Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping

Post-Hurricane Landscaping Tips: Pines in Decline

by Ashley Ellis
September 29, 2023

Florida is no stranger to the powerful forces of hurricanes that sweep through its landscapes, leaving devastation in their wake. Hurricane Idalia, Ian, and Irma have all drastically impacted our local landscapes in recent years. While immediate ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Work & Life
Tags: Disaster, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Horticulture, Hurricane, Landscape, Pgm_HortRes, Storm

Scent-sational Shrubs: Unveiling the Aromatic Allure of the Tea Olive

by Wayne Hobbs
September 22, 2023

When it comes to choosing plants for my yard, I follow my nose. And I have found nothing is more aromatically exquisite than the Osmanthus fragrans, tea olive tree. The tea olive is a tree, reaching heights of 20 feet or more, but since it ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Clay County, Florida, Florida Friendly, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Garden, Gardening, Horticulture, Landscape, Landscaping, Master Gardener, Master Gardener Volunteer

Tiny purple Podocarpus parasites

by Ralph Mitchell
September 19, 2023

While many landscape plants can be considered “pest-free”, on occasion there are insects that pop up which are problematic or at least need some attention. Knowing about an insect pest, its overall impact to a plant, and how to manage ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Pests & Disease
Tags: Aphids, Neophyllaphis Varicolor, Pests, Podocarpus

Plant This, Not That Lecture, Master Gardener Plant Sale

by llw5479
September 18, 2023

The plants you bring home from garden centers and nurseries may look beautiful in your landscape but they might be invasive species that could escape your yard and quickly spread into natural areas, becoming an ecological and economic nightmare. To ... READ MORE

Category: Events, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Invasive Species
Tags: Florida-Friendly Plants, Invasive Plants, Master Gardener Volunteers, Native Plants, Plant Sale, Seminar

What Is that Lawn Ornament? Sunshine Powderpuffs!

by Forest Hecker
September 15, 2023

Welcome to our Lawn Ornament blog series, where we explore one of the plethora of micro-plants that can help create a biodiverse, predominantly green, yet also delightfully colorful lawn that requires much less maintenance than a traditional ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Lawn, Work & Life
Tags: Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Grass, Horticulture, Landscape, Lawn, Nature, Pgm_HortRes

Marvelous Mulberries

by Heather Kalaman
September 11, 2023

The mulberry (Morus spp.) is a fruiting tree rich in flavor, with nutritious foliage, a myriad of medicinal and culinary value, and a fascinating history. With numerous species, hybrids, and endless cultivars to choose from—a mulberry may ... READ MORE

Category: , Crops, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Health & Nutrition, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Alternative Fruit, Backyard Fruit, Central Florida Gardening, Florida Friendly, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Fruit Trees, Gardening Solutions

Managing Tropical Fruit Pests

by Jeff Wasielewski
September 11, 2023

When it comes to dealing with insect pests of tropical fruit, try not to think “What do I spray?” Instead, use a balanced approach to pest control that will use pesticides only when completely necessary. The most common pests for tropical ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic

Why Does Soil pH Matter?

by Jeremy Rhoden
September 10, 2023

Why does soil pH matter? The foundation of every successful garden starts with quality soil. Whether you’re growing vegetables, flowers, turf, shrubs, or any other plant matter, you must be aware of your soil pH and understand that it can ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, Turf, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Garden, Jeremy Rhoden, Soil PH, Soil Test, Turf, Vegetable Gardens

Post-Hurricane Landscaping Tips: Check for ‘Widow Makers’

by Forest Hecker
September 5, 2023

Hurricanes can wreak havoc on our landscapes, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. Lately this destruction seems constant, Irma, Ian, and now Idalia have all caused significant tree damage to our area in recent years. While many ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Work & Life
Tags: FFL, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Horticulture, Hurricane, Landscape, Pgm_HortRes, Storm, StormPrep

September 2023 First Friday with Florida First Detector

by Morgan Pinkerton
September 5, 2023

Recap of September 2023 First Friday with Florida First Detector For our September First Fridays with Florida First Detector, we revisited some basics about invasive species and their impacts on Florida. An invasive species is a non-native ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, Turf, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
Tags: Biosecurity, Early Detection, FFD23-24, FloridaFirstDetector, Invasive Species, SeminoleCountyAg

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