Category: Horticulture

Sensational Sand Pines (Pinus clausa)

by Jamie Daugherty
August 6, 2025

The Sand Pine (Pinus clausa) is our only native pine harvested as a Christmas tree. Its compact, conical shape and dense, waxy needles make it perfect for seasonal decorating and year-round appeal. If you need a trick to remember its name Latin ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Pines, Sand Pine, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension Sumter County, Urban Forestry, Urban Forestry Extenstion
photo of candles and other insect repelling plants

Florida experts break down the buzz on the myth of mosquito-repelling plants

by Lourdes Mederos
August 6, 2025

As we enter the heart of Florida’s summer in July and August, we’re at the peak of both rainy season and mosquito season, with daily downpours creating ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes across the state. If you’ve ever wondered ... READ MORE

Category: , Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Wildlife
Tags: Basil, Beach Sunflowers, Beneficial Wildlife, Birds, Candles, Citronella, Dragonflies, Entomology And Nematology, Environmental Horticulture, Eucalyptus, Eva Buckner, Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Horticultural Sciences, Insects, Jennifer Pelham, Ladybugs, Lavender, Liah Continentino, Marigolds, Mint, Mosquito, Mosquito Control, Mosquito Season, Natural Predators, News, Rain, UF-IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension Broward County, UF/IFAS Extension Monroe County, University Of Florida
A eppendorf multi pipet tool. Laboratory equipment, science and research.

Graduate Student Spotlight with Gabriella Dickinson: Exploring Plant Metabolism through Biochemistry

by Eva Sailly
August 5, 2025

Gabriella Dickinson, our student spotlight, is a fourth-year Ph.D. student in the Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology (PMCB) program at the University of Florida. Working in Dr. Gilles Basset’s lab, she studies the biosynthesis of prenylated ... READ MORE

Category: Curriculum, Horticulture, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: Basset Lab, Graduate Student, Horticultural Sciences, Ph.D., Plant Breeding, Plant Molecular And Cellular Biology, Plant Science, PMCB, Student, Teaching, UF/IFAS CALS

Reclaiming Water: Reclaimed Water Usage, Part 2

by Jacob Burris
August 5, 2025

What is ‘Reclaimed Water’? According to the USEPA and UF/IFAS, reclaimed water is recycled wastewater that has been thoroughly treated, at least to the secondary level, for reuse. This treatment removes harmful organisms and substances, ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Crops, Farm Management, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Horticulture, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, Recreation, Turf, UF/IFAS Extension, , Water
Tags: Alternative Water Supply, Florida Water, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Irrigation, Irrigation Calibration, Irrigation System, Residential Irrigation, Sustainable Landscape, Wastewater, Wastewater Treatment

The Birds and the Bees and the Fruit Trees

by Jeff Wasielewski
August 5, 2025

Remember that classic talk about “the birds and the bees”? Well, these are the birds and bees they were talking about. The ones that pollinate. Well, it’s mostly bees…and flies, and beetles, and butterflies, but birds and even bats can ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension

Create a Buggy Yard!

by Maria Quirico
August 4, 2025

Insect populations are on the decline. This is a serious problem because insects are a primary source of food for any ecosystem. Birds, reptiles, and small mammals rely on insects as a major part of their diet. There are TEN simple things ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Turf, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching, Water, Wildlife
Florida with magnifying glass and insect

August 2025 First Friday with Florida First Detector

by Morgan Pinkerton
August 4, 2025

Recap of August 2025 First Friday with Florida First Detector Invasive Species Threatening Florida’s Palms In August, our monthly webinar took a deep dive into the world of invasive species affecting palms. From our neatly landscaped yards ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension,
Tags: Biosecurity, Early Detection, Eradication, FFD24-25, FloridaFirstDetector, Palms, SeminoleCountyAg
From left to right: aphid parasitoid wasp, whitefly parasitoid wasp larva, caterpillar parasitoid, predatory mite. Photo credits: caitlin Sollazzo

The Beneficial Insects You Don’t See

by Caitlin Sollazzo
August 4, 2025

When we talk about insect conservation, the conversation usually centers on “saving the bees.” But this often overlooks an entire world of tiny, unseen creatures that are just as vital to our ecosystems. These small, often overlooked arthropods, ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, , Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Conservation, Florida Friendly Landscape, Gardening, Horticulture, Insects, Manatee County Extension, Microscopic

Success Story: UF/IFAS Extension Launches Pollinator Corridor in Tampa

by Tia Silvasy
August 3, 2025

UF/IFAS Extension and Hillsborough County Parks partnered to create a pollinator corridor in the Carrollwood neighborhood of Tampa, FL with funding from the ‘Viva Florida’ grant. The Florida Wildflower Foundation funds planting of native ... READ MORE

Category: , Events, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
Tags: Butterflies, Hillsborough County, Native Plants, Pollinators, Success Story, Tampa, Wildflowers

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