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February 8, 2024

A call to action: UF/IFAS scientists, compost industry, policy makers join to promote compost standards, practices in Florida

A pitchfork mixing food and garden compost. Food waste is one of the main drivers in Florida’s dependence on landfills, which fuel greenhouse emissions and promote climate change. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), landfills contribute annually up to 14 percent of emissions of methane, a greenhouse gas, and are a major contributor to global warming.…

February 7, 2024

Handwashing is critical to good health

Why is handwashing important? Handwashing is one of the best ways you can help stop the spread of infection and stay healthy. It is one of those personal hygiene activities we need to prioritize. Bacteria and germs can enter your body and make you sick if you don’t properly wash your hands. Bacteria can get…

February 6, 2024

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

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…

February 6, 2024

Color in the Holiday Landscape: Lipstick Tree/Bixa orellana

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…

February 5, 2024

Bitter Melon: a New Crop in Florida

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…

February 5, 2024

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

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…

February 2, 2024

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

February 2, 2024

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

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…

February 1, 2024

2024 Master Naturalist Conservation Science Bioblitzes

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…

February 1, 2024

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

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…

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