The hot weather is starting to arrive, and along with it come more insects, more disease potential and lots of tomatoes! Hopefully our summer rains begin to arrive as well. When it feels like there's a riot going on in the garden, having a ... READ MORE
Category: , Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes
Even though hurricane season and afternoon storms are about a month out, now is the time to be thinking about the trees around our homes. There is no “risk free” tree however; there are strategies that we can undertake that can create ... READ MORE
Category: , Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension
May is harvest time for blackberries in northeast Florida! All through April we've been enjoying the beautiful flowers. We've watched the fruit, made up of multiple clustered drupelets, develop. Now, for the next month or so, it's harvest ... READ MORE
Category: , Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes
Tomatoes, peppers and eggplants are all warm weather vegetables from the Solanaceae family They feature prominently in many of our favorite Mediterranean cuisines—from Italian, Spanish and Portuguese to Middle Eastern and North African. All ... READ MORE
Category: Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension
It is clear that spring has arrived, regardless of what the calendar says! Some of our cool season crops, like cilantro, mustard and radishes are bolting and flowering. We often let them do this so our honey bees and native bees have a ready ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension
Early March has been so warm, it seems like we went straight from winter to summer, doesn't it? And another cool spell is on the way. March is often a weather roller coaster, and it's a transition time in the garden. Cool season crops ... READ MORE
Category: Home Landscapes, HorticultureA "fencepost mentality"? We don’t often think about the roots of trees until there is a problem. A forester friend of mine called it a “fencepost mentality”. Being underground, they are often out of sight out of mind. However, ... READ MORE
Category: Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension
When should I fertilize? Don’t jump the gun and fertilize the lawn too early. Mid April is the target date to apply the first fertilizer application to warm season lawns in north Florida. What fertilizer should I use? Find a fertilizer ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, UF/IFAS Extension
Many people are still unaware that the USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) released an updated Plant Hardiness Zone Map in 2023. The most recent edition of the map until now was published in 2012 and put Duval County in Zone 9A. The average ... READ MORE
Category: Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension
Spring is here, and with it comes a flurry of growth and activity in our gardens. Our native bees who are responsible for a large portion of pollination duties are emerging and looking for flowers to forage. It’s only early March, and we ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension