Fall and winter in Central Florida are the best times of year to grow vegetables in the garden!
We have a series of virtual classes coming up, beginning with Planning Your Best Fall Vegetable Garden Ever on September 27 at 10:00am. Free registration is at: https://ufl.zoom.us/…/tJIkdOqtrTMrHN2z60QgCRSV43s0uiL4JekZ Other classes include: Oct.4- Winter Vegetable Pests and How to…
Washing a tomato under running water above a kitchen sink. [CREDIT: UF/IFAS Extension]
September has been designated as National Food Safety Education Month by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And, even though the United States has one of the safest food supplies in the world, according to the U.S. Food and…
We all know how important oxygen is to all life. It is an element with the atomic number of 8, meaning it has eight protons and eight electrons. It has an atomic mass of 16 indicating that it also has eight neutrons. Oxygen is a gas at room temperature indicating that 70°F is VERY hot…
If you’re perusing the produce section, you generally seek fresh, pleasant-looking fruit – the kind most consumers want to buy. Usually, that means you see few, if any, blemishes.
Fruit bruising has many causes: compression, impact or vibration during harvesting, transportation and packaging operations, said Xue Zhou, a doctoral student at the UF/IFAS College of Agricultural…
A picture is often worth a thousand words.
As an ISA certified certified arborist, when I saw this huge Royal Poinciana collapsed on a sunny day, with no wind, rain, or other adverse weather conditions, I just had to stop and find out what happened!
One sunny Saturday morning in my neighborhood, we saw…
Is your farm or ranch prepared for hurricane season? It is important to consider hurricane prep for farms before the storm. As the 2022 hurricane season starts at a leisurely pace, there’s talk of what the rest of the season holds. Taking a proactive approach to disaster planning can help your farm or ranch weather…
National Honeybee Day 2022
Written by Hailey Peirce for Nickie Munroe
A honeybee pollinating a blueberry blossom. Without honeybees we would not have many enjoyable fruits. uf-ifas-photo by Tyler Jones
August 20th, 2022, is National Honeybee Day. Today we are focusing on all things honey. We all know the delicious sweetness that honey…
With summer’s heat still simmering in Florida and in many parts of the United States, people may be tempted to water their lawns and take more showers.
Beth Robertson, water conservation specialist for UF/IFAS Extension Polk County, is one of many UF/IFAS Extension experts statewide who can help you with cost-saving tips on water use.
Only water when…
We are increasingly aware of the plight of honeybees in our environment. Individual homeowners can aid honeybees and other pollinators by adjusting a few landscaping practices. Plant selection, insect pest management, and general mindfulness are important to helping encourage resilient pollinator populations.
Laurie Kromfolz examines Blanket Flowers, Gaillardia,…
Local fertilizer ordinances do help improve water quality in lakes, but the timing of fertilizer restrictions influences their effectiveness.
Researchers found that winter fertilizer bans were associated with the biggest improvements in nutrient levels in lakes.
These findings can help inform community efforts to reduce nutrient run-off.
A new University of Florida study has found that local…