by Daniel J. Leonard | Feb 5, 2026
If your drab dormant lawn is getting you down, you might be tempted to overseed your Centipedegrass with ryegrass next fall and enjoy lush green grass all winter long. The idea of a pretty green lawn breaking up the brown of winter is indeed alluring. There are reasons golf courses and highly visible/trafficked public landscapes overseed in winter – overseeding significantly enhances both the aesthetics and recreational uses of those areas and it absolutely can offer the same benefits to homeowners. However, winter overseeding also has several potential major drawbacks, particularly for residential lawns. Before you make the decision to turn your lawn green in the winter, keep the following factors in mind.
Overseeding Can Cause Centipedegrass Lawn Health Issues
Overseeding ryegrass in winter has two primary problems from warm season grass’ (i.e. Centipedegrass) perspective. First, to look its best, deepest green, ryegrass needs to be fertilized to encourage optimal growth like any other grass. This means applying Nitrogen and other plant nutrients at the exact time when your Centipedegrass is dormant and trying to NOT grow. This excess nitrogen applied to “feed” the ryegrass can absolutely wreck the dormant Centipede (which is very sensitive to nitrogen fertilizer), causing serious disease problems like Centipede Decline and Large Patch. Second, ryegrass is growing at its absolute maximum rate in late spring in the Panhandle, as our weather begins to be consistently warm. This coincides with the exact time Centipedegrass is trying to emerge from winter dormancy. This intense competition with the overseeded ryegrass at greenup can inhibit Centipede’s ability to recover from dormancy, delay emergence, and lead to decline of the summer turfgrass.
Municipal Centipedegrass turf area overseeded with winter ryegrass. Photo courtesy of Daniel Leonard.
Maintenance Annoyances
As mentioned earlier, ryegrass, though it grows in the cool weather, is still grass and has to be managed as such to look its best. This means frequent mowing, irrigating in droughty winters (like this year), and fertilizing. In my experience, people don’t enjoy or keep up with these tasks nearly as much in winter. There is a reason that the winter months are the slowest, least profitable times for lawn and garden centers – people just don’t spend their time and money on their lawns and landscapes in the winter when the weather is cold and days are short. I can testify that I very much enjoy my November-March break from mowing and maintaining my lawn and the idea of having to mow year-round doesn’t appeal to me in the slightest.
I get it, sometimes overseeding must be done. Like the aforementioned examples, winter golf and other athletic activities are much more enjoyable on lush green ryegrass turf than the normal winter mixture of dormant Bermudagrass and mud, and city parks are much more attractive to tourists and passersby when green, vibrant, and inviting. However, these situations are usually managed by professionals that are willing and able to treat potential disease issues when they arise and/or replace weakened turf as needed, expenses and effort the average homeowner is often not willing or able to incur. Given overseeding’s potential detrimental effects to your warm season turf and the maintenance annoyance of caring for a winter lawn, most homeowners are better off avoiding the temptation to overseed with ryegrass.
For more information on overseeding with ryegrass or any other horticultural topic, contact your local UF/IFAS Extension county office! Happy Gardening.
by Evan Anderson | Feb 5, 2026
Owners of lawns and landscapes occasionally find that something has dug holes in their turf or plant beds. Sometimes this is the work of squirrels, but another common resident of our area can be much more of a digging pest. The nine-banded armadillo, in its search for food, can do a lot of damage in a short period of time.
Nine-banded armadillos are not native to our neck of the woods. Considered an invasive species, they migrated to North America in the 1850s from Mexico. They have spread ever since, ranging now throughout the Southeast, with populations as far north as Kansas in the western part of their range and South Carolina to the east.
An armadillo foraging in a landscaping bed.
As far as meals go, armadillos prefer to snack on insects, but will supplement their diet with seeds, fruit, or other food. They are very good diggers, looking for grubs and worms in the soil; when landscaping gets in the way, they unfortunately do not hesitate to dig it up. They are in turn predated upon by larger animals, though their hard shells give them a measure of protection against this. They are usually active at night time, though cool weather may see them active during the warmer parts of the day.
Beyond digging for food, armadillos also construct burrows for shelter, which can reach depths of up to seven feet and lengths of twenty feet. This is not a problem out in wooded areas, but can become an issue when the burrow is located near a structure or beneath a walking path. Another potential concern with the presence of armadillos is that they are able to become infected with the bacteria that causes leprosy.
If armadillos are becoming a problem in your landscape, there are a few steps to take that can help discourage them from staying around. Use proper cultural practices for plants, including turfgrass, and treat for grubs if necessary. This helps to remove sources of food. Fencing an area can help stop armadillos from accessing it, but remember that they can dig and fences need to be buried about a foot and a half deep. Armadillos can be trapped, though they may be difficult to bait, so placing traps where they are more likely to wander into them (such as near burrows) can help. For more information on armadillos in general, see our fact sheet here: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/UW456
For more information on using baits for armadillos, see this fact sheet: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/UW362
by Mark Tancig | Jan 29, 2026
Most folks are familiar with the concept of supply and demand and how it affects cost. The more numerous a product, the lower the cost. The cost also reflects value, so the more abundant something is, typically the lower the value. This idea of abundance being tied to little value can also be applied to the amazing world of nature around us. Water, for instance, is usually valued little in areas where it is abundant compared to areas where it is scarce. Unfortunately, when it comes to common native plant species found in our local ecosystems, their sheer abundance leads many to consider them not too valuable. However, sometimes, if we step back and learn about these species, we find that many may be locally abundant, but globally very special. Hopefully, this new found knowledge encourages us to value them a little more!
Saw palmetto is common element of many Florida ecosystems. Credit: Gary Knight, Florida Natural Areas Inventory.
One such example is our very common saw palmetto (Serenoa repens), a plant that is so common in our area that it often goes overlooked and undervalued. How many of you have observed a pine flatwoods loaded with saw palmetto, and gone – “Ehh, it’s so plain and boring?” However, saw palmetto, while locally abundant, is not so plain and boring. Did you know that saw palmetto is found nowhere else on Earth except in our little pocket of the southeastern USA? Its range hugs the Gulf coastal plain from Louisiana to South Carolina, and that’s it.
The limited range of saw palmetto. Credit: Kartesz, J.T. 2026. Floristic Synthesis of North America, Version 1.0. Biota of North America Program (BONAP) [website http://bonap.org/] Chapel Hill, N.C
- Saw palmettos are a native, flowering shrub that do well in ornamental landscapes. They provide a tropical look, and the flowers are very attractive to insects and other pollinators. Just be sure to select the right place for them, as they do expand to 4-10 feet wide so it can become a problem near walkways or in tight spaces.
Saw palmetto does spread wide, so give it plenty of space. Credit: Karen Williams, UF/IFAS.
- While saw palmetto fruits are an important food source for birds and other wildlife, humans also have an interest in them. The fruits are harvested by pharmaceutical companies for medicinal purposes, and extracts of saw palmetto fruits are easily found for sale in health food stores and online. The extracts are mainly marketed as a natural remedy for issues related to enlarged prostate or inflammation, though many physicians and medical groups remain skeptical of any benefits.
The fruits of saw palmetto are valued by wildlife and humans alike. Credit: USDA.
- Saw palmetto clumps can live a long time! As a clonal shrub species (it spreads from runners), it has long been assumed that each clump could be as much as 500 years old. However, recent genetic work has found that saw palmetto clumps living in the Lake Wales Ridge of Florida are at least 1,000 to 5,000 years old, conservatively. This means that there are likely saw palmettos living in south Florida that were around when Aristotle was tutoring Alexander the Great!
Hopefully, you now value saw palmettos just a little bit more than before you started reading this article. Knowing that such a unique plant is right in our backyard, common as dirt, let’s try to find ways to appreciate it and maybe include it in our landscapes, too. Keep in mind that saw palmetto is just one of many locally abundant, but globally special plants that thrive in our local ecosystems.
If you want to start learning more about the plants all around us, you can start by first identifying the species you observe. iNaturalist is a great, free app for your phone that can get you started. Your local extension office is also a resource. Once you have an identification, the Flora of North America and Biota of North America Program websites can give you detailed descriptions and range maps to help you discover the marvelous elements of our local flora.
by Matt Lollar | Jan 29, 2026
Peach and plum trees are prone to diseases and often produce inconsistent yields. The best way to remedy these issues is with proper pruning. Annual pruning reduces disease incidence, improves fruit quality, and increases tree longevity. So when should trees be pruned and how do we go about it?
Pruning Timing
Peach and plum trees should be pruned in late winter before blooming begins. Mid- to late-February is a good time for the Florida panhandle. If trees are pruned too early they may put on new growth too early and be exposed to late winter freeze events.
Heading cut made on a recently planted whip, selecting five scaffolds and stopping terminal growth. Photo Credit: David Lawrence, Auburn University
Pruning Cuts
Two types of pruning cuts are utilized for pruning peach and plum trees; thinning and heading cuts. Thinning cuts remove unwanted shoots from their point of origin. Heading cuts are made about a 1/4 inch above a bud. Thinning cuts are used to open up the tree canopy to increase air circulation and sun exposure. Heading cuts stimulate growth in a desired direction.
Heading cut made to an outward growing bud to promote growth and direction. Photo Credit: David Lawrence, Auburn University
Open Center Training
An open center tree consists of a main trunk and three to five scaffold branches. Scaffold branches are the primary branches originating from the main trunk. These scaffold branches will produce the fruiting wood. At planting, a heading cut should be made to the main trunk about 30 inches above the soil line. This cut will promote lateral growth (scaffolds). If the tree already has lateral growth at planting, three to five scaffold branches can be selected at this time and the heading cut should be made just above these branches. Scaffold branches will be selected during year two of growth if no scaffolds were on the tree at planting. Heading cuts, removing about a 1/4 of each branch, should be made on all selected scaffold branch about a 1/4 inch above an outward growing bud. From the third year of growth and beyond annual maintenance pruning will be performed to maintain the open center growth habit. All damaged or diseased wood, suckers, and water sprouts should be removed. Large branches growing from scaffold branches toward the center of the tree should be removed, along with any upright growth that will shade out fruiting shoots. Downward growth should also be removed. Heading cuts are to be made on remaining growth to encourage desired direction of growth based on bud direction. Excessive fruit wood should be thinned to promote larger fruit and less fruit thinning.
A peach tree pruned with an open center. Photo Credit, University of Florida/IFAS Extension
Pruning peach and plum trees sounds a bit labor intensive, but once it’s part of routine maintenance it will reduce labor during the season and promote the growth of larger and better quality fruit.
by Joshua Criss | Jan 29, 2026
Whelp, the new year has come and gone. We find ourselves facing the beginning of a new gardening year. This naturally brings out the question of what can even be planted this time of year with all the cold that has set in over the last week? Luckily for you, IFAS has an answer with our North Florida Gardening Calendar. In this document, you’ll find several cool-season vegetables for planting, none the least of which is the humble potato (Solanum tuberosum).
UF/IFAS Photo: C. Hutchinson
A Brief History
Potatoes were originally domesticated in South America, specifically along the Andean mountain range. They were brought to Europe by Spanish explorers, where they were largely relegated to ornamental and livestock feed due to an association with the family Solanaceae.
This changed as European royals began to promote the crop widely. Most notably here are Fredrick the Great’s assigning guards to potato fields and Marie Antoinette’s use of potato flowers in fashion. The commoners noticed, and not long after, potatoes were seen on tables across the continent.
Due to its high nutritive value and ability to grow in poor soil, the potato supported population growth and quickly became a staple crop across Europe. In some areas, such as Ireland, this became a detriment as a single blight nearly destroyed the entire country.
Time for Local Growth
Potatoes have a rich history worldwide, but this small starchy crop can be grown even here in Northwest Florida.
Soil
Soil preparation is likely to be minimal in the Panhandle. Our soils are usually naturally acidic, which is perfect for your spuds. You will want to ensure that the soil is well-drained, and adding organic matter will likely provide some nutritional benefits. As always, the best way to determine fertilization is through testing. Potatoes are heavy feeders, and you’ll likely need multiple applications of nitrogen and potassium. Call your Extension Office for advice on both soil testing and fertilizer application.
Seed
Begin in January by selecting seed potatoes. You’ll likely see videos online of people using grocery-store potatoes as seed stock, but this isn’t advisable, as they may harbor more pathogens. Leave the seed potatoes in a lit room for a few days to break their natural post-harvest dormancy. At this point, some of the “eyes” may begin to sprout. Whether sprouted or not, the seeds may be cut into roughly egg-sized pieces. Ensure each piece has at least one eye. Allow them to dry out for a few days before planting.
Potato beginning to sprout photo: J. Criss
How To Grow and Harvest
Space the pieces around 6-8 inches apart, roughly 4 inches below the soil surface. When you see the sprout emerge from the surface, add a few inches of soil, a process known as hilling. Maintain adequate soil moisture and scout regularly for insect and pathogen signs.
Vines will begin to show signs of dieback around 80-115 days after planting. Allow the tubers to remain in the soil for another 2-3 weeks after this die-off. Discard any green potatoes and any remaining seed pieces. Dig the potatoes, and store them in a cool, dry place for an additional two weeks. After this, store them as you would store-bought potatoes, and they should be good for up to 6 months.
To Sum Up
Potatoes can certainly be a challenge for those who’ve never tackled them before, but mastering their growth is something for which every gardener should strive. For more information on this topic, consult this document. For any questions about this or any other horticultural concern, contact your local Extension Office.
