A natural disaster can significantly impact a family’s financial life. For example, in the aftermath of a hurricane, flood, or other incident, families often face skyrocketing costs for repairs and replacements that can significantly disrupt their finances. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), around 40 percent of households affected by a natural disaster…
Occasionally our Extension Office receives phone calls from apartment and condominium owners concerned about cockroach populations in their apartment and their apartment complex. All it takes is one resident or one vendor to unknowingly introduce German or American cockroaches to a building. If the cockroaches are not identified and treated quickly, a problem typically emerges. …
People don’t often think of Florida when they think of winter, but a lot that happens in the natural world. There are birds migrating, leaves falling, animals finding mates, and much more! In this episode, we explore the exciting world of winter in Florida. New Episode from Naturally Florida Naturally Florida (a podcast about Florida’s…
Hello again dear readers! After a short holiday break, we are back with our usual weekly blogposts. We thought that this example of an animal disease affecting our lives would be a great topic to kickstart 2023. Enjoy!
How did it start?
(Reuters) Ducks culled in France after a government order in an effort…
In honor of Florida’s Prescribed Fire Awareness Week, we talked with UF/IFAS fire scientist Raelene Crandall about some of the critical tools of prescribed fire work: personal protective equipment, or PPE. A former wildlands firefighter, Crandall is now an assistant professor in the UF/IFAS School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences, where she teaches courses on the role of…
Ancient ears of corn were about two inches long, with only a few tiny kernels and no cob. Domestication transformed them into modern corn, but how that happened is largely a mystery.
In a new study, researchers showed that plant hormones called strigolactones helped remodel ancient corn into the large ear we know today.
A…
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 the plants filter the water for the fish. In the aquaculture…
You might ask yourself, “why should I give blood?” and “How could a pint of my blood help?” Did you know that: · Approximately 36,000 units of red blood cells are needed daily in the U.S. · Nearly 7,000 units of platelets and 10,000 units of plasma are needed daily in the U.S., and nearly…
What do you see in the photo on the left? A container of useless dead plants A bouquet of pollinator plants in their “winter” form A container showing plants that are a source of nesting and shelter for our over-wintering native pollinators To pollinator gardeners, the correct answers are B and C. From spring through…
Tips from the Help Desk… Cold Protection Pro Tips by David Austin Residential Horticulture Agent and Master Gardener Volunteer Coordinator Late December and early January brought the Heartland of Florida some unexpected colder-than-usual temperatures. January and February are usually our colder months, so expect a few more rounds to come. Hopefully, your plants survived these…