Category: Horticulture

Bee Attractors: for the Best Pollinators!

by Maria Quirico
September 24, 2025

Central Florida wildflowers attract many pollinators, and the best are honeybees and native bees. So what plants should we add to our garden to bring bees into our backyard habitat? Here are a few things to consider. Bee Attractors ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Agribusiness, AGRICULTURE, Clubs & Volunteers, Curriculum, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Wildlife

Create a Buggy Yard!

by Maria Quirico
August 4, 2025

Insect populations are on the decline. This is a serious problem because insects are a primary source of food for any ecosystem. Birds, reptiles, and small mammals rely on insects as a major part of their diet. There are TEN simple things ... READ MORE

Category: AGRICULTURE, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Turf, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching, Water, Wildlife

Butterfly Attractor: Passion Vine

by Maria Quirico
July 24, 2025

Passion Flower is a very special Florida Native Vine - it is a larval (caterpillar) host plant for two beautiful butterflies. What this means is that if you grow Passiflora incarnata, you will probably have a visit from Zebra Longwing and Gulf ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Agribusiness, AGRICULTURE, Crops, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, Lawn, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension

Hummingbird Attractors: Acanthaceae

by Maria Quirico
July 11, 2025

A Florida-Friendly Favorite for Hummingbirds and Butterflies Acanths are Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ (FFL) plants known for their long, tubular flowers rich in nectar, perfect for attracting hummingbirds and butterflies. In fact, their ... READ MORE

Category: AGRICULTURE, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife

Year-Round Garden Planning in Central Florida: Vegetables and Herbs from A to Z

by Maria Quirico
December 17, 2024

Reminiscent of the Victory Gardens of World War II, growing vegetables and herbs from seed in Central Florida has again become a popular and practical delight. By carefully planting and maintaining your garden, it's ... READ MORE

Category: AGRICULTURE, Crops, Food Safety, Fruits & Vegetables, Health & Nutrition, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension

Dahoon Holly Tree: A Festive Seasonal Beauty

by Maria Quirico
November 15, 2024

Dahoon Holly Tree: A Festive Seasonal Beauty When I spot a tree adorned with red berries, my curiosity piques. I wonder if the berries are as tasty as they appear. My artistic instincts come alive, imagining how the branches could be used in ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Horticulture, Wildlife

Private labs serving Central Florida – testing soil for chemicals non-essential to plant growth

by Brooke Moffis
July 29, 2024

The UF/IFAS Soil Testing Lab can test for pH, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, iron, and manganese in soils, all essential nutrients for optimal plant growth. For more information about UF/IFAS soil tests, please visit https://soilslab.ifas.ufl.edu/ESTL%20Tests.asp. ... READ MORE

Category: AGRICULTURE, Horticulture

How to earn an FDACS Ornamental and Turfgrass Pesticide License

by Brooke Moffis
July 18, 2024

In the state of Florida, if you need to use restricted-use pesticides for the production of ornamental trees, shrubs, flowers, or sod, or if you are responsible for the maintenance of ornamental plants and turfgrass in cemeteries, golf courses, ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, AGRICULTURE, Horticulture, Pests & Disease

Navigating Lethal Bronzing Disease in Florida Palms

by Brooke Moffis
July 17, 2024

About lethal bronzing Lethal bronzing, a fatal disease of palms, occurs throughout central and south Florida. Found in popular palms like the Canary Island date, queen, and pindo, the disease infects twenty-one known palm species. A bacterium ... READ MORE

Category: AGRICULTURE, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Horticulture, Pests & Disease

Succulents

by Jamie Daugherty
January 30, 2024

What makes a plant a succulent? Succulents are plants with the ability to hold water in their thick, fleshy tissue. Water storage can occur in leaves or stems. A cactus holds water in the stem while a jade plant holds water mostly ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension,
Tags: Succulents

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