Most of us have heard of invasive cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica). It arrived in the early part of the of the 20th century near Mobile Alabama and has spread across the lower southeast. It is an aggressive growing grass with serrated leaves and silica imbedded in its tissue. This makes it very undesirable for livestock and…
New chair: Andrew Short to lead UF entomology and nematology Andrew Short. UF/IFAS photo by Cat Wofford.Andrew Short joins the University of Florida as professor and chair of the UF/IFAS department of entomology and nematology. His tentative start date is May 15, 2023. Short will lead the highly ranked department of nearly 80 faculty members…
Manatee County students in grades six through 12 were eligible to compete in the annual Farm City Week Manatee River Soil and Water Conservation District (MRSWCD) speech contest on November 7th. Designed to develop leadership through participation in public speaking activities and to stimulate interest in conserving our natural resources, the topic selected by the National…
Poinsettias ready for shipping in a Santa Rosa County nursery. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension
They are simple and beautiful symbols of Christmastime—these plants with deep red leaves, contrasting with the green ones below–the colors of Christmas on full display. Poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrina) are native to mountainous regions of Mexico, and there are…
About this series The rise of inflation continues to raise cost concerns, one of them being the price of food. The ripple effect of the yearslong COVID pandemic continues to rattle worldwide economies. Tie Liu, a UF/IFAS assistant professor in the department of horticultural sciences, shares tips to keeping produce fresh and minimizing food waste. With…
I have truly been rewarded for sitting at my home desk this Sunday afternoon working on the end of year report for 4th day consecutively. The view from my desk faces north, is a heavily wooded area, across from my front yard. A fast movement caught my eye, to my surprise it’s a large beautiful…
How do you approach meal planning? Maybe you plan your menus weeks at a time while others may go for the day-by-day or meal-by-meal approach. Meal planning is essential when it comes to making sure you and your family are getting the nutrients you need to maintain or improve your health while staying within your…
The gopher tortoise is not only a keystone species, but also an endemic species, making it special and important to the overall function of the ecosystems where it is found. In this episode, we will explore the life of the gopher tortoise including some basic identification information, population status, biology, and things you can…
Nature’s Best Hope, A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard As the year draws to a close, and we start thinking about the holidays and gift giving, consider this book, by Douglas W. Tallamy. If you are a nature lover, environmentalist, scientist, or simply love to garden, then this book is a must…
Live tree farm
The holiday season is approaching quickly, and nothing feels more festive than decorating a live Christmas tree. You can purchase a pre-cut Christmas tree, cut one yourself at a local tree farm, or select a potted living tree. Cutting a live tree can be a fun outing at a local Christmas tree…
With the start of June, we see the shift to our hot and humid summer. This is the month we see our summer flowers start to bloom as we prepare for hurricane season. Anyone that visits our Facebook page (@UFputnamhort) will know that we have several programs going on in June revolving around pollinators. This…
Chilli thrips are a nuisance to rose growers, as their feeding causes foliar and flower damage. For the first time, UF/IFAS researchers investigated the utility of a banker plant system for managing chilli thrips on roses. Recently published research in the Journal of Applied Entomology demonstrates the potential of this system for helping rose growers using two predatory…
