Category: Horticulture

Pesticide Safety Awareness: Protecting Yourself and the Environment


September 5, 2025

Be safe and reduce your pesticide exposure. Whether you are a backyard gardener using pesticides or a professional pesticide applicator, precautions are necessary before and during the use of pesticides. The use of pesticides comes with significant ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Home Landscapes, Horticulture
Tags: Awareness, Pest Control, Pesticide Awareness, Pesticides, Safety, Weed Control

Supervivencia de las Plantas: Comprendiendo el Rol del Agua, los Nutrientes y la Selección Inteligente de Plantas


July 15, 2025

¡Bienvenidos a la temporada de lluvias de verano en el condado de Hardee! Geográficamente, tu hogar se encuentra en una mezcla única de zonas ambientales con un clima subtropical diverso: veranos calurosos y húmedos con tormentas eléctricas ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, Pests & Disease, Turf, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Agua, Botánica, Espanol, Extension, Fincas, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Hardee, Hispano, Jardines, Latino, Nutrientes, Plantas, Producción, Sistemas De Riego, UF/IFAS
Sunflowers

Plant Survival in Hardee County: Understanding Water, Nutrients, and Smart Plant Choices


July 14, 2025

Welcome to the summer rainy season in Hardee County! Geographically, your home sits on a unique blend environmental zones with a diverse subtropical weather puzzle —hot, humid summers with frequent thunderstorms punctuated by dry spells ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Livestock, Natural Resources, Turf, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension,
Tags: Biology, Crops, Extension, Farm, Fertilizer, Florida, Ifas, Nutrients, Plants, Water
Wasp on fennel

Protecting pollinators around the backyard


November 4, 2021

We have all read how important pollinators are to an ecosystem. We have also heard of all the causes for the decline of several species, but maybe we haven’t sat down to think of what we can do to improve their health around our homes. ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Crops, Farm Management, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Recreation, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
Tags: Backyard, Bee, Biodiversity, Butterflies, Cover Crops, Extension, Flowers, Ifas, Nectar, Pesticide, Plant, Pollinator, Pollinator Garden, Protection, Uf, Wasp, Wildlife
Butterhead lettuce. Picture caption: Jonael Bosques, University of Florida.

Breeding the Perfect Crops for Floridians


July 8, 2021

Exploring alternative agricultural uses for your property can be challenging, especially when dealing with plant disease in crop and ornamental production. Often, we get calls from citizens that are acquiring or have acquired land and are unsure ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Fruits & Vegetables, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Ag, Agent, Agriculture, Breed, Breeding, County, Crop, Crops, Faculty, Farmer, Farmers, Farming, Florida, Hardee, Horticulture, Improvement, Improving, Lettuce, Science, Scientist, Specialist
Florida farmers and ranchers are also environmentalists. They implement practices to preserve our natural resources. Picture credit: Jonael Bosques, UF/IFAS Extension Hardee County.

Best Management Practices for Agriculture Operators: Showing that we Care


October 1, 2018

All farmers have a significant role in protecting our natural resources. Science based approaches are being taken around the State of Florida to ensure that there is adequate use of water and the impact of our agricultural practices is minimal, ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Horticulture, Livestock, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, Water, Wildlife
Tags: Agriculture, Ecology, Impact, Management, Nature, Stewardship
Red imported fire ant

Red Imported Fire Ants: Where did they come from and what are my options?


August 23, 2017

They are everywhere. They came from South America in the 1930s and were first reported entering ports in the Panhandle coming in from Brazil. It is the red imported fire ant (RIFA). There are two types of fire ants in this state: the native ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Horticulture, Livestock, Pests & Disease, Turf
Tags: Farm, Farming, Fire Ants, Invasive, Livestock, Pests, Special Topics

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