On YouTube you get a video when we publish it, on whatever subject we picked that week. Inside The Grower's Year you get the members-only videos we make for members and nobody else, including Uncomfortable Truths, the Q and A sessions, Booknerd, and Toni's crop classes, and none of those go on the public channels. You also get the planting calendar set to your part of your state, the full Masterclass, all 87 lessons, The Southern Grow Guide with 764 plant files, Plant Doctor, and Direct Member Messaging, where you send us pictures or video of your own yard and get an answer back within 48 hours, Monday through Friday. That last one is the real difference. You stop waiting for a video that might cover your problem, and just ask about your plant.

Question 11

What do I actually see when I log in?

Accepted Answer

Your garden's week. The dashboard opens with what to plant right now for your zone (windows straight from UF/IFAS), which of your plants to check, what is near harvest, one maintenance job, and one thing worth watching. When a freeze or storm is headed for your area, it tells you which of your plants to protect first. There is even a print button so the week can live on your fridge.

Question 12

Does the Plan remember my garden from season to season?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Everything you log lands in My Garden Record: plantings, harvests, problems, notes, photos. Members get it read back to them, what worked, what struggled, which bed grows better, built only from what you logged. The longer you keep the record, the smarter your Plan gets about your yard.

Question 13

What does Ask the Grow Guide actually do?

Accepted Answer

It knows your USDA zone, your county's frost dates, your current plant inventory, and your growing goals. Ask it anything: what to plant this month, why your tomatoes have spots, how to design a food forest in a shady yard. It gives zone-specific, practical answers instead of generic internet tips.

Question 14

How do frost alerts work?

Accepted Answer

We read the forecast for your ZIP every morning. When a cold night is coming, you get a notification and a backup email, usually a day or two ahead, and the app tells you the night by name and the number it is going down to. It only warns you about what is actually at risk. If everything you have out there is a hardy green, it says so and tells you to leave it alone, because cold makes those better. You also get a prep list sorted by what to protect first.

Question 15

Do the modules unlock over time?

Accepted Answer

No. All 16 modules, 87 lessons, are open the day you join. Nothing drips and nothing is locked behind a schedule. Module 17, The Fall Garden Start to Finish, is a seasonal bonus that sits on top of the 16. Anything we add later is included at no extra cost.

Question 16

How is this different from YouTube?

Accepted Answer

YouTube is fragmented. You search, find one video, lose the thread, and start over. The Southern Garden Plan is a complete system: a 16-module course, Ask the Grow Guide for zone-specific answers, a Plant Doctor, a harvest tracker, and a community. It's one place for everything. Jermaine's YouTube channel is still free and great for browsing. The Plan is for growers who are serious about results.

Question 17

Who answers when I send a question?

Accepted Answer

We do. Direct Member Messaging goes to Jermaine and Toni, not a help desk and not a bot. Send a picture or a short video of the plant you are worried about, tell us what you have been doing, and you get an answer back within 48 hours, Monday through Friday. Ask the Grow Guide and Plant Doctor stay open around the clock for the quick questions, which keeps the messages you send us for the ones that need our eyes on your yard.

Question 18

Do I have to be on social media to be a member?

Accepted Answer

No. Everything lives inside the Plan at members.growfitfl.com. You log in and it is all in one place: the videos, the lessons, the tools, and the member community. The public channels stay free and you are welcome to keep watching them, but you never need an account anywhere else to use what you paid for.

Question 19

How do I start for free?

Accepted Answer

Start with the free course. The Reason Why is a five-lesson course inside the Plan, free forever, no card required. Sign up with your email and you are in. From inside, you can see everything else the Plan offers.

Question 20

Is the free course really free?

Accepted Answer

Yes, completely. The Reason Why is a five-lesson course inside the Plan, and it is free forever with no card required. You just sign up with your email and you are in. It stays free for as long as you like. When you are ready for the full Plan, the Masterclass, Ask the Grow Guide, and all the tools, you can start The Grower's Year anytime.

Question 21

What do I get with the free course?

Accepted Answer

All five lessons of The Reason Why, forever. You can also look around the whole Plan and see what every feature does. The tools, the full Masterclass, and the community unlock when you join The Grower's Year.

Question 22

How does the free course and the 7-day trial fit together?

Accepted Answer

Simple ladder. The free course is where everyone starts, free forever with just your email. When you are ready for the full Plan, you start The Grower's Year, and your first 7 days are free. Card required at checkout, cancel before day 7 and you pay nothing.

Question 23

Do I need a credit card?

Accepted Answer

Not for the free course, ever. A valid card is required only when you start The Grower's Year, and your first 7 days are free. Cancel before day 7 from your account settings and you will not be charged.

Question 24

What does The Grower's Year cost?

Accepted Answer

The Grower's Year is $199 a year, which works out to about $17 a month. It is annual only. There is no monthly plan for the membership. Your first 7 days are free, a card is required to start, and if you cancel before day 7 you are not charged anything at all. After the trial you have a 14-day money-back guarantee. The free course is a separate thing and stays free forever with no card. No promo codes, no discounts, no founding rate. The price is the price.

Question 25

What do I get during the 7-day trial?

Accepted Answer

Every garden tool: the planting calendar, Ask the Grow Guide, Plant Doctor, harvest ledger, My Garden, What To Plant Next, and the community. Also all of Module 1 of the Masterclass as a preview. The other 15 modules open on day 8 when your The Grower's Year starts.

Question 26

What happens when my 7 days end?

Accepted Answer

The Grower's Year bills automatically and full access continues without interruption. If you cancel before day 7, you are not charged and you keep your free course access. Your account and garden data stay saved either way.

Question 27

Can I cancel anytime?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Cancel from your Settings page. There are no cancellation fees. You keep access through the end of your current billing period.

Question 28

Is there a money-back guarantee?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You have 14 days from your original purchase date to request a full refund, no questions asked. Email contact@growfitfl.com with the subject Refund Request and we'll process it within 3 business days. See the full policy at our Refund Policy page.

Question 29

Can I get a second trial?

Accepted Answer

One trial per person. If your trial ended and you want more time to decide, the free course stays open to you, and you can email us and we will talk.

Question 30

What is a seasonal challenge?

Accepted Answer

A whole season, planned day by day. It tells you what to plant, the week to plant it, and one small job at a time. The daily plan reads your real forecast and your part of your state, so the dates are yours, not somebody's up north. Every planting window is checked against UF/IFAS Extension guidance.

Question 31

Do I have to buy a challenge?

Accepted Answer

No. Every seasonal challenge is included with The Grower's Year the day it opens. Fall is live right now. Spring opens February 2027 and summer opens June 2027, and both are already yours when they land. They are not sold separately anymore. Open Seasonal Challenges in your sidebar and the fall season is waiting.

Question 32

Am I too late to start one?

Accepted Answer

Almost never. The fall season runs August through February and you can start any day inside that window. The dashboard puts you on the work that matches the calendar, so joining in November lands you on November's job. Fall in Florida is long. There is nearly always something to plant.

Question 33

What future challenges are coming?

Accepted Answer

The Spring Garden Challenge is expected February 2027, with a Summer Survival Challenge after it. Both are included with The Grower's Year the day they open, at no extra cost.

Question 34

What is The Apothecary?

Accepted Answer

A members-only library of herbal tea blend recipes and grow-your-own herb guides, rooted in how people have traditionally used garden herbs. Every blend comes with its recipe, steeping instructions, and the Southern growing guide for each herb in it. It is educational, not medical advice.

Question 35

Are the teas medicine?

Accepted Answer

No. Nothing in the Plan diagnoses, treats, cures, or prevents any disease. The Apothecary shares traditional recipes and gardening knowledge. Talk with your doctor before using herbal teas, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications, and read the safety notes on every herb.

Question 36

Can I grow the tea herbs myself?

Accepted Answer

That is the whole point. Every herb in The Apothecary includes a growing guide for Southern zones. Just remember you are responsible for correctly identifying any plant before you brew it, and some herbs need proper drying or preparation first, which each herb page explains.

Question 37

Is the Movement training program included in my membership?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and it is a real app, not a workout PDF. It comes with The Grower's Year. It installs on your phone with its own icon and builds your training week around your goal, your equipment, and your days. Before every exercise it writes your numbers for the day, the weight, the reps, the sets, and says why in plain words. No separate purchase, ever.

Question 38

What equipment do I need?

Accepted Answer

None is required. You can train with just your bodyweight. If you have resistance bands, dumbbells, a kettlebell, or a barbell, you can tell the program what you have and it will use what is available. You can change your equipment settings anytime.

Question 39

I'm out of shape and out of practice. Is this for me?

Accepted Answer

It is built for exactly that. This is not for bodybuilders. It is for everyday growers who want the strength to work their yard and not hurt the next day. It starts with a short health screening and meets you where you are. As with any new activity, check with your doctor first.

Question 40

Is this medical or personal-training advice?

Accepted Answer

No. The Movement program is general educational fitness information, not medical advice and not personal training. Always check with your doctor before starting a new program, and stop and seek help if anything hurts.

Question 41

What is GFC-1 certification?

Accepted Answer

GFC-1 is the GrowFitFL Certified Grower credential. You earn it by completing the 16-module masterclass. It's an educational completion certificate that shows you've learned the full Southern food forest curriculum. It is not a professional license or government credential. It's a badge of genuine knowledge from Jermaine's program.

Question 42

Is certification included in my membership?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The path to GFC-1 is included at no extra charge with any active membership. Complete the coursework and you earn it.

Question 43

How long does delivery take?

Accepted Answer

Your full video review and Game Plan are delivered within 7 business days of your completed intake. Follow-up videos are delivered within 3 business days of your submission. You will receive an email notification with your video link as soon as it is ready.

Question 44

What happens after the 16 weeks of coaching?

Accepted Answer

Your 16-week coaching window closes, meaning no more follow-up video requests. Your 12 months of full access continues unchanged. You keep all your videos and your Game Plan forever. When your 12-month access ends, you can renew at the standard $199 annual rate if you choose.

Question 45

What happens after the 12 months of access?

Accepted Answer

If you want to continue, you renew at the standard rate of $199 a year. There is no automatic charge at the end of your coaching-included 12 months. You decide whether to continue.

Question 46

I didn't get my verification code.

Accepted Answer

Check spam or junk first. Gmail users, check the Promotions tab. Still nothing after a few minutes, click Resend on the verification screen.

Question 47

When do my books ship, and what does shipping cost?

Accepted Answer

A printed copy of Grow Food NOT Lawns comes with The Grower's Year at no extra charge. It ships to your door once your 14-day money-back window closes. Shipping is included in the membership, so there is nothing more to pay. If you need to change the address we send it to, email contact@growfitfl.com.

Question 48

Do members get partner deals with other businesses?

Accepted Answer

No. We do not have partner discounts, and we do not run promo codes or coupons on our own prices either. What you get is everything inside The Grower's Year for $199 a year, with every seasonal challenge included. Run a business you think our people would love? Email contact@growfitfl.com and tell us about it.

Question 49

Can I share the members-only videos, or save a copy?

Accepted Answer

No. Members-only videos are private, unlisted work. They are not on our public YouTube channel and they are not published anywhere else. You may not download, screen-record, re-film, re-upload, forward, sell, or publicly show them. If a member publishes our members-only content outside the Plan, we may terminate that account without refund and file takedown notices. None of this is aimed at the honest member. It exists so the work stays worth making.

Your garden did not fail because of you.

Can I actually do this?

What exactly do I get

About Jermaine and Toni

You have probably already watched us.

What it costs and how billing works

Seasonal Challenges

The Apothecary

Movement & Fitness

GFC-1 Certification

Backyard Coaching Program

The practical stuff