Did you know that Florida is home to several species of native cacti? Its true! The prickly pear cactus (Opuntia spp.) produces edible fruit with flowers that bloom a variety of warm-toned colors. These cacti also serve as important nutrient ... READ MORE
Category: Pests & Disease
The Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute (FSI) has found an alarming invasion of Blue tilapia that has replaced the native fish population in Silver Springs State Park based on a recent survey. In 2019, Blue tilapia made up 25% of the ... READ MORE
Category: Invasive Species, Pests & Disease
A new species of thrips was first reported on beans in Miami-Dade County in 2020. The size of this insect is very tiny, only about one millimeter long. They mainly stay within vegetable crop flowers, and damage the flowers. This new thrips species, ... READ MORE
Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease
Pesticides are hazardous, they are designed to repel, kill, or otherwise disrupt the lifecycle of living organisms. Pesticides can be toxic and even poisonous. These are all true statements, but a hazard, by itself, is not necessarily a problem. ... READ MORE
Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Farm Management, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Turf
Why Wildflowers? Loss of biodiversity is one of the major threats to the world. Pollen nectar provides food for insects, which helps to pollinate our food crops, eat pests, and provide food for other wildlife. You can be part of the solution ... READ MORE
Category: , Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
The United States Environmental Protection Agency requires individuals wishing to purchase or use Restricted Use Pesticides (RUP) be properly licensed/certified. States then carry out those plans through approved certification and training plans. ... READ MORE
Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Farm Management, Home Landscapes, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease
Recently, USDA-APHIS added 195 sections across Florida in Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, and Lee counties to the citrus black spot (CBS) quarantine list. Citrus black spot is a disease is caused by the fungal pathogen, Guignardia cirtricarpa ... READ MORE
Category: Pests & Disease
How you landscape matters! Did you know that how you mow impacts how much water your yard might need? Or that what gets pruned could cause an unnecessary wound? Did you know a lot of your lawn issues can be solved with proper mowing and a calibrated, ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Turf, UF/IFAS Extension
Q: What's wrong with my basil? Here at Extension, we receive a lot of questions about struggling basil. One of the most common issues? A devastating disease called “basil downy mildew” which has become very widespread over the past few years... ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
A press release from Bayer recently stated that glyphosate will soon be removed from the residential lawn and garden market. This news, coupled with the fact that glyphosate supplies are currently low and difficult to obtain, has managers across ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Lawn, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Turf