Gardening in the Panhandle |

Spiders as Biocontrol – Video

by Matthew Orwat | May 27, 2019 | spiders

Spiders can act as a great bio-control for Florida Gardens. Watch this video by UF/IFAS Entomologist and spider expert Lisa Taylor to learn why having spiders around is a great way to keep pests in check. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WttOVLgBjIU

5 Simple Tips for Backyard Tomato Growing Success

by Daniel J. Leonard | May 27, 2019 | Best Management Practices, Compost, Container Gardening, Disease, Fertilizing, General Gardening, Integrated Pest Management, Mulch, Pests, Pruning, Vegetable Gardening, Watering

Talk to nearly any Panhandle gardener and one of the first things brought up in conversation is the difficulty growing large, beefsteak/slicing tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) in their home garden. Large tomatoes are indeed among the more challenging garden...

Natural Walls

by Logan Boatwright | May 27, 2019 | Garden Design, Ornamental Shrubs, Trees

Everyone likes their privacy. Usually, a large eight-foot privacy fence is built for that reason. That option tends to be expensive. What is a different approach for a similar result? A natural wall! One advantage of having a natural wall is that a homeowner has...

Weeds – More Than Just a Garden Eyesore

by Matt Lollar | May 27, 2019 | Best Management Practices, Container Gardening, Food Systems, Garden Design, General Gardening, Integrated Pest Management, Invasive Species, Vegetable Gardening, Weeds

Nobody likes weeds in their garden. Weeds are not only ugly, they can host insects and diseases that later spread to your garden. This situation commonly occurs when weeds belong to the same plant family as the desired landscape or vegetable species, but some...

Citrus Leafminer in Dooryard Citrus

by Danielle Sprague | May 20, 2019 | Fruit trees

Spring is in full swing and citrus trees have begun actively flushing. With the new flush comes an array of insect pests. One of the most common being the citrus leafminer. The citrus leafminer is a small white moth, about 2.4 mm in length. It is more easily detected...

Attract Hummingbirds All Year – Video

by Beth Bolles | May 20, 2019 | Beneficials, Birds, Florida Friendly Landscaping, General Gardening, Pollinators

Our landscapes are becoming important spaces for many animals to find food, water, and shelter. You can enjoy many beautiful plants while supplementing the diet of a favorite garden visitor, the hummingbird. Learn about a couple of nectar plants for hummingbirds and...

Unexplained Plant Problems? Might be an Abiotic Issue!

by Daniel J. Leonard | May 20, 2019 | Best Management Practices, Cold Damage, Disease, Foliage, Freeze protection, General Gardening, Insects, Integrated Pest Management, Ornamental Shrubs, Pests, Shrubs

Spring is a wonderful time of year. After months of dreariness and bare branches, bright, succulent green leaves and flowers of every kind and color have emerged. So too, have emerged gardeners and outdoor enthusiasts ready to tackle all their home and landscape...

Beat the Heat With a Self-Watering Container Garden

by Molly Jameson | May 20, 2019 | Container Gardening, Edible Landscape, Food Systems, Garden Design, General Gardening, Irrigation, Rain, Vegetable Gardening, Watering

Spring is in the air, and that means temperatures are warming up and tank-tops, shorts, and flip-flops will soon be your preferred attire. Once those highs are steadily in the 80s and 90s, any outdoor activity will become coupled with a bottle of water and the...

Is Colored Mulch Bad for the Environment?

by Sheila Dunning | May 17, 2019 | Best Management Practices, Florida Friendly Landscaping, General Gardening, Mulch, soil management

There have been a lot of questions about the use of colored mulches in the landscapes. Many individuals are concerned about the possibility of negative environmental impact from the dyes used on wood chips and pine straw. According to the Center for Agriculture, Food...

Weed Control in the Landscape – Alternatives to Glyphosate Workshop – May 23

by Matt Lollar | May 17, 2019 | Educational Workshop, Florida Friendly Landscaping, Green Industry, Integrated Pest Management, Professional Horticulture, Upcoming Events, Weeds

Are you looking for more selective herbicide options for annual beds and around shrubs and trees? The Santa Rosa County Extension Office will be hosting guest speaker Dr. Chris Marble from the UF/IFAS Mid-Florida Research & Education Center on Thursday, May 23. Dr....