UF/IFAS GLOBAL BLOGS
Our Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Demonstration Garden in Bartow is currently full of winter seasonal flowers! Take a look at some of the Florida-Friendly plants currently in bloom online or at the gardens. We now have a self-guided audio tour… Read More
Have you visited the Florida-Friendly Landscaping (FFL) Demonstration Gardens at UF/IFAS Extension Polk County in Bartow? These gardens feature the nine principles of FFL and received a state award in 2019. The gardens are open to the public… Read More
The Spring Plant Sale will be in Lakeland on April 23 and 24 from 7:30 am-noon for reservation only. Reserve your tickets here. Tickets are for a 30 minute shopping time blocks. If you are not able to… Read More
Even though it is still the winter season in central Florida, it is time to think about what vegetables you will plant, grow, and harvest this spring. Spring gardening in central Florida starts when the threat of frost… Read More
For a while, I was OK with COVID. Not happy, but you could say “average.” After almost a year of this pandemic, like most folks, COVID fatigue has set in for me. When the pandemic struck, I needed… Read More
When it comes to butterfly gardening, monarch butterflies seem to get all the love. Monarchs are the butterfly “homecoming queens”! They are drama queens, too, as they lead fascinating lives of intrigue, participating each year in a miraculous-seeming… Read More
Throughout the year, I collect pinecones, acorns, grasses, and seedpods in my yard and on hikes (where permitted). However, in the fall I really step up my activity. Mother nature is drying some of them for me this… Read More
There has been a lot of publicity surrounding the Asian giant hornet in the United States, but as of today, the hornets (Vespa mandarinia) have only been found in Washington state. Of course, insects can be transported across… Read More
Social distancing has become an all-too important description of our healthy relationships with one another during the pandemic. Did you know plants can benefit from “distancing” too? In fact, for central Florida gardeners, “distancing” in our landscapes has… Read More
Gardens have been associated with healing since ancient times, and people have long turned to gardens as places of refuge. During these current days of health, economic and other concerns, the need for healing and refuge is paramount. … Read More
