Category: Home Landscapes

Groundcovers for an Alternative Lawn

by Tia Silvasy
September 9, 2025

Lawns planted with turfgrass can require a lot of maintenance. Bahia grass is a drought-tolerant turfgrass with minimal pest and disease problems and a low nitrogen requirement. St. Augustinegrass has a high demand for water and fertilizer and ... READ MORE

Category: , Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
Tags: Alternative Lawns, Groundcover, Hillsborough, Native, No Mow Lawns, Pollinator, Silvasy, Tampa

New EDIS/Ask IFAS Document Published by Entomology and Nematology During July and August

by Amanda Quintos
September 8, 2025

Read the latest Entomology and Nematology publication for July and August 2025. In this post, you can click on the title of interest to go to the Ask IFAS page and download the document in PDF format. Stay informed about the latest contributions ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Home Landscapes, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease
Tags: Ask IFAS, Biological Control, Department Of Entomology And Nematology, Edis, Pest Management
Here Braham Dhillon is demonstrating a new web app called Robigus. He is a molecular plant pathologist at the UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center and a specialist in fungal pathogens of palms, woody plants and agricultural crops. His research program combines basic and applied science to better understand how these pathogens infect and spread. the app can help detect crop threats globally with the tap of a screen or keyboard.

Can Robigus be the new crop guardian? This app tracks plant diseases globally

by Lourdes Mederos
September 8, 2025

Named after the Roman god who once guarded wheat fields from blight, Robigus is the newest tech ally in the fight against plant diseases. Developed by a scientist at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Conservation, Crops, Farm Management, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Lawn, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Agriculture, App, Braham Dhillon, Cavendish Bananas, Crops, Disease Outbreaks, Farms, Fields, First Reports, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Fruit, Fungal Pathogen, Gardeners, Global, HiPerGator, Homeowners, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Molecular Plant Pathologist, News, Nursery, Palms, Plant Disease, Plant Pathology, Plants, Robigus, Roman God, Scientists, Tropical Race 4 Of Fusarium, UF-IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, University Of Florida, University Of Florida Supercomputer, Vegetable

Allelopathy: Science-Based Weed Management for Florida Landscapes

by Michael J. Masucci
September 8, 2025

Florida residents and landscape professionals have long battled weeds while trying to create sustainable, low-maintenance, and beautiful outdoor spaces. What if your choice of mulch could actually help control weeds naturally by releasing chemicals ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Lawn, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Hillsborough County, Landscape, Tampa, UF/IFAS Extension
Florida with magnifying glass and insect

September 2025 First Friday with Florida First Detector

by Morgan Pinkerton
September 8, 2025

Recap of September 2025 First Friday with Florida First Detector This September, we continued our tradition of kicking off another year of First Fridays webinars with a refresher on the fundamentals of invasive species. Whether you're brand ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Conservation, Crops, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Biosecurity, Early Detection, Eradication, FFD25-26, FloridaFirstDetector, SeminoleCountyAg

Plants for your Florida Water Garden

by Maria Quirico
September 7, 2025

Central Floridians love constructing water features because Water Gardens add a touch of class to your home. We create ponds and container water gardens easily by visiting our local garden centers. Look for large tubs and preformed ponds with ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Clubs & Volunteers, Curriculum, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, UF/IFAS Teaching, Water, Wildlife
Left to right: Larval Antlion, pupal antlion, adult antlion.

Antlion Insects as Pets?

by Caitlin Sollazzo
September 6, 2025

My Story One day on a walk, I noticed a cluster of tiny funnel-shaped pits in the sand. I knew right away who made them … an antlion larva, also called a “doodlebug.” These little predators are masters at building some of the most ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Agriculture, , Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
Tags: 4-H, Antlions, Insects, Manatee County Extension

Pesticide Safety Awareness: Protecting Yourself and the Environment

by Lisa Hickey
September 5, 2025

Be safe and reduce your pesticide exposure. Whether you are a backyard gardener using pesticides or a professional pesticide applicator, precautions are necessary before and during the use of pesticides. The use of pesticides comes with significant ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Home Landscapes, Horticulture
Tags: Awareness, Pest Control, Pesticide Awareness, Pesticides, Safety, Weed Control

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