Category: Home Landscapes

UNF Botanical Garden – Focusing on Sustainability Through Florida-Friendly Landscaping™

by Stephanie Means
January 9, 2026

Recently Rhonda Gracie, the University of North Florida Botanical Garden Horticulturalist and mastermind behind the gardens for the last decade plus, received the Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ (FFL) Ambassador award. An FFL Ambassador is ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: 9 Principles, Botanical Garden, Conservation, Duval, Florida Friendly, Florida Friendly Landscaping, Gardening, Groundcovers, Mulch, UNF Botanical Garden

Mistletoe: A merry Christmas decoration or menace to trees?

by Larry Figart
November 13, 2025

For many people, mistletoe is a pest, while for others, it is a symbol of Christmas cheer. The origin of mistletoe as a Yuletide symbol came from the Norse and the Druids. Both had traditions that equated mistletoe with forgiveness and reconciliation. ... READ MORE

Category: Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Pests & Disease
Tags: Christmas, Duval, Figart, IFAS, Mistletoe, Parasite

Selecting Firewood

by Larry Figart
November 12, 2025

For humans, gathering around fire is a unique social event. For thousands of years we have been gathering around fires to cook, hold ceremonies, and keep warm. Even though today we have the modern conveniences of central heat and insulated ... READ MORE

Category: Home Landscapes
Tags: Duval, Figart, Fires, Firewood, Fuelwood, IFAS, State Forests

New Air Potato Beetle Species Release

by Tonya Ashworth
November 11, 2025

They are small but mighty. A new species of air potato beetle is being reared and released in Florida to wage war against the invasive air potato vine. First, a little background on the enemy. The air potato vine was introduced in Florida ... READ MORE

Category: , Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease
Tags: Air Potato Beetle, Air Potato Vine, Invasive Plant, Invasive Species

Homeowner’s Guide to A 30 Minute Fall Irrigation Tune-Up

by Stephanie Means
November 6, 2025

You've started to feel that welcomed North Florida cool-down, but your monthly water bill might still be reflecting the brutal summer heat. Many warm-weather grasses found locally, such as St. Augustine, Zoysia, and Bahia, will go dormant ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Florida Friendly Landscaping, Irrigation, Irrigation Calibration, Irrigation Tune Up, Saving Water

Growing Persimmons

by Duval MGV
November 6, 2025

When we think of fall fruit, often we think about apples, pumpkins, and cranberries This year why not add persimmons to the list. Fall is when their ripening, orange fruits are very noticeable. Not only are they available in the produce section, ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Duval, Florida Gardening, Gardening, Landscape, Native Plants, Persimmons, Trees

Garden Chores For Fall

by Duval MGV
September 22, 2025

September and October may be next to each other on the calendar, but they are quite different months for gardening here in northeast Florida September is a very transitional month. It usually starts off too hot, and often brings us tropical ... READ MORE

Category: , Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Edible Landscape, Fall Gardening, Fall Vegetable Gardening, Fall Vegetables, Florida Gardening, Veggie Gardening

Cover Crop Termination: What Do I Do When It’s Over?

by Beth Marlowe
September 15, 2025

Perhaps you've read about how beneficial cover crops can be for building your vegetable garden soil in the off season, and planted one over the summer. Now it's time to get the fall garden going, and you're wondering what to do with the cover ... READ MORE

Category: , Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes
Tags: Cover Crops, Duval, Florida Gardening, Gardening, Vegetable Gardening, Weed Management

Be on the lookout (B.O.L.O) for these invasive insects

by Larry Figart
September 15, 2025

The term “invasive species” has been getting a lot of press lately. We hear about invasive animals such as the Burmese Python, Lionfish, and Cuban treefrogs. Invasive plants like kudzu, air potato, and Brazilian pepper. Even invasive ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture
Tags: Arboriculture, Ash, Duval, EAB, Florida, Insects, Invasive, Lanternfly, Trees, Urban Forestry

Planting for Pollinators in the Shade

by Stephanie Means
September 9, 2025

One of the most popular topics for our presentations is how to create a garden that attracts pollinators. Typically, a sunny area is the best choice for establishing this type of garden, which can leave those with shady yards feeling overlooked. ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping
Tags: Florida Friendly Landscaping, Gardening, Native Plants, Pollinator Gardening, Pollinator Plants, Shade, Shade Gardens, Shade Plants For Pollinators

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