News & Updates

I smell a sweet almond in your future!

What the sweet almond bush lacks in shape and foliage, is more than made up in aroma While many of our landscape plants are visually appealing with colorful foliage and flowers, there is another dimension to explore – aroma.  One of the best plants to help with this is the sweet almond bush.  This somewhat new…

Bluefish of the Florida Panhandle

“Bluefish!” … “It’s just a school of bluefish!”  So yelled the lifeguard in Jaws II when Chief Brody mistaken a school of bluefish for the rogue great white shark that was plaguing the town.  He would not have been the first to mistake these large schools for a larger fish, particularly a predatory shark, but…

My Internship Shadowing Experience: Nighttime Sea Turtle Walk

 My Internship Shadowing Experience: Nighttime Sea Turtle Walk  Blog written by Sean MacWilliam, UF/IFAS Extension St. Lucie County Summer 2022 Intern. Photo courtesy of Sean MacWilliam.My Background My name is Sean MacWilliam and I was born and raised in coastal SE Florida. I am currently a senior at the University of Florida studying Forest Resources…

Upside down hedges

Bare lower branches typical of improper hedge pruning,Using shrubs or small trees to make hedges is a common landscape practice in our area.  Hedges – whether formal or informal – make great ornamental living screens, barriers and buffers that add to the attraction and utility of our home grounds.  Beyond installing hedges, the care and…

Considering bamboo? Know the risks before you plant

Considering bamboo? Know the risks before you plant “Dendrocalamus asper (Serres de la Madone) leaf” by Tangopaso – Self-photographed. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia CommonsBy Deah Lieurance, UF/IFAS CAIP affiliate faculty member Recently, interest has resurfaced in the possibility of growing bamboo in Florida as a biomass crop. Bamboo has been called “green gold”…

Water Quality Series: Metals

What are they and where do they come from? Metals are substances naturally found in the earth’s crust. Humans have used them extensively throughout history. Metals are so crucial for human civilization that historians have even named entire periods of history after them. Take the Bronze age, for example; this time period was characterized by…

Brewers savor the candy flavor of some Florida-grown hops

 Brewers like the flavor and aroma that come from Florida-grown Cascade hops, says a University of Florida Extension agent. They say it tastes a little like candy. Matt Smith admits his sample size is small thus far – only seven brewers — but he’s excited by what he’s hearing from those who make craft beers.…

Saturated Fats, Trans Fats and your Heart

 What are saturated fats?Saturated fats are solid at room temperature and are primarily found in larger quantities in animal foods and some plant foods like coconut oil, palm, and palm kernel oil. Excess consumption can increase “bad” LDL cholesterol in your blood, one of the risk factors for developing atherosclerosis (hardening) of your arteries (American…

Celebrate World Pest Day Today!

What is World Pest Day? Today, June 6th, is National World Pest Day! World Pest Day was first celebrated on June 6, 2017 and has since become an annual event. The day is recognized to bring awareness to the problems pests can cause and the importance of pest control. It also encourages the support of…

It’s World Bicycle Day, and you should go for a ride…

Today, June 3rd is the United Nations World Bicycle Day.  Being an extremely passionate cyclist, I decided to write a blog post to share, not only the benefits that riding a bike has brought to my life, but the positive impact it can have on the world. You get friends: More often than not, people who ride…

2022 Updated UF/IFAS Hurricane and Disaster Information

The UF/IFAS Disaster Preparation & Recovery website offers resources to help Floridians prepare for and deal with natural disasters. From hurricanes to floods, tornados to thunderstorms, natural disasters can impact our lives with little notice. But there are ways to prepare for them and effectively deal with their aftermath. This website offers vital information from…
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