UF/IFAS
Extension Sarasota County

Category: Lawn

White silhouette of spider and web on Halloween-themed background, with cobwebs and pumpkins

The Spooky Bug Brigade: Spiders


October 17, 2024

As our community continues to recover from recent storms, find helpful resources and information at tiny.cc/ufsaraext_disasterprep, tiny.cc/saraco_disasterprep, and scgov.net/government/emergency-services/storm. This blog is part of ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
Tags: Beneficial, Bugs, Crawlies, Creepy, Halloween, Integrated Pest Management, IPM, Pgm_Chemicals, Scary, Spooky
Close up of leafy greens in garden.

Join the 2025 Master Gardener Volunteer Training Program!


August 2, 2024

I am delighted to announce registration is open for the 2025 Master Gardener Volunteer training program! If you're a Sarasota County resident, this is your chance to expand your horticultural knowledge, engage in meaningful community service, ... READ MORE

Category: Coasts & Marine, Community Volunteers, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension, Work & Life
Tags: Florida Friendly, Gardening, Master Gardener Volunteer, Pgm_HortRes, UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County
Gator cartoon and lubber grasshopper

Backyard Bugs: Identifying Insects in the Landscape


July 15, 2024

There are more than 12,500 species of insects...in Florida, alone! For the average person, it can be difficult to distinguish between common, garden-variety ladybugs. And, it can be just as difficult to understand the difference between a "good" ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Lawn, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Turf, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
Tags: Bug, Garden, Insects, Landscape, Pests, Pgm_Chemicals, Plants, StarterKit
Yellow flowers against background of green leaves

Hot & Dry: Landscape Management for Florida’s Dry Season

Avatar photo
June 27, 2024

Florida's dry season can be a challenge for residential lawns and landscapes. The hot dry conditions can quickly deplete moisture from our sandy soils, leaving turf brown and landscape plants wilted. Because of these conditions, the dry season ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, Turf, Water
Tags: Conservation, FFL, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Irrigation, Landscape, Pgm_HortRes, Pgm_Water, Plants, Water
Before and After Landscape aerial.

Discover Florida: Flip My Yard Season 3 – A Must-Watch for Creating Sustainable Florida-Friendly Landscapes!

Ashley Ellis, Residential Horticulture Agent and Master Gardener Volunteer Coordinator in Sarasota County.
June 24, 2024

Introduction to Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ (FFL) Whether you’ve recently moved to Florida or have lived here for years, you’ve likely faced gardening challenges. To help, local governments, regulatory agencies, landscaping professionals ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, Pests & Disease, Turf, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Wildlife, Work & Life
Tags: FFL, Florida Friendly, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Native Plant, Pgm_HortRes, Sarasota County, UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County, Wildlife
Mosquito on skin

Mosquito FAQs


June 21, 2024

Mosquitoes can be a nuisance, especially the species that pose a public health risk. Below are some of the common questions we receive from our clients at UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County and Sarasota County's Mosquito Management Services. Why ... READ MORE

Category: Home Landscapes, Home Management, Invasive Species, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Wildlife
Tags: Awareness, Control, Entomology, Management, Mosquito, Pgm_Chemicals, Treatment
Picture of Phyla nodiflora with the three butterflies that host on it.

What Is That Lawn Ornament?! Frogfruit? Florida lawn of the future?


May 16, 2024

A handful of the "lawn ornaments" that will be featured in this blog series. Top row (left to right): sunshine powderpuff, perennial peanut, frogfruit, and daisy fleabane. Bottom row (left to right): manyflower pennywort, bay lobelia, Florida ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Lawn, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: FFL, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Horticulture, Landscape, Landscaping, Lawn, Pgm_HortRes
Field of Florida betony

What Is That Lawn Ornament?! Florida Betony? A Crunchy Choice Edible!


April 1, 2024

A handful of the "lawn ornaments" that will be featured in this blog series. Top row (left to right): sunshine powderpuff, perennial peanut, frogfruit, and daisy fleabane. Bottom row (left to right): manyflower pennywort, bay lobelia, Florida ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Lawn, Turf
Tags: FFL, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Garden, Horticulture, Landscape, Landscaping, Lawn, Pgm_HortRes
A thick patch of the plant flowering in a lawn.

What Is That Lawn Ornament? DollarWEED? No, that is Manyflower Penny-wort!


March 26, 2024

A handful of the "lawn ornaments" that will be featured in this blog series. Top row (left to right): sunshine powderpuff, perennial peanut, frogfruit, and daisy fleabane. Bottom row (left to right): manyflower pennywort, bay lobelia, Florida ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Lawn
Tags: FFL, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Horticulture, Landscape, Landscaping, Lawn, Pgm_HortRes
Field of Fleabane Wildflowers.

What Is That Lawn Ornament? A Daisy That Keeps Away Fleas? Daisy Fleabane!


March 21, 2024

A handful of the "lawn ornaments" that will be featured in this blog series. Top row (left to right): sunshine powderpuff, perennial peanut, frogfruit, and daisy fleabane. Bottom row (left to right): manyflower pennywort, bay lobelia, Florida ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Lawn
Tags: FFL, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Horticulture, Landscape, Landscaping, Lawn, Pgm_HortRes

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