Name: Daniel J. Leonard
Date registered: February 16, 2016
Horticulture Agent, Walton County
Let’s be honest with each other and have a moment of transparency, one gardener to another. Even though we are plant people, most of us get a lot less enthusiastic once the mercury explodes over 90 degrees each June. All the things that were fun in the spring (watering our favorite fickle plants, deadheading spent …
Permanent link to this article: http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/hort/2017/07/05/four-must-have-native-perennials-for-summer/
If you’re like me, growing turfgrass is often more of a hassle than anything else. Regardless of the species you plant, none tolerates shade well and it can seem like there is a never-ending list of chores and expenses that accompany lawn grass: mowing (at least one a week during the summer), fertilizing, and constantly …
Permanent link to this article: http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/hort/2017/05/18/tired-of-turf-try-groundcover-alternatives-instead/
Almost every landscape has a problem area where the sun just doesn’t shine and many plants won’t make it, maybe it’s the north side of your house, under a small tree, or tucked away in an oddly-shaped alcove. We all know the same old boring green choices that work well here (Holly Fern, Cast Iron …
Permanent link to this article: http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/hort/2017/04/24/a-shrub-that-likes-it-shady/
Everyone, or at least everyone fortunate enough to grow up in the South, has a fond memory tucked away of a sight or smell of a plant that reminds them of the good old days. Maybe it’s the ancient camellia at your grandmother’s house that just feels like home when you see it. Maybe it’s …
Permanent link to this article: http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/hort/2017/03/29/are-your-dogwoods-in-decline/
Have you noticed strange rings of pencil-sized holes on the trunks of certain trees in your landscape recently? If so, take heart that these holes are not emanating from an infestation of destructive insects but rather from a perfectly native, rather attractive migratory woodpecker, the Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker (Syphrapicus varius)! The Sapsucker is a smallish bird …
Permanent link to this article: http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/hort/2017/02/03/why-are-there-holes-in-my-tree/
Florida has so much to offer! It is home to the world’s most beautiful beaches. It has one of the largest agricultural economies nationwide. But among all these things, Florida is lacking in one area that is very noticeable come fall: all the beautiful red, yellow, and orange leaf colors that paint the …
Permanent link to this article: http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/hort/2016/11/17/want-fall-color-plant-these-trees/
One of the most overlooked aspects of landscape design, particularly on DIY projects, is the idea of enhancing the architecture of your home by using plants that echo the shapes and features of the structure. The use of proper plant material not only shows off a home’s exterior beauty and increases curb appeal but often …
Permanent link to this article: http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/hort/2016/09/22/echo-your-architecture/
The Live Oak (Quercus virginiana) is one of the most iconic figures of the Deep South. Mentioning the words Live Oak invokes all sorts of romantic nostalgia of yesteryear and the reputation is not unearned. In fact, many Live Oaks still stand that were growing on American soil when the first English settlers set …
Permanent link to this article: http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/hort/2016/07/26/common-live-oak-problems-and-solutions/
Gardeners in Northwest Florida were blessed this spring with conditions conducive to great gardening, mild weather and plenty of rain. However, with those pleasant conditions has come an unusually high occurrence of Fireblight. Cases of Fireblight have been brought into our office almost daily this spring/early summer! Fireblight is a difficult to control, rapidly-spreading disease …
Permanent link to this article: http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/hort/2016/06/22/fighting-fireblight/
People are, by nature, skeptical. Humans are and have always been questioners of the world around them and that’s a good thing! For instance, when one reads a sensational article on Facebook or watches an infomercial selling a too-good-to-be-true product he/she is immediately dubious of the veracity of the claim. Given this innate sense, why …
Permanent link to this article: http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/hort/2016/04/27/dont-be-duped-by-plant-tags/
