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, Work & Life
Celebrate America with a Sustainable Fourth of July Cookouts, fireworks, and red solo cups are often the first things you think of when the Fourth of July comes around. America’s birthday is a much-anticipated holiday that can be very ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Work & Life![a man holds his aching stomach, with food on a table in the background. [credit: pxhere.com]](https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/files/2024/06/2018_FCS_blogFoodSafety01_pxhereEDIT1650x470TINY.png)
A foodborne illness can affect anyone who eats food contaminated by bacteria, viruses, parasites, toxins, or other substances. The actual number of those who succumb to food sickness is unknown, but a 2011 report by the Centers for Disease ... READ MORE
Category: Food Safety, Health & Nutrition, Work & Life
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
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![fresh fish on ice in cooler. [credit: uf/ifas]](https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/files/2024/06/2019_FCS_foodsafetyColdHot01_pixabayGardnerScottCROP1650x470TINY.jpg)
More and more often, we hear news of an outbreak of a foodborne illness or food recall. Has something changed? Well, yes... actually, several things. There are several reasons why we hear of more food recalls. One reason is better surveillance ... READ MORE
Category: Food Safety, Health & Nutrition, Work & Life![closeup of a mound of fresh cucumbers. [credit: pixabay.com, renee olmsted photography]](https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/files/2024/06/2024_FCS_cucumbersFresh01_pixabayReneeOlmstedPhotographyCROP1650x470TINY.jpg)
Cucumbers believed to be contaminated with salmonella have been recalled in Florida and 13 other states, including Illinois and New York. If you recently purchased cucumbers at your grocery store, it's important to take the time to contact ... READ MORE
Category: Food Safety, Health & Nutrition, Work & Life
Yes, you CAN grow food in Florida year-round. BUT it is important to take a few things into consideration before taking the sweaty plunge into hot season vegetable gardening. Here we aim to share garden tasks and ideas that are seasonally appropriate ... READ MORE
Category: Fruits & Vegetables, Health & Nutrition, Home Landscapes, Work & Life
There are many places worth understanding and protecting here in Sarasota County. From acres of imperiled scrub that provides habitat for threatened species and uniquely adapted plant life, to vital mangrove forests that protect our coastlines ... READ MORE
Category: Work & LifeMyakka River State Park, formally established and opened to visitors in 1941, is one of Sarasota County’s unique and precious treasures. In late January, I had the opportunity to join a Florida Department of Environmental Protection biologist ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Natural Resources, Wildlife, Work & Life