Butterfly weed, Asclepias tuberosa, has been gaining in popularity in the perennials market as it attracts adult butterflies to feed on its nectar and monarch caterpillars to feed on its leaves. Gardeners are also turning to use more Florida native plants in their landscapes. Independent or native nurseries tend to be the best source for …
Permanent link to this article: http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/hort/2018/07/11/florida-wildflowers-butterfly-weed/
Rabbiteye Blueberry cultivars are the primary species grown in the Panhandle and are much more popular than the Southern Highbush Blueberry that dominates production further south. Our environment is more hospitable to Rabbiteye; consequently, they tend to be more drought tolerant and less susceptible to disease. The harvest season for Rabbiteye Blueberries is also relatively …
Permanent link to this article: http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/hort/2018/07/11/summer-rains-can-create-obstacles-for-panhandle-blueberries/
Each time I travel to central and south Florida and observe the wonderfully flamboyant tropical flora, I am reminded of the unique and frustrating climatic characteristics of Northwest Florida. Our weather is tropical enough through the summer to sustain virtually everything our friends to the south grow, but winters north of the Big Bend are …
Permanent link to this article: http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/hort/2018/07/03/heating-up-with-hardy-hibiscus/
On June 6th, we held an Invasive Species Workshop: Air Potato Challenge and Species Awareness day at the UF/IFAS Extension Office in Panama City. Over 700 air potato leaf beetles were distributed to more than 30 sites in Northwest Florida by citizen scientists to help manage the invasive air potato vine! We were joined by University …
Permanent link to this article: http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/hort/2018/07/03/bay-county-air-potato-challenge-and-invasive-species-awareness-day-a-success/
A new research project at the West Florida Research and Education Center in Jay, FL is looking into the quality of turfgrass cut with a robotic mower. The study is to determine whether the quality of St. Augustinegrass can be improved by continuous mowing with a robotic mower at 2.4″ height instead of the traditional …
Permanent link to this article: http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/hort/2018/06/28/a-robotic-mower-debuts-at-the-gulfcoast-expo-turfgrass-field-day/
National Pollinator Week is only recognized in June, but efforts to encourage pollinators shouldn’t end then. Pollination occurs when pollen grains are moved between two flowers of the same species, or within a single flower, by wind or animals that are pollinators. Successful pollination, which may require visits by multiple pollinators to a single flower, …
Permanent link to this article: http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/hort/2018/06/28/summer-is-time-for-pollinators/
Are you interested in growing squash in your garden? Do you know the difference between summer squash and winter squash? Check out this very informative instructional video on growing squash in your home garden by Walton County Agriculture Agent Evan Anderson. Author: Matt Lollar – mlollar@ufl.edu Matt Lollar is the Santa Rosa County …
Permanent link to this article: http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/hort/2018/06/21/growing-squash-in-the-home-garden/
Growing up, as soon as I entered the fair gates, I always headed straight for the rides. If I was lucky, I was able to get an unlimited pass strapped around my wrist and didn’t need to worry about rationing any tickets. Although I usually didn’t remember the names of particular rides – they were …
Permanent link to this article: http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/hort/2018/06/21/enter-your-garden-bounty-into-the-north-florida-fair/
It’s that time of year. School is out, hurricane season is in, and the mercury is up! Gardens wilt by midday and gardeners retreat into the air conditioning long before then. Unless you have your toes in the water on one of Northwest Florida’s beautiful beaches, it can be a miserable time to be a …
Permanent link to this article: http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/hort/2018/06/21/annuals-to-beat-the-summer-heat/
Camellias are a Panhandle favorite, as the flowers can highlight a landscape with bright, vibrant colors in fall and winter. However, spring time can bring about these colors in a negative way, in the form of leaf gall. The camellia is native to Asia and brought to America in the late 1700’s. These plants have …
Permanent link to this article: http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/hort/2018/06/07/late-spring-signals-leaf-gall-for-some-camellias/
