Tag: irrigation

The Landscape Order of Operations: Water. Test. Fertilize—if needed.

by Lauren Spaduzzi
July 15, 2026

A simple guide to diagnosing landscape problems before reaching for fertilizer. When plants start looking unhealthy, it's tempting to reach for a bag of fertilizer. Yellowing leaves, stunted growth, or poor flowering often seem like obvious ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, , Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching, Water
Tags: Central Florida, Fertilizer, Fertilizer Ordinances, Florida, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruit, Garden, Gardening, Hillsborough, Hillsborough County, Home Landscapes, Irrigation, Landscape, Master Gardener, Soil PH, Soil Test, UF/IFAS Extension, Vegetable, Vegetable Gardening, Watering Efficiently
Water Feature in Garden

Irrigating Your Landscape

by joshuacriss
May 18, 2026

Irrigation is quite a controversial topic in horticulture. Far too often, clients come into the office with grass struggling or detrimental fungal concerns in their gardens.  The “go to” conversation concerns the cultural practices being ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping,
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, Irrigation, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Office, Okaloosa, Panhandle, Panhandle Gardening, Santa Rosa, UF, UF-IFAS, Wakulla, Walton, Washington, Watering
Elevated tractor spraying a corn field. Photo taken 05-20-21.

What’s New on Ask IFAS: Agricultural and Biological Engineering (Mar.–Apr. 2026)

by Amanda Quintos
May 14, 2026

Agricultural and Environmental Implications of Information-Driven Irrigation Scheduling: Insights from a Field-Scale Study with a Gravelly Loam Soil in South Florida Young Gu Her, Sandra Guzmán, Ashley Smyth, Laura Vasquez, Qingren Wang, and ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Natural Resources, Water
Tags: Agricultural Sustainability, Irrigation, Soil Moisture Sensors, South Florida

Healthy Plants, Watering Restrictions, and Extreme Drought

by Julia Sirchia
May 14, 2026

In Florida, annual dry periods and drought conditions in the fall and spring are completely normal. But during periods of extreme drought and below-average rainfall, like the conditions we are experiencing this year, there are some cultural ... READ MORE

Category: Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Water
Tags: Drought, Efficient Irrigation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Gardening In Drought, Horticulture, In Times Of Drought, Irrigation, Mulch, Water, Water Conservation, Water Restrictions

Should You Water Your Trees?

by Julia Sirchia
May 7, 2026

Mature Trees   Mature trees, especially older ones, develop an extensive network of roots and can survive on rainfall exclusively. Some of these roots run very deep, which is why supplemental watering is usually unnecessary. Most mature shrubs ... READ MORE

Category: Crops, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Water
Tags: Drought, Dry Season, Efficient Irrigaiton, Home Landscape, In Times Of Drought, Irrigation, Rainfall, Shrubs, Trees, Water, Water Conservation, Water Restrictions
Pop up spray nozzles spray water onto the grass

Slash Your Water Bill: 3 Ways to Spot Hidden Irrigation Leaks

by Stephanie Means
May 5, 2026

Is your lawn burning a hole in your wallet? Think about this: the average home in Florida uses 991 gallons of water every irrigation cycle! That's like running your dishwasher 50 times or keeping the bathroom faucet running for more than 8 hours...and ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Conserve Water, Irrigation, Lawn Irrigation, Leak, Reclaimed Water, Water Conservation
close up of a bush with wet, green foliage and small white buds

How to Care for your Landscape During a Drought

by Julia Sirchia
April 30, 2026

The amount of water a plant needs depends on many things. A few factors include the plant type, age and size, the environmental conditions, and soil type. When you do water, aim for deep, infrequent waterings to encourage strong root systems. ... READ MORE

Category: Crops, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes
Tags: Drought, Efficient Irrigation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscape, In Times Of Drought, Irrigation, Water Conservation, Water Restrictions

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