Tag: news

Tropical Milkweed in North Florida

Tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) has been in the news recently.  It can be a host plant for Ophryocystis elektroscirra (OE), a parasite of monarch butterflies (Danus plexippus).  Boiled down, milkweed is a host plant for monarchs which carry the OE parasite.  The butterfly deposits OE when they land on the plant to lay eggs.  Newly hatched monarchs…

Read more

Mangoes are the King of Fruits

Mangoes are the king of fruits.  Of all the fruits in the world, the mango reigns supreme. Mangoes are grown throughout the frost-free world for their juicy, sweet fruits. There are thousands of mango varieties. Mangoes can be large or small, green, yellow, red, or even purple. They can taste like ice cream, peach cobbler,…

Read more

Pollinator Plants for Full Sun

 Authored by Amanda Decker UF/IFAS Extension Orange County Summer Intern Graduating UF CALS December, 2022 B.S. Plant Science specialization in Plant Breeding and GeneticsWhy Attract Pollinators? Look closely and you may spot a cardinal nest in this pinwheel jasmine bush. Photo: Amanda DeckerBees interacting with purple coneflowers. Photo: Tyler JonesAre you looking to beautify your landscape?…

Read more

Watermelon Petiole Sap Testing

Jay Capasso, UF/IFAS Columbia County. Bob Hochmuth, UF/IFAS NFREC-SV. Luke Harlow, UF/IFAS Union County. Kelly Aue, UF/IFAS NFREC-SV. Petiole Sap testing is an educational tool and service provided to vegetable growers in the Suwannee Valley region of North Florida by UF/IFAS Extension. Using portable meters, UF/IFAS Extension agents provide vegetable growers information on the current…

Read more

‘Flip My Florida Yard’ season 2 streaming now

Earlier this year, 10 homeowners across 10 Florida counties were chosen to have either their front yard or their back yard “flipped” into a Florida-Friendly paradise. Now, the hard work of the landscape teams, planners and designers comes together when season two of ‘Flip My Florida Yard’ airs this summer on local PBS stations and…

Read more

What is Hard Water?

Hard water is a result of dissolved minerals Calcium, Magnesium, and Manganese. Hard water is a very common problem, affecting water in more than 85% of the country (Water Quality Association). The term “hardness” is applied to the soap neutralizing power of water. Hardness is usually reported in terms of an equivalent concentration of calcium carbonate which is the amount…

Read more

Provide for Wildlife- The Malachite Butterfly

Article by UF/IFAS Extension Broward County Urban Horticulture Agent Lorna Bravo Our urban yards are the first line of defense to protect local wildlife. Have you ever thought about what happens when a native wooded area is cleared for a building site? What happens to the creatures living in or visiting this area when the…

Read more

to top