Category: Horticulture

Grow more Keystone Plants? … Here is a pictorial list!

by Maria Quirico
December 27, 2025

Keystone Plants for Central Florida Planting native species is an excellent first step toward attracting beneficial insects. In his influential book Nature’s Best Hope, author, conservationist, and entomologist Douglas Tallamy explains ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Agriculture, Clubs & Volunteers, Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Curriculum, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Wildlife
Tags: Discovery Gardens, Doug Tallamy, Keystone Plants, Native Florida Plants, Perennials, Shrubs, Trees

From 5,000 strawberries to DNA breakthrough: Doctoral grad sweetens the future of fruit

by Brad Buck
December 18, 2025

As we enter the height of Florida’s strawberry production season, many consumers crave the taste and aroma of the fruit. That’s part of what compels Mark Porter to try to enhance those qualities.For his doctoral dissertation, Porter led ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Horticulture
Tags: Aroma, Consumers, DNA, DNA Test, Doctoral Dissertation, Flavor, Genome, Growers, Gulf Coast Research And Education Center, Mark Porter, Ph.D., Plant Breeding, Plant Breeding Ph.D. Program, Seonghee Lee, Sour, Strawberries, Strawberry Breeding, Sweet, Taste

Starting Your Greenhouse or Nursery Business in Central Florida: Pest and Disease Management Resources

by Brooke Moffis
December 17, 2025

Embarking on a greenhouse or nursery venture in the Central Florida region can be both exciting and daunting. One of the most critical aspects of ensuring the health of your horticulture and greenhouse crops is effectively managing pests and ... READ MORE

Category: Horticulture, Pests & Disease

Dr. Gerardo Nunez Named to Fruit + Vegetable 40 Under Forty Class of 2025

by Eva Sailly
December 16, 2025

Dr. Gerardo Nunez, Assistant Professor of Horticultural Sciences, has been named to the Fruit + Vegetable 40 Under Forty Class of 2025, a national recognition honoring emerging leaders who are making meaningful contributions to the specialty ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Research, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: Award, Blueberry, Fruit + Vegetable 40 Under Forty, Gerardo Nunez, Horticultural Sciences, Nunez Lab, Plant Breeding, Small Fruit Horticulture Lab, Teaching, UF/IFAS CALS

Starting Your Greenhouse or Nursery Business in Central Florida: Business Planning and Greenhouse Environment Resources

by Brooke Moffis
December 16, 2025

Are you diving into the world of greenhouse operations, or perhaps you’re considering starting a nursery in the vibrant central Florida region? The journey can feel overwhelming, especially with many factors to consider. From understanding ... READ MORE

Category: Horticulture

UF/IFAS Extension Orange County Commercial Horticulture Classes–2026

by Hannah Eason
December 11, 2025

Good things are growing in Orange County, Florida! Let’s keep our minds as sharp as our tools and learn together in 2026. The exciting line-up of classes is designed to build upon topics from the basics to specifics of commercial horticulture ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Events, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Horticulture, Lawn, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, Turf, UF/IFAS Extension, Water
Tags: BMP, CEU, CEUs, Cflandscapes, Fertilizer, FFL, Florida, Florida Friendly, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Garden, Gardening, Horticulture, Hwooten, IPM, Landscape, Landscape Management, Orange County, Palm, Palm; Palms; Turf, Palms, Pest Control, Tree, Trees, Turfgrass; Best Practices; Bmp; Bmps, UF/IFAS Extension Orange County

Sandspurs…Sandburs…Cenchrus spp.

by Lisa Strange
December 11, 2025

What Are Sandspurs? Where in the world are all these little spurs coming from? Although it’s often considered a nuisance, this annual grass that commonly grows in sandy, undisturbed areas throughout much of the United States, does have some ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Horticulture, Lawn, Livestock, Turf, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension,
Tags: #TaylorCounty, Horticulture, Lawns, Pasture, Sandspurs, UF/IFAS Extension

New MREC faculty member will focus on greenhouse management and Extension

by Meredith Bauer-Mitchell
December 8, 2025

Horticultural scientist Uttara Samarakoon has joined the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Mid-Florida Research and Education Center (MREC) to focus on researching protected agriculture practices. As ... READ MORE

Category: Horticulture, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research

Leafy Oak Gall

by Caitlin Sollazzo
December 8, 2025

Oak galls are one of my favorite examples of how complex plant–insect interactions can be. If you’ve ever walked past an oak tree and noticed odd growths (round, leafy, fuzzy, spiky, or shaped like little apples) you’ve seen the work of ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, , Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Leafy Oak Gall, Oak Gall

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