Category: SFYL Hot Topic

How to Care for a Fresh Christmas Tree

by Susan Haddock
December 2, 2025

Nothing brings holiday spirit into your home quite like the scent and beauty of a fresh Christmas tree. After choosing the perfect one, it’s important to care for it properly so it stays healthy, fragrant, and safe throughout the season. Here ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, , Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Horticulture, Natural Resources, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Christmas Tree, Christmas Tree Care, Florida-friendly Landscaping, Fresh Tree, Holiday Tree, ProHort, SW ProHort

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

by Tia Silvasy
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

It’s Lubber Grasshopper Season!

by Tia Silvasy
April 1, 2024

Eastern lubber grasshoppers are very interesting because in the early part of their lifecycle when they are nymphs, their colors are black with a red or yellow stripe, whereas adults are yellow with patterns of red and black. They can do significant ... READ MORE

Category: , Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Lawn, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Florida, Florida-friendly Landscaping, Grasshopper, Hillsborough, Insect, Landscape, Pest, Tampa, Tsilvasy

Tips for Edible Landscaping

by Tia Silvasy
June 20, 2023

View the recording of our Edible Landscaping webinar on YouTube here. The concept of edible landscaping primarily applies to growing vegetables, herbs and fruit trees in a way where it fits in with your home landscape. With proper plant ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, , Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Health & Nutrition, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Central Florida, Edible Landscaping, Florida Friendly, Florida-friendly Landscaping, Fruit, Herb, Hillsborough County, Master Gardener, Tampa, Tsilvasy, Vegetable

Tips for Starting a Vegetable Garden

by Tia Silvasy
February 6, 2023

For a deep dive into Vegetable Gardening in Central Florida, watch our YouTube of the webinar recording. Vegetable Gardening in Florida If you are getting started with growing your own vegetables in Florida, start by reading the Florida ... READ MORE

Category: , Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Central Florida, Compost, Florida-friendly Landscaping, Garden, Hillsborough, Landscape, Seed, Silvasy, Soil, Tampa, Tampa Bay, Tsilvasy, Vegetable, Vegetable Gardening, Video, Youtube

UF/IFAS Extension offers Spring Vegetable Gardening Class in Hybrid Format

by Tia Silvasy
January 19, 2023

If you interested in growing your own food, then this class is for you! Join UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County on Thursday February 16th from 10am to 11:30am to learn what to plant when to get your spring vegetable garden started. This ... READ MORE

Category: , Fruits & Vegetables, Health & Nutrition, Home Landscapes, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Central Florida, Class, Florida, Garden, Gardening, Master Gardener, Online Class, Seed, Spring, Tampa, Tampa Bay, Tia Silvasy, Transplants, Tsilvasy, Vegetable, Vegetable Gardening, Webinar

Subscribe For More Great Content