A new potentially invasive grass was documented in Okaloosa County this week. This weed is Australian Beardgrass, Bothriochloa bladhii. This grass had previously been reported only in central and south Florida. This record in Okaloosa ... READ MORE
Category:If you are one of the many that have taken advantage of the frequent rain in order to establish a new lawn, keep an eye open for “grass worms”. Though truly caterpillars, not worms, these destructive, chewing insects can wreak havoc on new ... READ MORE
Category: HorticultureAs oak trees are now fully leafing out and people start hanging out in the shade of the canopy, many of you are noticing strange growths on the branches. They look like potatoes, spiky cones and fuzz balls on the leaves and stems. Don’t worry. ... READ MORE
Category: HorticultureA number of summers ago, I noticed whiteflies on a confederate rose plant in my landscape. I considered using an insecticide to control the whiteflies but decided against doing so after taking a closer look. What I found was a population of ... READ MORE
Category: HorticultureNow is the time to prevent your azaleas from being attacked by lace bugs. The azalea lace bug, Stephanitis pyrioides, overwinters as eggs on the underside of infested leaves. Eggs hatch in late March and early April. The insect then passes through ... READ MORE
Category: HorticultureRemember last summer? The hot, dry days. Grass drying up and turning brown. Yet, the weeds are green and doing fine. However, every herbicide label warns against applying when the temperatures are above 85 degrees and especially under drought ... READ MORE
Category: HorticulturePocket gopher is a furry animal known by many locals as “sandy mounder.” It was given this name because of the sandy mounds of excavated earth that the gopher pushes out of its underground burrows. The name sandy mounder, with time, became ... READ MORE
Category: HorticultureWith all the media discussion of “bad” insects, like mosquitoes, many of the good guys are forgotten. One that has been very active this summer is the blue mud dauber, Chalybion californicum. These wasps are metallic blue, blue-green or ... READ MORE
Category: HorticultureDo you have azaleas or camellias with leaves that are thickened, curled and waxy in appearance? This is fairly common this year and is caused by a fungus. Exobasidium vaccinii is a fungus that causes leaves, and in some cases flower petals, ... READ MORE
Category: HorticultureUniversity of Florida researchers maintain a constant vigilance on the potential for mosquito-borne illness concerns. UF/IFAS Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory in Vero Beach tracks rainfall, groundwater levels, mosquito abundance, wild ... READ MORE
Category: Horticulture