UF/IFAS Extension Indian River County -

Purslane in the Garden

by Yvonne Florian
August 1, 2025

Summer vegetable-garden weeds can be a problem for gardeners. It's too hot to check weed growth every afternoon. And we really only have a few vegetable plants which will survive the heat of a Florida summer. Deciding to let the garden ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Food Safety, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Horticulture, Lawn
Tags: Eat The Weeds, Edible, Florida Foraging, Foraging, Free Vegetables, Nutrition, Pickling, Purslane, Weed Identification, Weeds, Wild Edibles

Megalomaniac Vegetable

by Yvonne Florian
May 9, 2025

The Vegetable That Wanted to Take Over The World by Yvonne Florian, edited by Leslie Nicole Munroe Birds plant a lot of seeds. Most of these seeds grow into plants that are unwanted or which are invasive. You could think of invasive ... READ MORE

Category: Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Curcurbits, Edible Squash Blossoms, Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipe, Seminole Pumpkin, Squash Blossoms, Tropical Pumpkin, Vegetable Growing

Transform Your Yard Into a Wildlife Haven

by Yvonne Florian
February 19, 2025

by Yvonne Florian, Edited by Andrea Lazzari What does it take to turn your landscape into a “Wildlife Haven” and why would you want to? Observing wildlife can foster a sense of well-being and increase your quality of life and knowledge ... READ MORE

Category: Home Landscapes, Wildlife
Tags: Bird Watching, Butterfly Gardening, Feeding Wildlife, Florida Friendly Landscape, Home Landscape, Native Plants For Wildlife, Native Shrubs With Berries, Wildlife Photography

Future Leaders Shine at Indian River 4-H County Events

by Morgan Moran
February 4, 2025

The recent Indian River 4-H County Events held on February 1, 2025, was a spectacular showcase of youth talent, hard work, and dedication. This competitive event, open to all 4-H members in the county aged 8-18, provided an excellent platform ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Events, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: 4-H, 4-H Public Speaking, Demonstrations, Events, Indian River 4-H, Indian River County Extension, Youth Development

Before You “Buy the Farm”- Call Your Local Extension Office!

by Yvonne Florian
October 18, 2024

The Small and Beginning Farmers Mini Conference, recently hosted by the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension Indian River County office, imparted a wealth of pertinent agricultural advice ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Farm Management, Money Matters, SFYL Hot Topic
Tags: Agri-tourism, Agribusiness, Agricultural Exemption, Becoming A Farmer, Small Farms

Life and Lemons

by Yvonne Florian
July 25, 2024

Life Giving You Lemons? Who gave lemons such a bad rap? There may be no more refreshing drink in the summertime than an ice cold lemonade. Thanks to worldwide trade, lemons are available all year round. Florida lemons, though, may be ... READ MORE

Category: Crops, Fruits & Vegetables, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Citrus Greening Disease, Citrus Trivia, Growing Citrus Trees, Lemon Uses, Lemon Zest, Lemon-lime-ade, Lemonade

Pools and Hurricanes

by Yvonne Florian
May 14, 2024

How do I prepare my Florida pool for an oncoming hurricane? In the frenzy of preparing for an impending hurricane, many of those with residential pools overlook steps needed to prepare the pool for a major storm. Following are some tips for ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Disaster Preparation, Events, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Health & Nutrition, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Money Matters, NATURAL RESOURCES, Recreation, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Work & Life
Tags: After Storm Clean-up, Hurricane Pool Prep, Pool Care Before Storm, Pool Clean-up, Pool Treatment, Residential Pool, Storm Prep For Pools

Chicken Keeping and Hurricanes

by Yvonne Florian
May 10, 2024

We do our best to protect our livestock from any number of threats. And with a limited warning-time we make decisions for our animals when facing an emergency situation such as an approaching hurricane. Learning from Survival Having ... READ MORE

Category: Disaster Preparation, Livestock, SFYL Hot Topic,
Tags: Chickens, Hurricane Preparation, Keeping Chickens In Hurricane, Livestock Disaster Preparation, Prepare A Coop For Hurricane, Raising Chickens

Celebrate National Pet Day Safely: A Guide to Pet-Friendly Plants and Avoiding Toxicity Risks

by Olivia Zugay
April 8, 2024

Written by Samantha Walter-Cano, Edited by Olivia Zugay April 11th marks National Pet Day, a wonderful occasion to celebrate our furry companions and raise awareness about their well-being. As we cherish our pets, it's crucial to be mindful ... READ MORE

Category: Home Landscapes, Home Management, Lawn, Work & Life
Tags: Common Plants, National Pet Day, Pet Safety, Toxic Plants

Spring Pest of the Week- Spring Cankerworm

by Yvonne Florian
March 22, 2024

Indian River County, Florida, recently had an “Inchworm” infestation. In one 4-day period, UF/IFAS Extension Indian River County had 10 residents contact the county Cooperative Extension office concerned about the same problem. That problem ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Pests & Disease, Wildlife
Tags: Banding Strips, Forest Pests, Green Caterpillars, Green Worms, Homemade Insect Traps, Live Oak Defoliation, Oak Tree Pests, Spring Cankerworm, Wingless Moth

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