News & Updates Archives - Page 7 of 80 - Extra Mile Pest Control and Lawn Solution

A Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Tale of Survival and Resurgence (Part II): Atala Butterflies

February 6, 2024

Countless species of flora and fauna have been lost in what is now being labeled as the Anthropocene extinction event. Fortunately, two local species have not only escaped from the brink of extinction but have rebounded as humans have improved our behavior. This success story holds valuable lessons in how we can save other imperiled…

Color in the Holiday Landscape: Lipstick Tree/Bixa orellana

February 6, 2024

We promised to share new blogs on many of the beautiful plants that will create an incredible show of color during the winter holidays. Plants in this series are suitable for zone 10a to 11 b. Please note we recommend you plant any of the featured plants in the series when our rainy season begins…

Bitter Melon: a New Crop in Florida

February 5, 2024

Introduction: Florida, known for its diverse agricultural landscape, is embracing a new addition to its crop repertoire – bitter melon. This unique and resilient vegetable is making waves in the Sunshine State, offering farmers a fresh opportunity for cultivation. In this blog post, we will explore the journey of bitter melon as a new crop…

Controlled-release fertilizer project nets positive results for north Florida watermelon growers

February 5, 2024

A pilot project during the Spring 2023 growing season aimed to improve nitrogen use efficiency through new fertilizer technology. It also used the “4R’s” (Right source, Right rate, Right place, and Right time) as well as irrigation management. The goal was to introduce controlled-release fertilizer (CRF) on active watermelon farms and determine the…

The New Year of Garden Care and Beyond | Garden Trends for 2024

February 2, 2024

Garden Trends of 2024 include mixing edibles and ornamental, while planting much closer together for a wilder, looser look. © UF/IFAS Garden Trends for 2024 can be summarized into one thought: landscape designs with altruistic objectives. The styles may vary but every garden space shares one common denominator, and that is sustainability. Native Plants Gardening…

What Is That Lawn Ornament? Clover Lawn? Here in Florida?!

February 2, 2024

A handful of the “lawn ornaments” that will be featured in this blog series. Top row (left to right): sunshine mimosa, perennial peanut, frogfruit, and fleabane. Bottom row (left to right): pennywort, Lobelia, Florida snow, and blue-eyed grass. Welcome to our Lawn Ornament blog series, where we explore the plethora of micro-plants that can help create a…

2024 Master Naturalist Conservation Science Bioblitzes

February 1, 2024

Florida Master Naturalist students participating in the 2024 Conservation Science course taught by Extension Agents Ken Gioeli and Andrea Lazzari are bioblitzing. This list is a living document and will be updated throughout January and February 2024. Students will use iNaturalist to observe the plants and animals at environmental preserves around Florida. This iNaturalist app is a powerful geomatics…

Are palm trees really trees? Here’s what you should know

February 1, 2024

This post entertains an ongoing debate that I often hear: Are palm trees really trees? Could our state tree, the sable palm, not even be a tree? This has been argued in many different ways with the answer lying somewhere in the middle. Skip down to the end if you want to read what I think the…

Florida Arbor Day 2024 – Tips for Tree Planting

January 31, 2024

Arbor Day was established to celebrate trees and their beneficial ecosystem services they provide for humans and our environment. Florida Arbor Day is on January 19, 2024, as cooler months are the best time to plant trees, although trees can be planted all year round in Florida. If you want to plant a tree, but…

Spanish Moss, a new episode from Your Central Florida Yard podcast

January 31, 2024

Spanish moss: creepy or cool? What comes to mind when you think of a southern landscape? Large , graceful oaks draped oh-so-perfectly with Spanish moss ? Spanish moss is a quintessential part of our landscapes “down south” and it is often something that interests our visitors. What do you know about Spanish moss—there are many…

These Are Not the Pests You’re Looking For

January 30, 2024

We want our plants to do their best: to grow, to be healthy, to flourish, to bloom, and in the case of fruit trees, to produce. As the Commercial Tropical Fruit Extension Agent for Miami-Dade County, I am often presented with what the grower sometimes believes are major problems, when in fact, the pest (or…

Resources for Women in Agriculture

January 30, 2024

Are you an Extension professional or woman working in agriculture? Do you need help finding resources? There are many organizations and options out there if you know where to look. The Florida Women in Agriculture Association has begun compiling a list of resources for women in agriculture. We are happy to share this as it…

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