Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping

Turfgrass Replacement

by Susan Haddock
November 13, 2025

If 30% or more of your lawn is covered with weeds, bare spots, or other damage, it’s usually more practical to replace it with new sod. In many cases, the time, cost, and effort needed to repair the area are greater than simply starting ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Horticulture, Lawn, Turf, UF/IFAS Extension, Water
Tags: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Grass, Landscape, Lawn Replacement, Laying Sod, Turfgrass

Deck the Halls: Repurposing Yard-Waste for Holiday Decor

by Abbey Smith
November 13, 2025

With the holiday season fast approaching, many folks are reaching for store-bought decorations. But what if your yard could supply some of the festiveness this season? You can turn your landscape trimmings into creative DIY ideas, turning what ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Christmas, Evergreen, FFL, Florida Friendly Landscaping Principles, Holidays, Yard Waste

Winter Landscape Care: Fertilizer and Watering Tips

by Susan Haddock
November 13, 2025

Plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide (CO₂) to make food through photosynthesis. In fall and winter, less sunlight, cooler temperatures, and less rain cause photosynthesis and growth to slow down. Because of this, plants need very ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Horticulture, Lawn, Turf, UF/IFAS Extension, Water
Tags: Fall_lawn_care, Fertilization, Fertilizer, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Irrigation, Landscape, Lawn, ProHort, Swprohort, Turfgrass, Water, Watering Efficiently, Winter Landscape

Can invasive plants increase tick exposure risk? Scientists reveal a surprising link to human health

by Lourdes Mederos
November 12, 2025

An invasive grass found on almost every continent and considered a pest in 73 countries isn’t just weeding out native plants, it is creating a haven for disease-carrying ticks and raising public health risk concerns. A new University of ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, , Conservation, Crops, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Health & Nutrition, Home Landscapes, Invasive Species, Lawn, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS Research, Wildlife
Tags: Agronomy Department, Ask IFAS, Cogongrass, Conservation Efforts, Disease, Drew Hiatt, Entomology And Nematology, Forest, Health, Human, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Invasion Science, Invasion Science Institute, Invasive Species, Lakeland, Lime Disease, Luke Flory, Mosquito, News, Rick, Southeast United States, Tick-borne, U.S> Forestry Service, UF, UF-IFAS, University Of Florida

Porterweed Rust

by Caitlin Sollazzo
November 12, 2025

Sometimes nature can be quite beautiful. This is rust (Puccinia urbaniana) infecting native porterweed (Stachytarpheta jamaicensis). If you look closely, you can even see tiny fly larvae feeding on the spores of the rust fungus.Rust is a type ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, , Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Horticulture, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: Florida Friendly Landscape, Horticulture, Manatee County, Manatee County Extension

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

Fresh Picks: The Month’s Classes

by Chris Weber
November 10, 2025

We’ve got something new for you! Each month, we’ll be sharing a quick look at the classes and workshops happening at UF/IFAS Extension Orange County. Think of it as your go-to guide for learning something new, meeting neighbors, and ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Agriculture, Events, Farm Management, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Food Safety, Fruits & Vegetables, Health & Nutrition, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Horticulture, Lawn, Money Matters, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Work & Life
Tags: Classes, Events, Extension Education, Learning, Ocextension, Orangecountyfl, UFIFASExtension

November 2025 First Friday with Florida First Detector

by Morgan Pinkerton
November 10, 2025

Recap of November 2025 First Friday with Florida First Detector This month’s Florida First Detector webinar took a closer look at Hymenoptera. This is an order of insects that includes wasps, bees, ants, hornets, and sawflies. Hymenopterans ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Livestock, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, Turf, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Bees, Biosecurity, Early Detection, Eradication, FFD25-26, FloridaFirstDetector, Honeybees, Hornet, SeminoleCountyAg, Wasp

Room for Pollinators

by Lisa Strange
November 7, 2025

A pollinator hotel is a simple way to help native bees and wasps by giving them a safe place to nest and spend the winter. These beneficial insects are vital for pollinating crops and wild plants, yet their numbers are declining due to habitat ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS,
Tags: #TaylorCounty, Citizen Science, Florida, Florida Master Gardener Program, Gardening, Pollinator Gardening, Pollinators

What’s New on Ask IFAS: Wildlife Ecology and Conservation (Sept. – Oct.)

by Susan Gildersleeve
November 6, 2025

Ospreys and Observing Osprey Behaviors through the University of Florida Osprey Cam Mark E. Hostetler, Steven A. Johnson, Martin Main. This publication provides information about ospreys (Pandion haliaetus). Further, it discusses an osprey ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Wildlife
Tags: Bees, Department Of Wildlife Ecology And Conservation, Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake, Iguana, Key Largo Woodrat, Osprey

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