In the Vines of Mistaken Identify, we're exploring the different types of vines commonly called "invasive" around Nassau County. Rather, in fact, these vines are not invasive and many of them are native too, which provides amazing benefits to ... READ MORE
Category: Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Natural Resources
A Florida Freeze A Florida Freeze is upon us. Every once in a while, Nassau County will freeze. Many of our landscape plants will not be affected by any cold snaps, but we do have some plants that may be susceptible to frost or freeze damage. ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, Turf
The Inevitable Pests It is inevitable – any gardener can attest. Look closely and you will see a garden and its pest. But what is a pest? Usually when we think of the term “pest,” we may think of insect pests. Pests also include pathogens, ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS ExtensionFlorida's Rainy Season Florida’s rainy season arrived. County-wide we have seen lots of moisture in the past couple of weeks. Some areas receive over 2” of rainfall in an hour. Despite the invaluable impacts of moisture within our natural ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS ExtensionCan You Dig It? My brothers and I love watching the movie, “The Warriors”. This 1979 film follows a gang in New York City as they try to escape from the Bronx to their home turf in Coney Island. One line, which is yelled by a character ... READ MORE
Category: Clubs & Volunteers, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture
A Wizarding World's Snarling Trap “’Stop moving!’ Hermione ordered them. ‘I know what this is – it’s Devil’s Snare!’” When reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone years ago, I loved the imagery of this chapter because ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension
Introduction Samwise Gamgee said it best to Sméagol, “Po-ta-toes. The Gaffer’s delight, and rare good ballast for an empty belly. But you won’t find any so you needn’t look. But be good Sméagol and fetch me some herbs, and I’ll ... READ MORE
Category: Clubs & Volunteers, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension
Nandina (Nandina domestica) Nandina, or heavenly bamboo, started in the landscape and now appears throughout some of our natural areas. This evergreen shrub grows upright and produces bright red berry clusters, similar to Coral Ardisia. It ... READ MORE
Category: Clubs & Volunteers, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS ExtensionMimosa Silk Tree (Albizia julibrissin) I'll be the first to admit - this is a beautiful tree. Unfortunately, it is highly invasive. You can easily see this tree sprinkled throughout the landscape because of its beautiful flowers and unique ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS ExtensionMother of Millions (Kalanchoe x houghtonii) The Mother of Millions gets its name because of the hundreds of offspring it produces and spreads across the landscape. This specific plant has been problematic for Nassau County's coastal ecosystems ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension