Category: Fruits & Vegetables

Blackberry Field Day showcases what’s ahead for this superfruit

by Eva Sailly
June 30, 2025

Just under 100 registrants attended UF’s first-ever Blackberry Field Day at the North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC) in Quincy, marking a major step in expanding blackberry production in the state. The event showcased current ... READ MORE

Category: Academics, Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Events, Farm Management, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research

An Accomplish”mint” of Nature, Mint and its Relatives

by Shane Teachworth
June 27, 2025

The plants we eat often have interesting and surprising relationships, although “family” is a more distant relation in science than we use socially. These relations can be easy to see, as with the strong similarities between Cucurbitaceae ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Health & Nutrition, Horticulture
Tags: Basil, Lamiaceae, Lavender, Mint, Rosemary

Cucurbits for the Summer Garden

by Shane Teachworth
June 20, 2025

Not many garden plants are as well-adapted to the intensity of Florida summers as those from Cucurbitaceae, the gourd family. An estimated 975 species of this family are used for food or ornamental purposes, making them an important component ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Horticulture, UF/IFAS

New Systems bring Stronger yields to Florida Peaches: Stone Fruit Field Day

by Eva Sailly
June 9, 2025

Held each year at the UF/IFAS Plant Science Research and Education Unit (PSREU), the Stone Fruit Field Day brings together growers, breeders, and stone fruit enthusiasts to exchange the latest research and practical innovations shaping Florida’s ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Blog Community, Crops, Events, Farm Management, Fruits & Vegetables, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Chaparro, Dr. Ali Sarkhosh, Dr. Jose Chaparro, Field Day, Florida Landscaping, Horticultural Sciences, Peach, Peaches, Plant Breeding, Sarkhosh, Stone Fruit, UF/IFAS PSREU

Produce Appreciation: The Peach

by Shane Teachworth
May 30, 2025

Peach season is currently winding down in north-central Florida, meaning these rich, fragrant, darkly alluring stone fruits are filling roadside stands and farmers’ markets. Seeing them now was a surprise to me, as they are a late summer fruit ... READ MORE

Category: Crops, Fruits & Vegetables, Horticulture, UF/IFAS
Tags: Peaches

Finger Limes: An HLB-Tolerant Prospect for Florida Growers

by Eva Sailly
March 19, 2025

Finger limes appear as a promising choice to growers searching for alternative citrus crops thriving in Florida. The Australian Lime Improvement Program hosted the most recent Finger Lime Field Day to highlight ongoing research and market ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Fruits & Vegetables, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Citrus, Citrus Greening Disease, Citrus Research And Education Center, Finger Lime, Finger Limes, Florida Citrus, Florida Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services, Food And Resource Economics, Food Trend, FRED, HLB, Horticultural Sciences, Huanglongbing, Manjul Dutt, Plant Breeding, PSREU, Taste, UF/IFAS PSREU

CALS Students Attend Horticultural Sciences Conference

by Jessica Czipulis
November 15, 2023

In early August, eight UF/IFAS College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) students attended the 120th American Society for Horticultural Sciences (ASHS) Annual Conference in Orlando. The conference brings together industry professionals ... READ MORE

Category: Fruits & Vegetables, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Research, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: ASHS, Conference, Food Science, Horticultural Science, Plant Science, VP Promise

Seed Saving and Genetics- Getting It Right

by Kevin Folta
November 5, 2023

From local garden enthusiasts to aficionados in Facebook groups, the topic of seed saving has an air of sacred duty. Individuals engage the ritualistic seed harvest from the crops they grew or purchased, picking through mounds of wet plant goo, ... READ MORE

Category: Fruits & Vegetables, Horticulture,
Tags: Gardening, Genetics, Seed Physiology, Seed Saving

Persimmons: A Florida Fruit Treasure

by Kevin Folta
October 19, 2023

Did you ever feel like you had a burning secret, something that you wanted to scream to the world because it is so good, yet so few people knew about it? This is how I feel about persimmons. I'll scream here. While they are a spectacular ... READ MORE

Category: Crops, Forests, Fruits & Vegetables
Tags: Diospyros Kaki, Diospyros Virginiana, Fruit, Persimmons

Tips for the Student Gardener: DIY Seed-Starting Containers

by Virginia Frazier
September 14, 2020

Starting seeds in small containers helps you save space, resources, and time while setting your plants up for future success. While there are many seed-starting containers available on the market, you can also make your own with supplies otherwise ... READ MORE

Category: Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture

UF/IFASHorticultural Sciences Department

Subscribe For More Great Content

UF/IFAS
Horticultural Sciences Department