Notes The little, soft-bodied sucking insects are typically a problem for woody and ornamental plants, but they can also cause damage to vegetables like potatoes, tomatoes, and more. Mealybugs, which feed on the sap of tomato plants, ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Home Landscapes
Notes More than a dozen viruses have been found to infect tomatoes. Viruses might be difficult to distinguish from one another. The human eye is only capable of determining that a virus is likely to be the source of a problem. Only by sending ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Home Landscapes, NATURAL RESOURCES
On February 24, 2023, I participated in the UF DeLuca Preserve Bioblitz. This was my second time participating in a bioblitz at DeLuca Preserve and this time I stepped up to co-lead the Florida scrub excursion. My co-leader was Lourdes Perez ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Conservation, NATURAL RESOURCES, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Wildlife
Introduction In Florida, anthracnose is one of the most severe mango diseases. The most serious consequences of anthracnose are observed in regions where it rains throughout the flowering and fruiting periods of mango. Colletotrichum gloeosporioides ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Home Landscapes
Before we can talk about how wasps help figs pollinate, we need to know more about the different kinds of figs. There are no visible flowers on fig trees. A fig is a larger and fleshy stem that wraps the small flowers inside an inflorescence. ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture
What is Aquaponics? Aquaponics is a food production system that gets a lot of attention in today's world. Aquaponics is an exciting way to grow fish and plants at the same time. The fish waste is full of nutrients that feed the plants, and ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture
Vultures as nature's scavengers. Turkey vultures are commonly seen throughout the Florida Treasure Coast communities of Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River Counties. They are fairly easy to distinguish from black vultures. Turkey vultures ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, , Home Landscapes, NATURAL RESOURCES, Pests & Disease, Wildlife
Citrus can be grown in USDA zones 8-11. It means that citrus grows best in subtropical climates, which Florida already has. However, subtropical climates occasionally experience cold weather below 32°F, which can harm citrus trees, especially ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture
The UF/IFAS Extension St. Lucie County is located in the rural western St. Lucie County. We have two freshwater ponds and predominantly pineflat woods forested areas. We are fortunate to have black-bellied whistling ducks that visit our ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, , Home Landscapes, NATURAL RESOURCES, Wildlife
The mission of the Florida Master Naturalist Program (FMNP) is to promote awareness, understanding, and respect of Florida’s natural world among Florida’s citizens and visitors. We’re highlighting graduates of the Florida Master Naturalist ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, , Home Landscapes, Lawn, NATURAL RESOURCES, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, Turf, UF/IFAS Extension, Work & Life