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Close up of leafy greens in garden.

Join the 2025 Master Gardener Volunteer Training Program!

by Ashley Ellis
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
Monarch on plant

Meet a Master Gardener Volunteer Series: UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County Twin Lakes Demonstration Gardens

by Ashley Ellis
July 25, 2024

Meet a Master Gardener Welcome to our "Meet a Master Gardener Volunteer" blog series, where we spotlight the dedicated individuals who make a significant impact in our community through their passion for horticulture and education. Today, we ... READ MORE

Category: Community Volunteers, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife, Work & Life
Tags: Demonstration Garden, FFL, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscape, MGV, Pgm_HortRes, UFSaraExt_MGV
Zebra longwing butterfly on a Jatropha plant

The Great Southeast Pollinator Census

by Jackie Lebouitz and Forest Hecker
July 19, 2024

The Great Southeast Pollinator Census This year will be the first year Florida will be participating in the Great Southeast Pollinator Census (GSEPC). Created by the University of Georgia Extension Services in 2019, the citizen science project ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
Tags: Bees, Butterflies, Census, Citizen Science, Flies, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Great Southeast Pollinator Census, Inaturalist, Moths, Pgm_Chemicals, Pgm_HortRes, PolliNATION, Pollinators, Wasps
Gator cartoon and lubber grasshopper

Backyard Bugs: Identifying Insects in the Landscape

by Jackie Lebouitz
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
Before and After Landscape aerial.

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

by Ashley Ellis and Forest HeckerAshley 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

by Jackie Lebouitz
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?

by Forest Hecker
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
Low maintenance landscape

Low-Maintenance Landscaping: Forbs

by Jackie Lebouitz, Forest Hecker and Ashley Ellis
May 14, 2024

Low-Maintenance Forbs Forbs are herbaceous, flowering plants that you can use to bring a variety of colors and textures to your landscape. Keep reading to learn about some forbs that require minimal watering and care in Sarasota County. Note: ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, UF/IFAS Extension, Water
Tags: Edible, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forbs, Herbs, Landscaping, Lml, Low, Low-maintenace, Low-maintenance Landscaping, Maintenance, Native, Pgm_Water, Pollinators
Image of homes along pond with shoreline vegetation and trees.

New Neighborhood Best Practices Program Provides Key Tools for Building Healthy Communities

by Ashley Ellis and Jackie LebouitzAshley Ellis, Residential Horticulture Agent and Master Gardener Volunteer Coordinator in Sarasota County.
May 1, 2024

Are you a homeowner living within a Homeowners Association (HOA) or serving on its board? Managing common areas like landscaping, trees, and stormwater ponds effectively can often be a challenge. But, fret not! There's a new initiative tailored ... READ MORE

Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Wildlife, Work & Life
Tags: Coastal Systems, Community Gardens, Florida Certified Arborists, Florida Friendly, HOA, Irrigation, Pgm_Chemicals, Pgm_HortRes, Preservation Area, Stormwater Ponds, Trees, Urban Wildlife, Water Conservation, Water Quality
Low maintenance landscape

Low-Maintenance Landscaping: Shrubs

by Jackie Lebouitz, Forest Hecker and Ashley Ellis
April 30, 2024

Low-Maintenance Shrubs Shrubs are a common addition to the landscape and are often used to outline the home and provide decoration near streets and sidewalks. While some are prized for their foliage, others are planted for their showy blooms. ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, UF/IFAS Extension, Water
Tags: Edible, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Landscaping, Lml, Low, Low-maintenance Landscaping, Maintenance, Native, Pgm_Water, Pollinators, Use, Water

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