By Ralph E. Mitchell I often ask people who want to control pests this question: “Do you prefer to mop up the floor or shut off the faucet?” This relates to the logic of whether you want to… Read More
By Ralph E. Mitchell They creep in slowly with their unassuming soft-bodied nature settling in on plants like a meeting of tiny, friendly jelly donuts. Unbeknownst to the gardener, these insects, known as mealybugs, have inserted their mouthparts… Read More
By Ralph E. Mitchell There is a subtropical/tropical plant in our area that in some parts of the horticultural world is a terrarium plant, a greenhouse resident or coveted house plant. Unfortunately, in many parts of central and… Read More
By Ralph E. Mitchell My reaction to a stinkbug on one of my plants is to squash it as quickly as possible – I have no qualms about handpicking pests – even stinkbugs! However, in the same neighborhood… Read More
Updated 03/16/20 As we continue to monitor COVID-19 in Florida, I wanted to take a moment to update our UF/IFAS Extension community about our current status, best practices and next steps. Please call your local UF/IFAS Extension office… Read More
By Ralph E. Mitchell The title of this article needs a great deal of explaining! First, I am talking about the black olive tree, Bucida buceras, (not a true olive) a common, well-liked shade tree in our area. … Read More
By Ralph E. Mitchell While I often write about plants and pests outside the house, on occasion I also like to talk about common household pests that many of you may be dealing with – both seen and… Read More
By Ralph E. Mitchell Time for some personal horticultural growth and goal setting in the gardening department! The New Year is a great time to make some horticultural resolutions that will benefit any landscape. Let’s look at some… Read More
By Ralph E. Mitchell For every pest, there always seems to be a pest of that pest – a predator, parasite or some type of beneficial organism – that suppresses any aforementioned pest to levels we can live… Read More
By Ralph E. Mitchell To newcomers and long-time residents alike, palms make Florida a paradise to the eye and spirit. Unfortunately, there is a “little devil” of a disease that attacks our palms – Ganoderma butt rot! This… Read More
