Soil, the bedrock of terrestrial life, is a dynamic blend of minerals, organic matter, and living organisms shaped by millennia of geological and ecological processes. Nowhere is this more evident than in the unique landscape of the Florida ... READ MORE
Category: Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension
Witch’s broom is a symptom of stress in woody plants that causes deformed or stunted growth on newly expanding buds and leaves. This stress causes the disruption of stem elongation, leaf development and expansion, and can cause a broom-like ... READ MORE
Category: , Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Pests & Disease
This is a summary of a recent presentation by Dr. Thomas Chouvenc on the importance of termite colony biology on control methods Termites evolved from cockroaches 150 million years ago. There are now over 3,000 termite species worldwide, ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, , Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease
Roselle, a relative of hibiscus, was once used widely as an edible plant in Florida. The flowers are less showy than other hibiscus varieties, but their calyces (sepals at the base of the flower) are amazing! As the flower dies the calyx ... READ MORE
Category: , Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture
National Invasive Species Awareness Week is Monday, February 25th through Sunday, March 3rd. And here in the Florida Keys, we are no stranger to opportunistic invaders trying to takeover habitats that aren’t rightfully theirs. SITUATION An ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Horticulture, Invasive Species, NATURAL RESOURCES
Almost as if a starting bell rang, hundreds of Royal Poinciana caterpillars can be seen ascending Royal Poinciana trees just after sunset. Then, nearly in harmony with daylight cresting over the horizon, their decent begins and the caterpillars ... READ MORE
Category: Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Pests & Disease
This is the time of year where there is an increase in disease and pest pressures with our high temperatures and summer rains. So if you find bugs on your plants, before you reach for your arsenal of chemicals in your storage shed, it is ... READ MORE
Category: , Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Pests & Disease
Come out next Saturday, June 16th, to the Tropical Fruit Festival in Key West at The Truman Little White House. The event starts at 9:00 am and goes till 1:00 pm. This is a free event for residents and visitors of the Keys. Join us for ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture
Hurricane Season begins June 1st and many are still putting the pieces back together from Irma. So what does landscape hurricane preparedness mean? Address the Hazards Hurricane Irma created a lot of damage to our mature tree canopy and ... READ MORE
Category: , Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture
Skeletonized leaves; Help! Help! What’s killing my Ficus trees? These are the questions, subject lines, and visits to our Extension office that have filled my days the last couple weeks. Residents saying, “It sounds like it’s raining under ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Horticulture, Pests & Disease