Introduction
Hello everyone! My name is Tia Silvasy, and I am the new Residential Horticulture/Master Gardener Volunteer Coordinator Extension Agent in Hillsborough County! I started this position in December 2022 and wanted to take a moment to introduce myself.
Background
A little about me, I’m originally from Pittsburgh, PA where I grew up on my grandparent’s family farm. They were growing organic before organic was even a thing. I’ve always wanted to be a farmer, but I ended up in academia where I have been involved in teaching, research and extension. I got my Bachelor of Science from University of Central Florida in Orlando, FL. I went to University of Hawaii at Manoa for my Master’s Degree in Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences. I like tropical plants especially coconuts, bananas, bamboo and mangoes. Most recently I was working at UF/IFAS Extension Orange County as the Florida-Friendly Landscaping agent. You can view some of my previous work on my old UF blog, and Garden Florida! Facebook page I managed. Some of my favorite topics are edible landscaping, lakefronts, and alternative lawns.

Future Programming
I will be planning various programs that will focus on residential horticulture, landscaping, and gardening. Topics will include vegetable gardening, butterfly gardening, native plants, lawns, wildflowers, and many more. I will also be leading the next Master Gardener Volunteer training in fall of 2023. Check out our Eventbrite page to stay up to date on future classes and our Facebook page for educational posts and follow my posts on my new UF Blog.