Category: Home Landscapes
Dr. Arie Havelaar: Exploring Campylobacter, Stunting, and Nutrition in Africa
January 2, 2024
Welcome to the first installment of our new blog series highlighting the global impact of our GFSI faculty members. In this edition, we chat with Dr. Arie Havelaar, a distinguished leader in Global Food Safety and Zoonoses recently appointed ... READ MORE
Category: Pests & Disease, Water, WildlifeTags: Arie Havelaar, Campylobacter, Ethiopia, GFSI, Global Food Systems Institute, IFAS
Weed of the Month: Chickweed
January 2, 2024
Native to Europe, Chickweed (Stellaria media) can be found worldwide and is a winter annual weed in Florida landscapes. It can grow throughout the year, but really thrives in the fall and spring. Established across the state, it is more common ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Home Landscapes, Pests & DiseaseTags: Lawn, PMU, Weeds
2024 – New year’s gardening resolutions – don’t go dormant – spring into gardening!
January 1, 2024
The New Year is a great time to make some horticultural resolutions that will benefit any landscape. Let's look at some tips, suggestions and strategies that will make your landscaping experience in Southwest Florida the best in 2024 – we ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home LandscapesTags: Annual Flowering Plants, Butterfly Gardening, Florida-Friendly Landscaping
Rabbit Bells – Wild Weeds
January 1, 2024
Wild Weeds – Weed of the Month Rabbit Bells Crotalaria rotundifolia This low-growing wildflower can be found in pinelands, sandhills, and disturbed sandy areas throughout Florida. The small yellow flowers bloom in the afternoon and ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Horticulture, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, WildlifeTags: Natural Resources, NFLAG, Wild Weeds
Aromatic Sweet Almond Bush
December 28, 2023
One of my all time favorite plants in my backyard are my sweet almond bushes. I first discovered these plants as I wandered around a local lawn and garden center, drawn to their wonderful almond scent emanating from its small, white flower ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Lawn,Tags: Gardening, Master Gardener Volunteer, Pollinator Garden, Pollinators, Residential Horticulture, Sweet Almond Bush
Color in the Holiday Landscape: Rethinking How We Do This Could Save Lots of Water.
December 28, 2023
In the weeks before and after the holidays you will find Miami homes adorned with fresh plantings of flowers. Some homeowners opt for inflatable holiday characters alongside an array of bright lights. Plastic Santa’s, dormant during the day, ... READ MORE
Category: , Florida-Friendly Landscaping, WaterTags: Florida Friendly Landscape, Landscaping For The Holidays, Native Plants, Plants For Birds, Plants For Butterflies, Saving Water
Don’t Throw Away that Christmas Cactus
December 26, 2023
Now that Christmas is over, What do we do with the gift plants? We know that the poinsettia is worth keeping, but what about the Christmas Cactus? Can it survive after Christmas? Good News! Christmas cactus is ... READ MORE
Category: Home Landscapes, UF/IFAS ExtensionTags: Eva Pabon, Extension, Plants
Ethnobotany at Boyd Hill Nature Preserve
December 22, 2023
By Rebekah Heppner, Pinellas County Master Gardener Volunteer What the heck is Ethnobotany? Good question. Ethnobotany refers to the scientific study (like botany, get it?) of how people (that’s the ethno part) have traditionally used plants ... READ MORE
Category: Events, Home Landscapes, Natural Resources, SFYL Hot Topic, Work & LifeTags: Botany, Ethnobotany, Florida Gardening, Gardening, Master_gardeners
Snakes on the Move
December 21, 2023
If you have new wild friends visiting you, it is likely that you can thank the heavy rains that we have been getting. Many animals, including snakes, are looking for higher ground. Be aware of your surroundings and watch where you step. During ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, , Home Landscapes, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, WildlifeTags: Snake, Wildlife