Blackberries (Rubus spp.) will not quickly jump into your mind when you think of fruit production in Florida. In fact, when you do think of blackberries, you will most likely envision viny plants infiltrating your gardens and attacking you with their tiny spines. These are dewberries and are not known for large or consistent fruit.…
This sounds similar to the idea that has been discussed about protecting some species of sharks. Do we really want to do this? It reminds me of an interesting situation that was created when they passed the Marine Mammal Act in 1972. The law seemed simple enough. Citizens wanted to protect our marine mammals –…
Ever take a walk through your yard by the light of the moon? The subdued lunar light seems to bounce off everything white or reflective. Nothing is hurried. The air temperature is cool. And untidy corners seem to disappear into the shadows. It is very relaxing.
The Multi-Sensory Night Garden
Planting a moonlight garden, or “moon…
This month there are many events celebrating the big blue sphere we call home, Earth! I thought I would take the opportunity to discuss some chemical options and alternatives that are considered safer for the earth. There is both good and bad information out there, so we should start with some definitions to get on…
Introduction
Last week, we published a blog post talking about neglected tropical diseases , and we thought it would be appropriate to follow up with a closer look at one of these diseases that is now present in Florida. Dengue fever is a neglected tropical disease that affects millions of people worldwide. It is transmitted…
Due to several unique challenges home gardeners and nursery owners are often baffled when trying to incorporate roses into landscapes. Consequently, they ignore roses altogether or limit themselves to cultivars in the knockout or drift series. While knockout roses and drift roses are commonly planted throughout the lower south, and deservedly so, many other roses…
About these resources This UF/IFAS Blog presents the new invasive reptile coloring books from the UF Croc Docs. It contains information about Burmese pythons, Argentinian black and white tegu, and other nonnative reptiles now found in Florida. The coloring books and pages along with the activities were developed by the UF Croc Docs. Permission was…
An upcoming plant clinic in Fort Walton Beach is designed to provide answers to lawn, landscape and/or garden problems. The plant clinic will be held Friday, April 21 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon at the temporary UF/IFAS Extension Annex located at the Okaloosa Technical College (OTC) in Fort Walton Beach. The plant clinic is not a seminar or lecture…
Some citrus is recovering from our December 2022 hard freeze and pruning will be needed. Learn to identify your tree’s graft and prune away any rootstock material with UF IFAS Extension Escambia County. by Beth BollesSource: UF/IFAS Pest Alert Note: All images and contents are the property of UF/IFAS.
Food allergies affect 32 million Americans, of which 26 million are adults. The reaction can be life-threatening with 200,000 requiring emergency medical care yearly related to reactions from food. In children there has been a 50% increase between 1997 and 2011 in the occurrence, currently, 1 in 13 children have a food allergy. Many times,…
Broward County Florida experienced unprecedented, historic flooding, like we have never seen before. We had repeated flash flood and tornado warnings which weren’t for the faint of heart. The downpour of rain didn’t seem to stop. The skies opened and the 25+ inches of rain seemed to come out of nowhere. Vehicles stalled and were…
If you have a sod farm in Florida or work in the landscape business, Chinch Bugs could become a major economic problem when not taking proper control.
What are Southern Chinch Bugs and how I can identify them?
Southern Chinch Bugs (Blissus insularis) Nymphs (Left) and Adults (Right) (Short wing and long wing). Photo Credit: UF/IFAS
Southern…
