Category: Pests & Disease

Pasture mealybugs on grass

New Invasive Turfgrass Pest: Pasture Mealybug

by Susan Haddock
July 15, 2026

There’s a new invasive insect that may invade your turfgrass…The Pasture Mealybug has been found in 15 south Florida counties in pastures including bahiagrass and bermudagrass pastures, other forage, and sugarcane. It has not been documented ... READ MORE

Category: Horticulture, Lawn, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Turf, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Invasive Pest, Landscape Insect, Landscape Maintenance, Landscape Pests, Pasture Mealybug, SW ProHort, SWProHort, Turfgrass Insect, Turfgrass Pest
Citrus tree with fruit

Growing Citrus in the Florida Home Landscape

by Tia Saracino
May 25, 2026

Growing citrus in your home landscape is challenging. The citrus disease greening affects much of the citrus in Florida and requires extra attention to insect management and fertilization. Getting Started with CitrusIf you are ready to plant ... READ MORE

Category: , Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Citrus Fruits And Vegetables, Florida-friendly Landscaping, Food Forest, Garden, Hillsborough County, Home Landscapes, Orange, Tsilvasy, Video
Seminole pumpkin

Growing Seminole Pumpkin in Florida: From Seed to Harvest to Table

by Tia Saracino
May 19, 2026

Growing Seminole Pumpkin in Florida pumpkin is a great vegetable to grow in Florida's summer heat because it is heat tolerant. It's an heirloom vegetable that dates back to the native American times you can save the seeds from year to year. ... READ MORE

Category: , Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Health & Nutrition, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Florida-friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Pumpkin, Roasting Pumpkin, Seed Saving, Vegetable, Vegetable Gardening
Landscape with a palm tree

Are You Over-Pruning Your Palms?

by Tia Saracino
March 29, 2026

The Big Misunderstanding: “Do not prune above 9 and 3 on a clock” was guidance intended as an absolute pruning limit. “Pruning to 9 and 3” as a standard was never the goal. Over time, it has been misinterpreted as the correct way ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, , Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Horticulture, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Fertilizer, Florida Friendly, Home Landscapes, Palm, Palm Trees, Pruning

How Florida Residents Can Conserve Water and Keep Great Landscapes

by Michael J. Masucci
March 9, 2026

In Florida's sunshine and heat, every drop of water counts, especially during our dry spring months. That is why Hillsborough County has recognized April as Water Conservation Month since 2013, reminding residents that sustainable landscaping ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Lawn, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension, Water
Tags: BeautifulYardsLessWater, DroughtTolerantGardening, EveryDropCounts, FloridaEnvironment, FloridaFriendlyLandscaping, HillsboroughCounty, NativePlantsFlorida, SaveWater, SmartIrrigation, Water Conservation

From frustrated yard to Florida-Friendly Landscaping™: a free 10-part webinar series for Hillsborough County residents

by Michael J. Masucci
December 19, 2025

  This Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Hillsborough County webinar series is a free, 10-part, live Zoom series designed to help residents, HOA board members, and community managers create attractive, low-maintenance yards that ... READ MORE

Category: Events, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Lawn, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Agriculture, Community, Compost, Conservation, County Events, Discovery Garden, Extension, Fertilizer, FFL, Florida, Florida Friendly, Florida Friendly Landscape, Florida Native Plants, Florida-friendly Landscaping, Flower, Flowers, Gardening, Home Landscapes, Home Recognition, Horticulture

Garden Tool Care: Take Care of Your Tools and They’ll Take Care of You

by Susan Haddock
December 2, 2025

Having the right garden tool is important but keeping them in good condition is just as important. Garden tools often get used hard and put away dirty or wet, which causes rust and damage. With a little maintenance, your tools can work well ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Cleaning Tools, Florida-friendly Landscaping, Garden Tool Care, Gardening, Gardening Tools, Landscape, Landscape Tools, ProHort, Sharpening Tools, SW ProHort, Tool Care

Plant Status Change – Tropical Milkweed is Now Listed as a Category II Invasive

by Tia Saracino
November 5, 2025

  Tropical Milkweed is now Invasive! Tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) was once a go to larval host plant for monarch butterflies. As of June 2025 the plant status has changed. It is now listed as invasive in the entire state ... READ MORE

Category: , Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Asclepias, Butterfly, Invasive Species, Native Plants, Tropical Milkweed, Tsilvasy

Chinese Crown Orchid – An Invasive Species you Need to Know

by Tia Saracino
September 30, 2025

Introduction Chinese crown orchid, Eulophia graminea, is a relatively new invasive species spreading through the state of Florida. It was first found in mulch in Miami, FL in 2007 and is now listed as a Category II invasive species by the ... READ MORE

Category: , Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Central Florida, Crown Orchid, Invasive Species, Tampa Bay, Tsilvasy

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