Category: Fruits & Vegetables

A close up of Dr. Jose Chaparro examining the first flowers from a cold-hardy avocado cultivar.

Cold-hardy avocados aimed at transforming Florida’s future fruit industry

by Lourdes Mederos
March 12, 2026

Highlights: University of Florida scientists proved their cold‑hardy avocado lines can survive the January 2026 freeze, enduring temperatures as low as 17 degrees, which is far colder than commercial varieties like Hass can tolerate. ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Blog Community, , Crops, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Agriculture, Anthracnose, Avocado, California, Central Florida, Cold Resistance, Cold-hardy, Cultivar, Disease Resistance, Florida, Florida Agriculture, Florida Avocado, Florida-grown Avocado, Freeze Resistant, Hass, Horticultural Sciences, Horticulture, IFAS, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Jose Chaparro, Laboratory, Laurel Wilt, News, North Florida, Soil, South Florida, UF-IFAS, UF/IFAS Research, University Of Florida, Water
Spring vegetables on display

Fresh, Flavorful, and In Season: March Produce Brings Big Health Benefits

by Lori Wiggins
March 12, 2026

As winter transitions into spring, grocery stores and local markets begin to showcase a colorful shift in seasonal produce. Choosing fruits and vegetables that are “in season” not only enhances flavor and affordability but also maximizes ... READ MORE

Category: Fruits & Vegetables, Health & Nutrition, Home Management, Relationships & Family, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension,
Tags: #TaylorCounty, Cooking, Family, Florida, Health, Healthy, Nutrition, UF/IFAS Extension
Florida with magnifying glass and insect

March 2026 First Friday with Florida First Detector

by Morgan Pinkerton
March 9, 2026

Recap of March 2026 First Friday with Florida First Detector This month, we took a closer look at thrips (Order: Thysanoptera), a group of tiny insects that can have outsized impacts on plants. Although there are more than 7,000 thrips species ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Early Detection, Eradication, FFD25-26, FloridaFirstDetector, Invasive Species, SeminoleCountyAg, Thrips
Green papaya fruit growing from tree branches.

What’s New on Ask IFAS: Horticultural Sciences (Jan.–Feb. 2026)

by Gillian McGuire
March 4, 2026

Newly Translated Publication Achachairu (Garcinia humilis), árbol frutal: botánica y cultivo comercial en el sur de Florida Por Federico W. Sanchez, Jonathan H. Crane, Haimanote Bayabil, Ali Sarkhosh, Muhammad A. Shahid, Bruce Schaffer. Este ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, , Crops, Fruits & Vegetables, Horticulture
Tags: Asian Vegetables Emerging In Florida, Ask IFAS, EDIS Journal, Horticultural Sciences Department, Tropical Fruits

Growing Wellness: How Community Gardens Are Transforming Lives in Pasco County

by Julia Sirchia
March 3, 2026

In today’s world, productivity often overshadows health and well-being. Between work, family obligations, and the pace of modern life, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and disconnected from ourselves. Finding balance is essential. One unexpected ... READ MORE

Category: Crops, Fruits & Vegetables, Horticulture
Tags: Community, Community Garden, Community Gardens, Garden, Gardening, Gardens, Low-income Communities, One Stop Shop, Produce, Raised Beds, The Farmden Project, UF/IFAS Extension Pasco County’s Community Gardens Program
Hands of two people planting seeds in raised soil beds with drip irrigation tubing in a farm field.

2026 Ag Entrepreneurship and Business Planning – Registration is open!

by Tatiana Sanchez-Jones, DPM
February 27, 2026

Have you been thinking about starting a farm and feel ready to start the process? Whether you're an aspiring farmer or a grower looking to refine your business skills, our Agricultural Entrepreneurship and Farm Business Planning short course ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Events, Farm Management, Fruits & Vegetables, Horticulture, Livestock, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Agriculture, Beginner Farmer, FarmingAlachua, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension
Close-up of several fresh lychees on a rustic wooden surface; one is peeled to reveal the white, juicy flesh, and another is cut open showing the shiny brown seed in the center.

¿Tiene un árbol de lichi? El recurso bilingüe de Ask IFAS ofrece orientación para controlar una plaga común

by Luz Bahder
February 26, 2026

Creado por Lourdes Mederos, gerente de relaciones públicas en español para el Departamento de Comunicaciones de UF/IFAS. Los lichis cultivados en Florida ofrecen un toque tropical a los cultivadores domésticos. Sus frutos son dulces ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: ácaro De La Erinosis Del Lichi, Arbol, Ask IFAS, Ask IFAS En Español, Azufre, Daniel Carrillo, Frutas, Lichi, Lychee, Plantas, Publicación Bilingüe, Sintomas, Spanish. Español, University Of Florida Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS)

UF News: The Muscadine Grape

by Julia Sirchia
February 25, 2026

The muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia Michx) is a species native to the Southeast U.S. and the first to be cultivated in North America. While the native Muscadine grape shares some similarities with its European (Vitis vinifera) cousins, these ... READ MORE

Category: Crops, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture
Tags: Exploring Florida's Natives Series, Fruit Crop, Fruit Crop Production, Fruit Production, Garden, Gardening, Gardens, Grape, Grape Breeding, Grapes, Grapes In Florida, Muscadine, Muscadine Grape, Native Florida Grape, Natives, UF News, Vitis Rotundifolia Michx

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