Category: Fruits & Vegetables

FIELD TRIP: Nehrling Gardens in Gotha, FL

by Maria Quirico
May 31, 2026

Fourteen Master Gardener Volunteers (and family) toured Nehrling Gardens in May 2026. Theresa Schretzmann-Myers (Board of Directors Vice President) was our excellent tour guide. Ms. Theresa fed us history, facts, stories, and anecdotes in ... READ MORE

Category: AGRICULTURE, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Fruits & Vegetables, HOME LANDSCAPES, Home Management, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching, Water, Wildlife, WORK & LIFE
Tags: Attract Wildlife, Botanical Garden, Conservation, FFL, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Native Plants, Sustainability

FIELD TRIP: Shared Harvest Garden

by Maria Quirico
January 16, 2026

January 14, 2026For our first trip of 2026, 16 MGV and 2 students went to Shared Harvest Garden in Lady Lake, FL, a volunteer-run, non-profit community garden growing fresh produce for local charities and food pantries, located at 700 Oak ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, AGRICULTURE, Conservation, Crops, Farm Management, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Food Bank Donations, Fruit Tree, Gardening, Residential Horticulture, Vegetable Production

Discovery Gardens: The Grape Arbor

by Maria Quirico
January 12, 2026

The 9 Principles of Florida-Friendly Landscaping (FFL) are guidelines from UF/IFAS to create beautiful, water-wise landscapes that protect Florida's natural resources by using less water, fertilizer, and pesticides, focusing on choosing the Right ... READ MORE

Category: AGRICULTURE, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: Backyard Fruit, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Gardening, Grapes, Residential 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

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

Preserving Strawberries: A Guide to Freezing

by Melanie Thomas
February 16, 2024

As we relish the flavors of locally grown strawberries, their sweet aroma and vibrant hues evoke the essence of sunshine captured in each bite. In the wake of Valentine's Day, where strawberries often take center stage, let's dive into the art ... READ MORE

Category: Food Safety, Fruits & Vegetables, Health & Nutrition, Relationships & Family, WORK & LIFE
Tags: Food Preservation, Food Safety, Freezing Fruit, Strawberries

Planting an Avocado Seed

by Jamie Daugherty, Ph.D.
October 6, 2023

Have you ever planted an avocado seed from a fresh fruit? Did you grab a cup and toothpicks to get started? Yes? STOP! Unless you are doing an activity to teach someone about how plants grow from seed, this is NOT the next way to plant an avocado ... READ MORE

Category: Fruits & Vegetables, Horticulture
Tags: Avocado, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Gardening, Horticulture, Planting From Seed, Residential Horticulture, Tree Planting

Caring for Landscape Plants After a Freeze

by Jamie Daugherty, Ph.D.
December 20, 2022

Selecting the right plant for the right place is important for many reasons, including maintaining healthy plants through a cold spell. Resident of Lake County, Florida live in plant hardiness zones 9A and 9B. Plants adapted to 9A can service ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, Lawn,
Tags: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Gardening, Plant Freeze

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