Tag: Soil Health

close-up picture of someone holding soil in their hands with blurred unplanted field in background

Compost on the Farm: Expanding Growers’ Use of Composting Best Practices

by Yvette Goodiel
October 13, 2026

Introduction From July 2025 until June 2026, UF/IFAS Extension Martin County received Ag Best Management Practices (BMP) Mini-Grant funding to expand grower use of compost BMPs, including compost and soil health testing. Grant co-leads were ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, UF/IFAS Extension, , Water
Tags: Agriculture, Best Management Practices, Commercial Horticulture Digest, IFASwater, Martin County, Small Farms, Soil Health, UF/IFAS Extension, Using Compost On The Farm, Water, Water Quality
An aerial view of corn growing in 24 research plots after winter crops grew in a study on the effects of winter crops in Florida's sandy soils.

Testing Winter Crops to Improve Florida’s Sandy Soils

by Mike Loizzo
September 22, 2026

Florida’s sandy, nutrient-poor soils present a persistent challenge for row crop producers. After a summer corn harvest, fields often sit bare through winter. In Florida’s subtropical climate, that empty period comes at a cost. Nutrients ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Carbon, Chickpea, Corn, Cover Crops, Crimson Clover, Gabriel Maltais-Landry, Julia Barra Netto-Ferreira, Nitrogen, Nutrient Management, Rye, Soil Health, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, Wheat
Digital elevation model of a deep stone canyon with a meandering and curving river in bright blue, orange, and yellow colors.

Sabine Grunwald Named 2026 ASA Fellow

by Mike Loizzo
September 18, 2026

The American Society of Agronomy (ASA) named University of Florida professor Sabine Grunwald a 2026 ASA Fellow. It is the Society’s highest honor recognizing exceptional achievement and service in agronomy. Grunwald is a professor of pedometrics ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS Research, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: American Society Of Agronomy, Artificial Intelligence, ASA Fellow, Carbon Modeling, Climate Smart Agriculture, Digital Soil Mapping, GeoAI, Geospatial Technologies, Pedometrics, Sabine Grunwald, Soil Health, Soil Sensing, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences
Soil test sample bags filled with soil.

What’s New on Ask IFAS: Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences (Jul.–Aug. 2026)

by Gillian McGuire
September 3, 2026

Iron Oxide Strip as an Innovative Diagnostic Tool for Soil Phosphorus Management By Lilit Vardanyan and Vimala D. Nair Phosphorus (P) is essential for plant growth and productivity. However, excessive application of P fertilizers has contributed ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Farm Management, Horticulture
Tags: Ask IFAS, Climate Change, Edis, Soil Health, Soil Testing, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences
A woman and man do the UF "gator chomp" arm pose at the Soil Museum of China lobby.

Graduate Students Showcase Research at World Congress of Soil Science

by Mike Loizzo
August 19, 2026

Graduate students recently shared their research with an international audience at the 23rd World Congress of Soil Science (WCSS). The event in Nanjing, China, attracted thousands of scientists from around the world. Representing UF/IFAS were ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Cover Crops, Davie Kadyampakeni, Duplicate Sambani, HLB, Mary Lusk, Nutrient Management, Oluwasegun Olubisi, School Of Natural Resources And Environment, Soil Health, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, WCSS, World Congress Of Soil Science

Meet the Crew Beneath Your Crops

by Molly Jameson
August 4, 2026

"The health of soil, plant, animal and man is one and indivisible." – Sir Albert Howard, An Agricultural Testament (1940) Farmers are intrinsically tied to the soil beneath their fields. Where others see dirt, greenery, and maybe a few worms, ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Crops, Natural Resources
Tags: Beneficial Nematodes, Compost, Cover Crops, Green Manure, Nutrient Cycling, Panhandle Agriculture, Soil Ecosystem, Soil Food Web, Soil Health, Soil Life, Soil Microorganisms, SV Ag Update, Topsoil
Close-up of a compost pile, showing small pieces of organic matter in the process of decomposition. In the background are other compost piles in process.

Compost on the Farm: Testing compost for nutrient content

by Yvette Goodiel
July 16, 2026

This article is part of the series, Using Compost on the Farm. Composting keeps organic materials out of the landfill, prevents water quality impacts resulting from unmanaged debris/manure piles, and provides beneficial re-use of organic waste ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Farm Management, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Best Management Practices, Commercial Horticulture Digest, IFASwater, Martin County, Small Farms, Soil Health, UF/IFAS Extension, Using Compost On The Farm, Water, Water Quality

Lovebugs are back! But experts say the familiar Florida pest is a harmless nuisance

by Jamie Groh
May 19, 2026

They may be one of Florida’s most complained-about insects, but lovebug swarms are short-lived, harmless, and even helpful in their early life stages, researchers say.   While many will have to swat them away while crossing parking ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, UF/IFAS
Tags: Bug Season, Car Care, Decomposition, Department Of Entomology And Nematology, Ecosystem Benefits, Environmental Education, Fans For Insects, Featured, Florida Insects, Florida Wildlife, Harmless Insects, Highway Driving Tips, Home Prevention, Insect Control, Insect Ecology, Insect Swarms, Integrated Pest Management, Larvae, Lovebugs, Natural Cycles, Non Toxic Pest Control, Nuisance Insects, Outdoor Tips, Pest Management, Seasonal Pests, Soil Health, UF-IFAS

Growing a Greener Future: Exploring Agroecology at School and at Home

by Rolando Negron
March 11, 2026

What does it look like when farming works with nature instead of against it? That’s the question at the heart of Growing a Greener Future: Agroecology Activity Book, a hands-on resource developed by Zach Brym, Associate Professor with the ... READ MORE

Category: , UF/IFAS Communications, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: Agriculture Education, Agroecology, Agroecology Activity Book, Biodiversity Education, Classroom Resources, Compost Education, Ecosystem Activities, Elementary Science Activities, Environmental Education, Farm To School Resources, Florida BEST Standards, Food Systems Education, Homeschool Science, Pollinators, Rolando Negron, School Garden Curriculum, Science Activity Book, Soil Health, STEM For Kids, Sustainable Farming, UF IFAS Bookstore, Zach Brym
A shovel pierces the surface of an open pile of on-farm compost. The pile is a mix of composting vegetative debris and soil.

Compost on the Farm: Composting in Piles and Windrows

by Yvette Goodiel
March 5, 2026

Why compost on the farm? Across ornamental nurseries, vegetable fields/greenhouses, and livestock operations large and small, use and production of compost is considered a best practice. Composting keeps materials out of the landfill, prevents ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Farm Management, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Commercial Horticulture Digest, Compost, Martin County, Small Farms, Soil Health, UF/IFAS Extension, Using Compost On The Farm

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