For horse owners, manure is part of everyday life. A single 1,000-pound horse produces between 35 and 50 pounds of manure each day, adding up to nearly nine tons each year. While managing that volume may seem like a constant chore, horse manure ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Farm Management, Livestock, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
"The health of soil, plant, animal and man is one and indivisible." – Sir Albert Howard, An Agricultural Testament (1940) Farmers are intrinsically tied to the soil beneath their fields. Where others see dirt, greenery, and maybe a few worms, ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Crops, Natural Resources
How to using compost in a home landscape?Compost can be applied to various garden and landscape areas, including vegetable gardens, landscape beds, turfgrass, especially before installing sod, flower beds, grow boxes, container gardens, and ... READ MORE
Category: , Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Lawn, UF/IFAS Extension
The goal of a good compost pile is to turn dead plant material into humus, the black or brown material that is formed when organic matter is decomposed. Many organisms play a part in breaking down this organic matter, from microscopic bacteria, ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture
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
The secret that farmers once depended on There's a secret to making your garden grow that farmers have long known, but that has escaped many home gardeners today. In Florida’s Heartland, where the soil is mostly sand, this technique is as ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS
Why compost on the farm? Across ornamental nurseries, vegetable fields/greenhouses, and livestock operations large and small, use and production of compost is considered a best practice. Composting keeps materials out of the landfill, prevents ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Farm Management, UF/IFAS Extension![young hands, cradled by older hands, hold a pile of soil with a young plant growing from it. [credit: pixabay.com, shameers rk]](https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/wp-content/blogs.dir/40/files/2026/02/2026_Waste_plantHandsSoil_pixaayShameersRkCROP1650x470.png)
Be part of Sarasota County’s first-ever Master Waste Reduction Educator Program! UF/IFAS Sarasota County Extension is launching the inaugural Master Waste Reduction Educator Program. This immersive, six-week experience is designed to empower ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching
Creado por Lourdes Mederos, gerente de relaciones públicas en español para el Departamento de Comunicaciones de UF/IFAS. Las fiestas son sinónimo de buena comida, grandes reuniones y mucha gratitud, pero también pueden convertirse en ... READ MORE
Category: Blog Community, Conservation, Food Safety, Health & Nutrition, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Money Matters, Natural Resources, Relationships & Family, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
The holidays are all about good food, great gatherings and plenty of gratitude. It can be a time of extended budgets, overflowing trash bins and wasted leftovers. How does one plan with precision to maximize savings, guarantee ... READ MORE
Category: , Conservation, Fruits & Vegetables, Health & Nutrition, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Money Matters, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Work & Life