Category: UF/IFAS Extension

Join the 42nd annual Master Gardener Volunteer training class in 2025.

by Paul Schumaker
December 4, 2024

By Ralph E. Mitchell Are you a candidate for the Charlotte County Master Gardener Volunteer Program? Do you enjoy meeting and talking with people? Do you like searching for answers to gardening questions that you or others have? If so, ... READ MORE

Oh, Poop! Is that what I think it is?!

by Kate Rose
July 14, 2023

In recent years, Charlotte Harbor (and the Southwest coast of Florida in general) has seen the periodic episodes of floating grey and brown carpet-like blobs. Their appearance, and the fact that they sometimes have a strong smell, gives the ... READ MORE

Category: Coasts & Marine, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Recreation, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS Extension, Water
Tags: Algae, Charlotte Harbor, Florida Sea Grant, Florida-Friendly Landscaping™, Harmful Algal Blooms, Nuisance, Seagrass, Water, Water Quality

Foolproof Palm Care: Florida Silver Palm

by Marguerite Beckford
November 7, 2022

Although Florida is home to countless numbers of palms, the list of palms that are actually native to Florida is remarkably short, among them being the Florida Silverpalm (Coccothrinax argentata), so named because of the bluish-silver undersurface ... READ MORE

Category: Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension,
Tags: Florida-Friendly Landscaping™, Ornamental, Palms

Foolproof Palm Care: European Fan Palm

by Marguerite Beckford
November 7, 2022

Among the short list of cold-hardy palms which can tolerate temperatures below freezing, the European Fan Palm (Chamerops humilis) is the only one native to - you guessed it - Europe. It is also one of the slower-growing palms, but its curved ... READ MORE

Category: Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Florida-Friendly Landscaping™, Ornamental, Palms

Foolproof Palm Care: Bamboo Palm

by Marguerite Beckford
October 28, 2022

Bamboo palms (Chamaedorea erumpens) and many closely related species in the genus, are among the few palms that thrive in shade and low-light conditions. For this reason, they are widely used as potted indoor palms and in interiorscapes. Their ... READ MORE

Category: Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension,
Tags: Florida-Friendly Landscaping™, Flowering, Gardening, Low-maintenance, Ornamental, Palms

Foolproof Palm Care: Paurotis Palm

by Marguerite Beckford
August 31, 2022

Palms swaying in the breeze are typically associated with a tropical or subtropical climate but in the plant world, palms have a unique characteristic: because many of them grow with an elevated canopy similar to trees, in lay-terms, palms are ... READ MORE

Category: Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension,
Tags: Florida-Friendly Landscaping™, Ornamental

Animated pumpkin seeds – take a closer look!

by Ralph Mitchell
August 3, 2022

Are your eyes playing tricks with you, or did you just see what looks like a crawling pumpkin seed? No, it's just a household casebearer! This seed-shaped, case-bearing caterpillar is not an uncommon sight in our area. Homeowners often ... READ MORE

Category: Home Landscapes, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Caterpillars, Household Casebearer, Moth

2022 – New year’s gardening resolutions

by Ralph Mitchell
December 31, 2021

It has been a great gardening year, but 2022 is ready for cultivation and planting! Take time for some personal horticultural reflection and goal setting in the gardening department! The New Year is a great time to make some horticultural ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Florida-Friendly Landscaping™, Landscape Design, Turfgrass

Macroalgae in Estuaries

by Betty Staugler
September 10, 2020

Macroalgae are large species of algae often referred to as seaweeds. When not attached to bottom sediments, they are commonly called drift algae. Macroalgae come in colors of red, green, brown and black, and they randomly wash up on beaches ... READ MORE

Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension, Water
Tags: Algae, Drift Algae, Florida Sea Grant, Nutrients, Seaweed, Water Quality

Helping Buyers and Sellers Connect During COVID-19 Disruptions to Florida Food Markets

by Kevin Athearn
April 7, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused major disruptions to Florida food markets. Sales of food products to restaurants and schools have fallen drastically. Some farmers markets have closed. Sales through grocery stores spiked upward initially, but ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Coronavirus, COVID-19, Florida, Food Markets, Local Food

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