Tag: Residential Horticulture

A Gardener’s Guide to Plant Propagation, Part I: The Anatomy of Propagation

by Lauren Spaduzzi
August 27, 2026

Have you ever read instructions to “cut just below a node” or “include an axillary bud” and wondered exactly what part of the plant that meant? Understanding a few basics of plant anatomy can make propagation much easier to understand, ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, , Crops, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: Central Florida, Florida, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruit, Garden, Gardening, Hillsborough, Hillsborough County, Horticulture, Master Gardener, Plant Anatomy, Plant Propagation, Propagation, Residential Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension

Independence Day & Prickly Pear Cactus

by Maria Quirico
July 20, 2026

The Role of Opuntia and the Revolutionary War “The Redcoats are coming, the redcoats are coming!” This famous historical warning from the American Revolutionary War refers to the approach of the British Army. In addition, British officers ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Agriculture, Crops, Curriculum, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Wildlife
Tags: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Insects Affecting Plants, Mealy Bugs, Red Dye, Residential Horticulture

The Florida Lubber Grasshopper

by Maria Quirico
April 21, 2026

The Eastern Lubber Grasshopper, Romalea microptera, is a destructive pest in FL. The large, 2-3" yellow-tawny adults have short wings (microptera) making them unable to fly. Their common name, “lubber” comes from the old English word ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Management, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching, Wildlife, Work & Life
Tags: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Gardening, Insects Affecting Plants, Invasive Species, Residential Horticulture

Landscape Fabric was a Garden Mishap!

by Maria Quirico
March 29, 2026

Landscape fabric is called weed barrier or garden cloth. It is a textile typically made from synthetic polypropylene or polyester. I put landscape fabric in all of the beds around my house at the recommendation of the landscape service I was ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Horticulture, Lawn, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching, Work & Life
Tags: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Gardening, Landscape Fabric, Mulch, Residential Horticulture

Good Natives for a Butterfly Garden

by Maria Quirico
March 4, 2026

As spring approaches, gardeners often rush to buy whatever they can find to fill a butterfly garden with color. But the best butterfly gardens contain as many native plants as possible to attract butterflies and other pollinators.Butterflies ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching, Wildlife
Tags: Attract Wildlife, Butterfly Gardening, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Native Florida Plants, Pollinator Garden, Residential Horticulture

FIELD TRIP: Shared Harvest Garden

by Maria Quirico
January 16, 2026

January 14, 2026For our first trip of 2026, 16 MGV and 2 students went to Shared Harvest Garden in Lady Lake, FL, a volunteer-run, non-profit community garden growing fresh produce for local charities and food pantries, located at 700 Oak ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Conservation, Crops, Farm Management, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Food Bank Donations, Fruit Tree, Gardening, Residential Horticulture, Vegetable Production

Discovery Gardens: The Grape Arbor

by Maria Quirico
January 12, 2026

The 9 Principles of Florida-Friendly Landscaping (FFL) are guidelines from UF/IFAS to create beautiful, water-wise landscapes that protect Florida's natural resources by using less water, fertilizer, and pesticides, focusing on choosing the Right ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: Backyard Fruit, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Gardening, Grapes, Residential Horticulture

How to Make a Mushroom Spore Print

by Calvin Gardner
October 30, 2024

Have you ever wondered what kinds of mushrooms are growing in your front yard or how they keep spreading? The answer to both of these phenomenon is spores. We could create hundreds of blogs about how fungi spores work. But the short answer ... READ MORE

Category: Home Landscapes, Horticulture
Tags: Fungus, Mushrooms, Residential Horticulture, Turf Pests, Turfgrass

How to use UF’s Vegetable Gardening Guide for Planting Dates

by Calvin Gardner
June 19, 2024

You may just be finishing up your spring garden, but it's not a bad idea to start thinking about what you would like to plant for the fall. The best part is you can use one of our most trusted publications to help you plan what to buy and when ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Horticulture
Tags: Central Florida Gardening, Growing Food, Ocextension, Residential Horticulture, Vegetable Gardening

Harvesting Health: Medicinal Plants for the Central Florida Garden

by Heather Kalaman
June 12, 2024

Central Florida's ample sunlight and moderate rainfall create optimal conditions for cultivating a diverse array of herbs celebrated for their medicinal qualities. Gardeners and herbal enthusiasts in the region can establish vibrant medicinal ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Health & Nutrition, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: Central Florida Gardening, Demonstration Garden, Exploration Gardens, Garden Education, Medicinal Plant, Ocextension, Residential Horticulture, Urban Horticulture

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