Tag: Central Florida

Every Count Counts: Why Local Pollinator Observations Matter

by Lauren Spaduzzi
June 16, 2026

When people think of scientific research, they often picture Bunsen burners, beakers, and scientists in white lab coats hunched over microscopes. But some of the most valuable data comes from community members observing the world around ... READ MORE

Category: , Conservation, Events, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Natural Resources, Relationships & Family, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Wildlife
Tags: Central Florida, Citizen Science, Citizen Scientist, Florida, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Garden, Great Florida Pollinator Census, Greatsoutheastpollinatorcensus, Hillsborough, Hillsborough County, UF/IFAS Extension, Youth

How to start a food forest in your central Florida yard

by Anne Yasalonis
June 15, 2026

The garden journey of a Master Gardener Volunteer is always fascinating. UF/IFAS Extension Polk County Master Gardener Volunteer, Jessica, shares how she started a food forest in her yard. To learn even more, take a listen as we chat with Jessica ... READ MORE

Category:
Tags: Anne Yasalonis, Ayasalonis, Central Florida, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Florida-Friendly Plants, Flowers, Food Forest, Fruit, Gardening, Jschelb, Master Gardener Volunteer, Native Plants, Polk County, Polk County FL, Polkgardening, Vegetables, Your Central Florida Yard Podcast

Chop and Drop Gardening: Turning Plant Waste into Healthy Soil

by Lauren Spaduzzi
May 29, 2026

Nature doesn’t waste nutrients, and your garden doesn’t have to either! What is ‘chop and drop’ gardening? Chop and drop gardening involves ‘chopping’ plant material, and then ‘dropping’ it in place, where it decomposes naturally ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, , Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Central Florida, Chop And Drop, Compost, Florida, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Garden, Gardening, Home Landscapes, Mulch, UF/IFAS Extension, Vegetable Gardening

Growing Everglades Tomato

by Tia Saracino
May 26, 2026

Everglades tomato is a wild type of current tomato that thrives in Florida's hot humid summers. The small red fruits, about the size of a dime, are abundant and tasty. This is an indeterminate type of tomato and can easily grow 6 to 10 feet ... READ MORE

Category: , Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Central Florida, Edible Landscaping, Everglades Tomato, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruit And Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Tomato, Vegetable Gardening, Video

Want to grow papaya trees in your backyard? Ask IFAS bilingual resource offers top research tips for success

by Lourdes Mederos
May 19, 2026

With the right care, papaya trees thrive in Florida backyards, producing sweet fruit and flowers. Depending on the variety, this slender tree can produce more than one bright white flower in less than 12 months. Well suited to Central ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Blog Community, Conservation, Crops, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Ask IFAS, ASK UF/IFAS En Espanol, Central Florida, Diseases, English, Food Is Medicine, Harvesting, Healthy, Healthy Environment, Home, Irrigation Needs, Jonathan Crane, Landscape, Papaya, Papaya Growing, Papaya Seeds, Papaya Tree, Pests, Plants, South Florida, Superfruit, Sustainable, UF-IFAS, UF/IFAS Tropical Research And Education Center

Want to grow papaya trees in your backyard? Ask IFAS bilingual resource offers top research tips for success

by Lourdes Mederos
May 19, 2026

Cold-hardy avocados aimed at transforming Florida’s future fruit industry

by Lourdes Mederos
March 12, 2026

Highlights: University of Florida scientists proved their cold‑hardy avocado lines can survive the January 2026 freeze, enduring temperatures as low as 17 degrees, which is far colder than commercial varieties like Hass can tolerate. ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Blog Community, , Crops, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Agriculture, Anthracnose, Avocado, California, Central Florida, Cold Resistance, Cold-hardy, Cultivar, Disease Resistance, Florida, Florida Agriculture, Florida Avocado, Florida-grown Avocado, Food Is Medicine, Freeze Resistant, Hass, Horticultural Sciences, Horticulture, IFAS, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Jose Chaparro, Laboratory, Laurel Wilt, News, North Florida, Soil, South Florida, UF-IFAS, UF/IFAS Research, University Of Florida, Water

3/18/26 Palms Workshop–In Person in Orange Co.

by Hannah Eason
February 10, 2026

BEWARE! AFTER THIS CLASS, YOU WILL NEVER LOOK AT PALMS THE SAME AGAIN! Palms are popular plants that represent a slice of Florida paradise! There is a science to growing pretty palms that will thrive in Florida, from wild places to managed ... READ MORE

Category: Events, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Central Florida, CEU, CEUs, Cflandscapes, Commercial Horticulture, Commercial Lawn And Ornamental, Continuing Education, Continuing Education Unit, Cpo, Education, Florida, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Garden, Gardening, Gardening Class, Hkalaman, Hwooten, Landscape, Landscape Architect, Landscape Design, Landscapes, Lawn And Ornamental, Limited Commercial Landscape Maintenance, Limited Lawn And Ornamental, Nutrient Deficiencies, Ocextension, Orlando Events, Ornamental And Turf, OT, Pa, Palm, Palm Diagnostics, Palm Fertilizer, Palm Problems, Palms, PCO, Planning, Plant Diseases, Plant Pests, Pruning, Right-of-Way, Row, Streetscape, Sustainable Landscaping

Ask the Plant Clinic: Real Questions from Central Florida Gardeners- A New Episode of Your Central Florida Yard Podcast

by Julie Schelb
December 26, 2025

Ask the Plant Clinic: Real Questions from Central Florida Gardeners In this episode of Your Central Florida Yard podcast, join us to learn about some of the frequent questions our plant clinic has received from central Florida gardeners. Check ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Lawn
Tags: Anne Yasalonis, Ayasalonis, Central Florida, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Florida-Friendly Plants, Jschelb, Lawn, Master Gardener Volunteer, Polk County, Polkgardening, Polkmg, UF-IFAS, UF/IFAS Polk County, Weeds, Wildflowers, Your Central Florida Yard Podcast

Garden Tasks that WOW: A New Episode of Your Central Florida Yard Podcast

by Julie Schelb
December 24, 2025

Garden Tasks that WOW In this episode of Your Central Florida Yard podcast, join us to learn about which garden tasks can make a big difference in the appearance of your landscape. Anne and Julie also share their top two favorite tasks ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes
Tags: Anne Yasalonis, Ayasalonis, Central Florida, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Florida-Friendly Plants, Jschelb, Master Gardener Volunteer, Mulch, Polk County, Polkgardening, Polkmg, UF-IFAS, UF/IFAS Polk County, Weeds, Your Central Florida Yard Podcast

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