WPTV News: growing your own greens as food-safety concerns rise

WPTV News Channel 5 recently stopped by the Delray Beach yard of SmartyPlants co-owner Ryan Boylston for a story on a question a lot of Palm Beach County families are asking right now: with E. coli and cyclospora outbreaks in the headlines, how do you know the produce on your plate is actually safe? You can watch the full segment on WPTV.com.

Ryan’s answer was refreshingly simple. “We get all our greens from our yard,” he told reporter Joel Lopez. Here’s the longer version — why he grows his own food, what’s actually growing out front, and how you can start doing the same.

A front yard you can actually eat

Step into Ryan’s front yard and it’s clear this isn’t your typical suburban landscape. Instead of decorative shrubs and a picket fence, rows of edible plants stretch across the property — a pineapple patch, a malay apple, and what he calls a “salad tree.” “You’ve heard of bib lettuce? Roll up a little taco or food in here, or eat it right off the tree,” he said.

The unconventional yard has become a daily food source for his family: spinach, lettuce, and arugula, plus star fruit, bananas, peppers, pineapple, and tons of herbs. How often is the family eating something they grew themselves? “Every day,” Ryan said.

He started about three years ago, after struggling to find produce he trusted to be clean and chemical-free. And the appeal is easy to understand once you see it.

Why it hits home right now

The timing isn’t an accident. Growing outbreaks tied to bacteria and parasites on store-bought produce keep making headlines, and a lot of South Floridians are rethinking what they put on their plates — especially leafy greens and berries. According to the Florida Department of Health, there have been 94 confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis this season, including cases in Palm Beach, St. Lucie, and Martin counties.

Growing even a little of your own food is peace of mind you can’t buy at the store. But for Ryan, it long ago became about more than safety. “Eating from them really is the cherry on top,” he said. “It’s the experience — my kids get home from school and they don’t run into the house, they run into the garden.”

From his yard to a business — and to SmartyPlants

What started as a personal fix turned into a company. Through Urban Abundance, Ryan now helps other families install edible gardens in their own yards — the same kind of raised planters filling half his property. And here’s the part we love: Urban Abundance is now based right here at SmartyPlants.

That means the plants, the know-how, and the crew featured in the WPTV story are the same ones you’ll find at the nursery. Come pick up edible starts and fruit trees, or have our team design and build a garden for you — from a few raised beds to a whole front-yard farm.

Ryan’s tips for starting your own

For beginners, Ryan says success comes down to a few basics:

• Get the sun and water right. Make sure your spot gets enough sun, and put in automatic irrigation — “we’re the worst waterers,” he laughs.
• Grow with the seasons. In Florida’s summer heat, plant crops that can take it — spinach, sweet potatoes, and yardlong beans. Save lettuce and tomatoes for the cooler winter months, when you’ll have them in abundance. Pineapples and mangos are hardy year-round.
• Outsmart the iguanas. They’re notorious for destroying gardens. Use raised beds with smooth sides they can’t climb, and build cages or enclosures around anything growing in the ground.

Grow yours with us

You don’t need two acres to start — a sunny patio and a couple of good raised beds are a real garden. Whether you want a few herbs by the door or a yard you can eat from every day, we’ve got the edible plants, the raised beds, and the Urban Abundance team to make it happen. Come see us.

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