When you find a bug in the landscape, do you know if it is a good bug or a bad bug? The landscape hosts a diverse collection of insects and other tiny life forms. Some survive by being a plant pest. But many others are beneficial by eating the ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Horticulture, Pests & Disease
Most lawn care and pest control professionals rely on insecticides to manage the southern chinch bug in Florida lawns. This is largely due to a lack of effective and easily implemented alternative integrated pest management strategies. When ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Horticulture, Pests & Disease
Have you ever dreamed of turning the plants, leaves, and food scraps around your home into a nutrient‑rich garden compost? Below I’ll walk you through the simple steps to create a thriving compost pile right in your backyard or a community ... READ MORE
Category: Fruits & Vegetables, Horticulture
Downy mildew disease on Awabuki viburnum is prevalent right now. It can be a devastating disease causing severe defoliation. The disease is triggered by cooler, moist weather, especially foggy nights and mornings. Downy Mildew causes light green ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & DiseaseIf you are looking to start a community garden, or improve an existing one, check out these helpful resources from UF/IFAS. The Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide – This is an excellent guide that covers all different topics of gardening ... READ MORE
Category: Fruits & Vegetables, Horticulture
Good things are growing in Orange County, Florida! Let’s keep our minds as sharp as our tools and learn together in 2026. The exciting line-up of classes is designed to build upon topics from the basics to specifics of commercial horticulture ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Events, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Horticulture, Lawn, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, Turf, UF/IFAS Extension, Water
An invasive thrips species has started to wreak havoc in Florida. The insect was first detected in Florida in 2020 but has since spread significantly across the state. What once was isolated to greenhouses now has begun to harm a wide range ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Home Landscapes, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Scientists at the University of Florida are testing a new type of citrus tree that can fight off the tiny insects responsible for citrus greening. While the genetically modified tree has only been tested so far in the lab and the greenhouse, ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture
There are more than 250 species of spiders found in Florida and more than 40,000 worldwide. “Spiders can easily survive in many different environments, from a grassy field to a crack in a brick wall,” said Johnalyn Gordon, a postdoctoral ... READ MORE
Category: Home Management, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Storms bring more than wind and rain during the Atlantic hurricane season. Unwanted pests crawl into our lives. With electricity outages, standing water and damaged structures, urban pests find ample opportunity to invade homes, businesses ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Disaster Preparation, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research