Post authored by Susan Griffith, Florida Friendly Program Specialist. Spring has sprung and with it comes many butterflies! Butterflies start out in their larval form as caterpillars of all different shapes and sizes. They like to munch ... READ MORE
Category: , Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Wildlife
What is lettuce bolting and why does it matter? Bitterness and bolting in lettuce have a direct correlation and we have a feeling you don't particularly want to grow bitter tasting lettuce, so here are a couple of tips! 1. Know your end goal ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Crops, Fruits & Vegetables, Horticulture,
Love and Hate Facebook gardening groups will light up at the mention of Mexican Petunia, Ruellia simplex. Comments like “Worst weed ever!”, “My favorite plant!”, “Invasive! Pull it out quickly!”, and “It’s so easy to grow, ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension
National Pollinator Week is June 17-23 this year, so I’m highlighting one of my favorite pollinators: hummingbirds. They are easy to attract, all you need is the right nectar plants. Hummingbirds have regular feeding routes, and will come ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Horticulture, Wildlife
Mangroves Mangrove trees are an important part of Florida’s diverse ecosystem and are integral to the coastal estuaries where they grow. Mangrove forests in the tropics and subtropics are identifiable by their dense tangle of prop roots ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Natural Resources
By Ralph E. Mitchell With the heat and rain of summer weather ramping up, some vegetable gardeners take the summer off and simply solarize their garden. However, if you wanted to go ahead and garden through the summer, southern peas can ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture
Silent Invaders When we think of things as being invasive we often imagine something like water Hyacinths covering every inch of a waterway or acres of Brazilian Peppers blocking out the sun where nothing else will grow. Invasive species are ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Livestock, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching,
Pest problems can come on a large or small scale. Think of the myriad of microbes that can bring us to our knees. A flea may be tiny, but look at the aggravation it causes! Just when you thought your lychee tree was safe, in steps the lychee ... READ MORE
Category: Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Pests & Disease
The Water-Wise Awards program is designed to recognize attractive, water conserving landscapes for homes and businesses. Winning landscapes balance attractive design with plants, landscape elements, and efficient irrigation techniques. Points ... READ MORE
Category: , Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, Natural Resources, Water
What interesting type of fruit can you grow for an edible landscape in central Florida? Many of the tropical fruit that people associate with Florida are not quite hardy enough here. We have just enough cold to prohibit some tropical fruit, ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture,