Many gardeners are familiar with the orange bird-of-paradise plant, Strelitzia reginae. This tropical herbaceous perennial is a common landscape plant in our area and is known for its stunning orange and blue complex flower that resembles ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes
Shampoo ginger, also known as pinecone ginger or awapuhi (Zingiber zerumbet), is a fascinating and practical addition to any tropical garden. Not only does it bring an exotic touch to your landscape, but it also offers a natural, eco-friendly ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture
Last month, UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County offered its first ever Dipnets and Donuts: Pond BioBlitz event. It was a great success, with several species spotted in our ponds at Twin Lakes Park. Participants worked in groups and used dipnets ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Events, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Natural Resources, Recreation, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Wildlife
This Hispanic Heritage Month, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) and Hispanic Access Foundation partners invite families to step outdoors and embark on an exciting citizen science adventure. Scientists ... READ MORE
Category: , Coasts & Marine, Community Volunteers, Conservation, Events, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Natural Resources, Professional Development, Recreation, Relationships & Family, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research, Wildlife
Many arthropods are considered to be pests and can cause negative impacts on agricultural and nursery plants. The majority of these arthropods are insects. On the other hand, not all arthropod pests are insects and some of them may be confused ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching
Muchos artrópodos se consideran plagas y pueden causar impactos negativos en los cultivos y a las plantas ornamentales. La mayoría de estos artrópodos son insectos. Sin embargo, no todas las plagas pertenecen al grupo de los insectos y algunas ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching
You may recognize the delicate, vibrant flowers of the Florida violet (Viola sororia), but did you know that this flower is native to Florida? This annual can add a pop of color to most any garden. Still, it is important to keep the plant’s ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension
Let your palms sway! Most palms are well adapted for Florida’s humid sub-tropical climate. Palms have pinnate, palmate, or bipinnate leaves that dance in the wind and drip excess water off their leaf tips. The trunk stands strong like a concrete ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Horticulture, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension
Why You Should Turn Off Your Irrigation System During the Rainy Season Water is a precious resource, and how we manage it is crucial for both the environment and our finances. One of the most effective ways to conserve water is by turning ... READ MORE
Category: , Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Lawn, Natural Resources, Water
Mosquitoes are annoying, especially that zzzzzzz next to my ear at night when one gets in the house. The rainy season promotes mosquito breeding. Mosquito breeding may lead to viruses that are transmitted from mosquitoes to humans and back to ... READ MORE
Category: Camp, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Health & Nutrition, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Recreation, Water