South Florida's lush landscape and subtropical climate make it a paradise for both humans and a diverse range of wildlife. However, in recent years, an invasive species has become a growing concern for the region, especially concerning ... READ MORE
Category: Home Landscapes, Home Management, Invasive Species, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS Extension
Para acceder a esta comunicación en español, por favor utilice este enlace. Hurricane Ian made an impact as it passed west of the Keys. Though we were spared the worst, strong hurricane-force wind gusts and fast-moving storm surge caused ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes
Visiting different properties around the Keys, I’ve noticed an increased number of Mexican petunia plants, Ruellia simplex, covered in white patches. These aren’t mealybugs or whiteflies, it is caused by gall mites and it's the plants ... READ MORE
Category: , Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, NATURAL RESOURCES, Pests & Disease
Witch’s broom is a symptom of stress in woody plants that causes deformed or stunted growth on newly expanding buds and leaves. This stress causes the disruption of stem elongation, leaf development and expansion, and can cause a broom-like ... READ MORE
Category: , Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Pests & Disease
Chives are a perennial member of the onion family. Onion chives (Allium schoenoprasum) and garlic chives (Allium tuberosum) are both reliable pops of green in a Keys herb garden. They produce attractive edible flowers and provide a source ... READ MORE
Category: Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes
Monroe County Board of County Commissioners recently passed a fertilizer ordinance with the intent of limiting nutrient applications to turf and landscape plants. Nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen, have the potential to contribute to ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, NATURAL RESOURCES, Work & Life
When we think about insects in our yards and gardens, our first thought is probably not about all the many good things they do. But make no mistake, there are far more good bugs than bad bugs which benefit our yards in numerous ways; just ... READ MORE
Category: , Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, NATURAL RESOURCES, Pests & Disease
This is a summary of a recent presentation by Dr. Thomas Chouvenc on the importance of termite colony biology on control methods Termites evolved from cockroaches 150 million years ago. There are now over 3,000 termite species worldwide, ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, , Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease
Eulophia graminea, a terrestrial orchid commonly known as Chinese ground orchid, was first discovered in south Miami in 2007. By 2010, it had spread to seven more counties, including one known occurrence from No Name Key (Pemberton, 2013). ... READ MORE
Category: Home Landscapes, Invasive Species, NATURAL RESOURCES
The Horntail Snail, Macrochlamys indica, was detected in Miami-Dade County in August 2020 and sent to the University of Florida for identification. This identification was confirmed by USDA and Florida Department of Agriculture (FDACS), ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, , Home Landscapes, NATURAL RESOURCES