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Reclusive celebrity reptile spied in Florida!

September 6, 2022
Star spotted on Florida coasts! Heads up, fans of Florida’s celebrity nonnative herps! There’s a niche member of the scaly glitterati you may have missed in all the furor over Florida’s top-billing nonnative reptiles. Trendsetters you already know Naturally shutters click, flashbulbs pop, and bulletins arrive almost weekly about the exploits of the various enormous invasive…

St. John’s Wort – Wild Weeds

September 2, 2022
Wild Weeds – Weed of the Month St. John’s Wort Hypericum tetrapetalum St. John’s Wort (photo by Stacey Matrazzo) St. John’s Wort is an evergreen perennial shrub found in Florida. Blooms typically appear in late spring but can be found throughout the year. Flowers are bright lemon-yellow and showy, with four petals and four sepals. Stems…

Biological Control and Pesticides

September 2, 2022
Have you heard of biological control? This is when a live organism is used in the management strategy of a pest population. An example would be when ladybugs are released in a garden for aphid control. I was recently at the UF/IFAS Short Course for Aquatic Pests and I tried to describe to pesticide applicators…

Weekly “What is it?”: Gopher apple

September 1, 2022
Gopher apple plants have woody stems and expand via underground runners. They are mostly evergreen and composed of nondescript leaves year round. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension On first glance at a gopher apple, one might think there were live oak leaves dispersed across the dunes. On closer inspection, though, you’d find individual leaf…

Growing a Green Thumb; Starting with Seeds

September 1, 2022
There may be instances when you want to sow seed in containers instead of directly sowing into the ground or a raised bed. Some vegetables easily adapt to being transplanted. Starting seeds in smaller containers and then moving them up to a larger container or transplanting directly into the garden might be an option for…

Tropical Girdlepod (Mitracarpus hirtus)

September 1, 2022
Jay Capasso, UF/IFAS Columbia County. Marc Frank, University of Florida Herbarium. Paulette Tomlinson, UF/IFAS Columbia County. The University of Florida Herbarium recently identified tropical girdlepod (Mitracarpus hirtus) for the first time from Columbia County. This weed has been identified in 23 other Florida counties including many of those in the panhandle and north/central peninsula. The…

Could this be Avocado Sunblotch Viroid (ASBV)?

August 31, 2022
Recently, Collier County Extension received an email about strange looking spots on an avocado fruit. A sample was submitted to the UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center Plant Diagnostic Clinic to figure out exactly what was causing the deformation. The TREC-PDC serves farmers, greenhouse producers, homeowners, nurseries, and others in agriculture and the green industries to diagnose…

Global Food Systems Institute to take land-grant mission worldwide

August 30, 2022
The University of Florida has announced the creation of the UF/IFAS Global Food Systems Institute, which will expand the scope of the existing Food Systems Institute to achieve global preeminence in all three components of the land-grant mission. Created in 2020, the Food Systems Institute brought together researchers from across disciplines to tackle challenges in…

Be Aware of the Risks of Eating Raw Oysters

August 29, 2022
Seafood is one of those foods people find delicious and a special treat when dining out. Many cultures have it as a mainstay of their meals. Seafood can be a nutritious part of a well-balanced and varied diet. This blog will focus on oysters. You either love them with lime, salt, and tabasco sauce…

Florida’s Cosmetic Manufacturer Exemption

August 29, 2022
In Florida, a person can manufacture certain cosmetic soaps, lotions, moisturizers, and creams in their home per Florida Statute 499.01(2)(p). These specific types of cosmetic manufacturers do not require a license, permit, or inspection of their operation. Definitions What is a “cosmetic”? A cosmetic is an article, except soap, that is: (a) intended to be rubbed,…

Suds in the garden

August 28, 2022
Large spikes of tubular flowers are attractive to hummingbirds Aloe plants are very popular due to their Its adaptability to a variety of conditions.  Besides the ever-familiar Aloe vera plant, there is another species known as the soap aloe or Aloe maculata.  Very ornamental and a great beginner plant for succulent growers, soap aloe will not…

From Soil to Sky: Leaves and Branches

August 28, 2022
The following series of columns entitled ‘Soil to Sky’ are an examination of five different facets of environment, structure, and life that are instrumental to trees in our forests and landscapes.  Trees are instrumental to our wellbeing, both individually and collectively as a society. Healthy urban forests and natural areas are the responsibility of professional…
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