Tag: Extension

Lovebugs on flowers

Don’t Believe the Rumors, We Didn’t Invent Lovebugs!

by Matt Lollar
September 1, 2026

The University of Florida did not invent lovebugs.  However, we know enough about them to dispel a couple rumors and share a few facts. Rumor #1 - Lovebugs were developed by the University of Florida to eat mosquitoes. Sometime after ... READ MORE

Category: Pests & Disease
Tags: Agriculture, Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Extension, FFL, Florida Yards And Neighborhoods, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Franklin, FYN, Gadsden, Garden, Gardening, Gardening In The Panhandle, GI-BMP, Gulf, Holmes, Horticulture, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Office, Okaloosa, Panhandle, Panhandle Gardening, Santa Rosa, UF, UF-IFAS, Wakulla, Walton, Washington

One Yard Can Inspire a Community: Karma Thomson Earns Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Gold Recognition

by Sara MacDonald
August 26, 2026

A landscape can be more than a beautiful view from the street. It can conserve water, support wildlife, protect Florida’s natural resources, and inspire an entire community. UF/IFAS Extension St. Lucie County is proud to recognize Karma Thomson, ... READ MORE

Category: , Community Volunteers, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, Recreation, UF/IFAS
Tags: Extension, Florida Friendly Landscape, UF/IFAS Extension St. Lucie County
Hydroponic Lettuce

Santa Rosa Farming Series

by Matt Lollar
August 14, 2026

The Santa Rosa County Extension Office (6263 Dogwood Dr., Milton, FL 32570) will be hosting a series of classes for people interested in starting a farm business or diversifying their current operations.  Each class will focus on a specific ... READ MORE

Category: Events
Tags: Aquaponics, Christmas, Class, County, Event, Extension, Farm, Farming, Fruit, Hydroponics, IFAS, Mushroom, Panhandle Agriculture, Series, Training, Tree, UF, Vegetable, Workshop
Zebra longwing on zinnia

Fall Support for Pollinators

by joshuacriss
August 6, 2026

It may not seem like it, but the days are getting have steadily shorteer. With that, we’ve also begun our journey to fall. Aside from images of glowing fireplaces and pumpkin spice everything, those of us in the gardening world should put ... READ MORE

Category: Home Landscapes
Tags: Agriculture, Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Extension, FFL, Florida Yards And Neighborhoods, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Franklin, FYN, Gadsden, Garden, Gardening, Gardening In The Panhandle, GI-BMP, Gulf, Holmes, Horticulture, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Office, Okaloosa, Panhandle, Panhandle Gardening, Panhandle Horticulture, Santa Rosa, UF, UF-IFAS, Wakulla, Walton, Washington
Dogfennel

What’s That Weed? Dogfennel

by Matt Lollar
July 30, 2026

Dogfennel (Eupatorium capillifolium), which some people refer to as summer cedar, is a perennial weed that can be difficult to control.  When mowed down or cut it grows back from a woody base.  Additionally, it produces seeds with hairs that ... READ MORE

Category: Home Landscapes, Pests & Disease
Tags: Agriculture, Bay, Calhoun, Control, Dog, Dogfennel, Escambia, Extension, Fennel, FFL, Florida Yards And Neighborhoods, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Franklin, FYN, Gadsden, Garden, Gardening, Gardening In The Panhandle, GI-BMP, Gulf, Herbicide, Holmes, Horticulture, Invasive, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Manage, Office, Okaloosa, Panhandle, Panhandle Gardening, Pesticide, Santa Rosa, UF, UF-IFAS, Wakulla, Walton, Washington, Weed
Triad with Jeffrey Williamson Teaching a pruning course, the middle image showcases blueberries on a branch, and third is a peach on a tree with the stadium in the background

UF/IFAS Professor Retires: Jeffrey Williamson on Florida Blueberries and Mentorship

by Eva Sailly
July 29, 2026

“The very fact that we’re growing blueberries at all is because of UF/IFAS. If we didn’t have those varieties, we wouldn’t be growing blueberries commercially. The breeding program is really what turned blueberries into an important ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, UF/IFAS Teaching, Work & Life
Tags: Blueberry, Extension, Horticultural Sciences Department, Jeffrey Williamson, Retirement, Rootstock, Stone Fruit, Teaching, UF IFAS Horticultural Sciences, UF/IFAS CALS

The Oak, the Moss, and the Fern: The Art of Living Together

by Giuseppe Di Giacinto
July 23, 2026

Have you ever found yourself standing beneath a giant live oak and looking up? Its massive branches stretch across the sky like arms. Silvery strands of Spanish moss move along with the breeze, while clusters of green resurrection fern ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife, Work & Life
Tags: Community, Extension, Featured, Ferns, Live Oak, Native Trees, Special Topics, Sustainability, Urban Environments, Urban Forest
Landscape with pond

All About Rain Gardens

by joshuacriss
June 24, 2026

With all the rainy days in northwest Florida lately, you’d be forgiven for wondering if your property would be better suited to being one giant pond. More importantly, you may begin to wonder where all that runoff will end up. It will likely ... READ MORE

Category: Home Landscapes
Tags: Agriculture, Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Extension, FFL, Florida Yards And Neighborhoods, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Franklin, FYN, Gadsden, Garden, Gardening, Gardening In The Panhandle, GI-BMP, Gulf, Holmes, Horticulture, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Office, Okaloosa, Panhandle, Panhandle Horticulture, Santa Rosa, UF, UF-IFAS, Wakulla, Walton, Washington
honey bees on a ray flower

Knee High by the Fourth of July Nonsense

by Matt Lollar
June 23, 2026

I'm sure you've heard the old saying "Knee High by the Fourth of July" in reference to growing corn.  Well, it's just not true in this part of the country.  In fact, it doesn't hold much truth in America's Corn Belt either.  If we planted ... READ MORE

Category: Fruits & Vegetables
Tags: Agriculture, America, Bay, Calhoun, Corn, Escambia, Extension, Farm, FFL, Florida Yards And Neighborhoods, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Franklin, FYN, Gadsden, Garden, Gardening, Gardening In The Panhandle, GI-BMP, Gulf, Holmes, Horticulture, Independence, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Office, Okaloosa, Panhandle, Panhandle Gardening, Santa Rosa, UF, UF-IFAS, Vegetable, Wakulla, Walton, Washington

Subscribe For More Great Content

IFAS Blogs Categories