By Ralph E. Mitchell While we had some fairly cold mornings recently, we have not had a damaging frost/freeze in our area for a few years. Not to jinx this topic by bringing it up, but how do you deal with our yearly cold weather in the ... READ MORE
Category: Home Landscapes, Pests & Disease
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. Secondly, why would a black ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease
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 unseen. One such critter to inspect for ... READ MORE
Category: Home Landscapes, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease
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 fungus needs a palm host to attack and a ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease
By Ralph E. Mitchell Insecticidal soap is perhaps the most-used pesticide in my landscape. Its use as a topical spot treatment for many soft-bodied pest insects and spider mites is unequalled. Insecticidal soap is still an insecticide and ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease
Out in the garden there are sometimes sinister pests gobbling up large portions of precious ornamental canna leaves. What’s worse is that you cannot find the culprit at a glance. What could possibly eat so much leaf matter in such a short ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Home Landscapes, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease
By Ralph E. Mitchell The eastern cottontail rabbit is a natural part of both rural and urban environments in our area. When these rabbits become abundant in urban areas, things can get a bit ticklish when it comes to home gardens and landscapes. ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Home Landscapes, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Wildlife
By Ralph E. Mitchell Tiny, but terrible, the two-spotted spider mite is the bane of many ornamental and edible plants. Only one-fiftieth of an inch in length, when working in groups, this plant pest mite sucks the sap from leaves causing ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease
By Ralph E. Mitchell One spring/summer plant pest that really bugs me is the leaf-footed bug. Just as its name implies, the back legs of this insect have leaf-like projections easily seen by the naked eye. The leaf-footed bug attacks many ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Home Landscapes, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease
In early March, some residents of Charlotte County began seeing small, dark-colored grasshoppers in their landscapes. These are baby Eastern Lubber Grasshoppers which emerged earlier from the ground as they hatched out from last year's eggs. ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease