Join UF/IFAS Extension Polk County experts for an on-demand series of five, 15-minute online educational workshops to help you plan and prepare for the Florida summer rainy season outdoors. Topics include the Ins and Outs of Your Irrigation Controller, Lawn Pests to Watch Out For, Using a Rain Barrel, Hurricane Prep Top Ten, and Summer Weeds.

(Click the topic to register and view the video.)

Ins and Outs of Your Irrigation Controller: Regular maintenance of your irrigation controller is essential for saving water and keeping plants healthy. Watch this webinar for tips on using your irrigation controller.

Lawn Pests to Watch Out For: Summer rains can bring out the best and worst in the lawn. Learn about a few common summer insects and lawn diseases to look out for.

Using a Rain Barrel: With so much summer rain, installing a rain barrel in the summer will allow you to collect water to use in the garden and landscape throughout the year. Get tips on how to properly install and use a rain barrel.

Hurricane Prep Top Ten: June is the beginning of hurricane season in Florida. This webinar offers tips to prepare your outdoor space and landscape ahead of heavy storms and potential hurricanes.

Summer Weeds: Summer rains create the perfect climate for many weeds to thrive. Learn about a few common weeds and how to manage them in the summer.

Additional resources from the webinar series:

Irrigation

• Saving Water Using Your Irrigation System https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/care/irrigation/saving-water-using-your-irrigation-system.html
• Operation of Residential Irrigation Controllers https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/ae220
• Rain Gauges and Rain Sensors https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/care/irrigation/rain-sensors-and-gauges.html
• Setting your irrigation timer https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/care/irrigation/setting-your-irrigation-timer.html
• Smart irrigation controllers http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_series_smart_irrigation_controllers
• Your Florida Lawn – How to Calibrate Your Sprinklers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_wn-hwLNtg&t=15s
• Calibrate, or measure, your sprinkler application rate https://fawn.ifas.ufl.edu/tools/irrigation_presentation/fawn_app_rate.pdf

Lawn Pests

• Lawn Insect Pests https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/lawns/problems-and-solutions/lawn-insect-pests.html
• Insect Pest Management On Turfgrass https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/ig001
• Southern Chinch Bug https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/LH036
• Tropical Sod Webworm https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/in968
• White Grubs https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/care/pests-and-diseases/pests/white-grubs.html
• Mole Cricket https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/in1021
• Soap Flush https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sx_o4EMXsCo
• Summer Lawn Diseases http://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/pinellasco/2017/08/04/summer-lawn-diseases-2/#
• Turfgrass Disease Identification Key https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/media/sfylifasufledu/baker/docs/pdf/horticulture/TurfgrassDiseaseIdentificationGuide.pdf
• Gray Leaf Spot of St. Augustinegrass: Cultural and Chemical Management Options https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/pp126
• Pythium Root Rot https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/LH050
• Take-all Root Rot https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/LH079

Using a Rain Barrel

• Stormwater Runoff https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/care/florida-friendly-landscapes/stormwater-runoff.html
• Capturing Water with Rain Barrels https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/care/irrigation/rain-barrels.html
• Rain Barrels: A Homeowner’s Guide https://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/sites/default/files/store_products/rain_barrels_guide.pdf
• How Do My Yard Care Practices Affect Our Water? https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/care/irrigation/how-do-my-yard-practices-affect-our-water.html
• A How-to for Installing a Rain Barrel (with video) https://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/residents/water-conservation/rain-barrels

Hurricane Prep Top Ten

• Hurricane Landscaping https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/care/weather/hurricane-landscaping.html
• Preparing Your Landscape for Hurricane Season http://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/polkco/2019/05/13/preparing-your-landscape-for-hurricane-season/
• Hurricane season is here. UF is ready to help https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/news/2021/05/18/hurricane-season/
• Prepare Your Landscape for Hurricanes http://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/duvalco/2018/08/01/prepare-your-landscape-for-hurricanes/
• Cleaning Up After a Hurricane https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/trees-and-shrubs/trees/cleaning-up-after-a-hurricane.html
• Preparing Trees for Hurricanes https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/trees-and-shrubs/trees/preparing-trees-for-hurricanes.html
• Restoring Trees After a Storm https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/trees-and-shrubs/trees/restoring-trees.html
• Tree Risk Assessment https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/trees-and-shrubs/trees/tree-risk-assessment.html
• Trees That Can Withstand Hurricanes https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/trees-and-shrubs/trees/trees-that-can-withstand-hurricanes.html
• Selecting Tropical and Subtropical Tree Species for Wind Resistance https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdf%5CFR%5CFR17500.pdf
• Landscapes and Hurricanes Publications https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/entity/topic/landscapes_and_hurricanes
• National Hurricane Center https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

Summer Weeds

• Weed Management Guide for Florida Lawns https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/ep141
• Non-Chemical Weed Control https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS1170
• Florida Homeowner Herbicide Guide https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/EP575
• NEW! Weed videos https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLKPGdUcCzXR8QgcA0iOvh0lw6MFSBxmF

An Equal Opportunity Institution.

1