by Matt Lollar | Apr 30, 2025
A holly fern in the landscape. Photo Credit: Matt Lollar, University of Florida/IFAS Extension – Santa Rosa County
On a recent episode of Celebrity Jeopardy, one of the categories featured answers all about ferns. The category got me thinking about all the confusing things about ferns.
First of all, are ferns even plants at all? Yes, but there are some unique characteristics that make them stand out. Ferns are vascular plants like most all of our other landscape and house plants, but they do not produce flowers, fruits, and seeds like other vascular plants. Instead, they produce spores in small, round structures called sporangia that are usually on the undersides of leaves. Sporangia are also found on fungi and algae.
A pretty noticeable feature about ferns is their leaves. Fern leaves are called fronds which consist of many small leaflets called pinnae. Fronds have a feather-like appearance that give most ferns a fine texture that softens the landscape. Sterile, non-spore producing fronds called fiddleheads develop from the center of the plants in early spring. They are called fiddleheads because they are curled like the top of a fiddle when they first emerge. The fiddleheads of some fern species are prized by chefs for their delicate flavor and crunchy texture. Fertile, spore producing fronds develop later in the season.
A Japanese painted fern in the landscape. Photo Credit: Matt Lollar, University of Florida/IFAS Extension – Santa Rosa County
When grown outdoors, most ferns do best in spots that receive filtered light or a bit more shade. However, some species of ferns that are grown indoors may need a little more light. Ferns like high humidity environments which is why we usually see them growing in floodplains and in wetlands in the wild. Indoor ferns should be watered thoroughly whenever the soil surface begins to feel dry. Choose potting soils with a high percentage of peat moss for its moisture retaining properties. And make sure you don’t over-fertilize.
by Matt Lollar | Apr 30, 2025
If you’re going for a tropical look, but don’t want to lose your landscape, then you’ll get some great ideas from this episode of “Gardening in the Panhandle LIVE!”.
Most of the Florida Panhandle falls within USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 9a. The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map displays the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature for locations throughout the United States. Based on NOAA weather data, the date of the last spring freeze can range from February 16 to March 15 depending on location in the Florida Panhandle. It’s important to note these figures are based on averages and will vary from year to year.
Some plants need protection from freeze events. More information on protecting plants from cold weather can be found in the article “Preparing the Landscape for Cold Weather”.
There are quite a few native plants that can give your landscape a tropical look. Plants that have a tropical look usually have bright flowers, variegated leaves, and/or coarse textured foliage. A native that comes to mind is Florida anise that grows well in shaded areas and is available in varieties with variegated foliage and light green foliage. The native firebush (Hamelia patens) will freeze back some years, but provides a tropical focal point with its showy flowers and unique foliage. Some oakleaf hydrangea selections with chartreuse colored blooms can also provide a tropical aspect.
Other plants that give a tropical feel, but aren’t native to Florida include cast iron plant, canna lilies, red hot poker, fatsia, farfugium, holly fern, African false hosta, and loquat trees. Some tropicals that freeze back, but will come back in the spring include ornamental gingers and tumeric. To view other suitable plants for the Florida Panhandle check out the Florida-Friendly Landscaping Plant Guide.
Row covers and frost cloths can provide some insulation for sensitive plants. The thickness of the material used can vary significantly and offer different levels of freeze protection. It’s important the material covers the plants all the way to the ground, not just the foliage. More information on row covers in the article “Using Row Covers in the Garden” from the University of New Hampshire.
It’s important to wait to clean up and prune freeze damaged plants. Mid-to-late March is a good time to cut back plants that have been damaged from a freeze event. However, the longer you wait the better. More information for caring for these plants can be found in the article “Treating Cold-Damaged Plants”.
Coastal climates differ from mainland environments. In the winter, temperatures in these two places will be similar, but windchills may be exaggerated in coastal areas. Additional wind tends to dry plants out faster, but spots near water may allow for some experimentation with more tropical plant material.
For more ideas on plant selections for the Florida Panhandle, check out other Gardening in the Panhandle articles or contact your local Extension Office. The “Freeze Friendly Foliage Plants” episode of Gardening in the Panhandle LIVE! can be found at 2025 Gardening in the Panhandle LIVE! Freeze Friendly Foliage. Visit the NWD IFAS YouTube page to view additional episodes of Gardening in the Panhandle LIVE!
by Matt Lollar | Mar 13, 2025
Attracting wildlife is one of the Florida Friendly Landscaping principles. However, some species are better observed from long distance. Deer are beautiful creatures and taste pretty good too, but they can wreak havoc to a landscape and to fruits and vegetables. There are a number of methods to deter deer, but you’ll need to keep them guessing to limit damage to your yard.
A plant cage formed from metal fencing. Photo Credit: Matt Lollar, UF/IFAS Extension – Santa Rosa County
Physical Barriers – This deterrent method may be the most effective if installed correctly, but it can also be costly and requires the most labor and engineering to install.
- Temporary Deer Fencing – Plastic mesh fencing can temporarily keep deer away from plantings. This material can be draped over plants or attached to posts or fencing with plastic ties or wire.
- Hardware Cloth and Seedling Tubing – Hardware cloth can be formed into different shapes or secured to small structures to form a barrier around small plants. UV-inhibited polyethylene and polypropylene mesh seedling tubes can be bent into cylinders and placed around young shrubs and trees to protect them from foraging deer and other wildlife.
- Garden Fencing – There are a variety of gauges available for this fencing. Heavier gauges are recommended to help keep deer out. It’s important to note that most adult deer can jump 7 feet high, so a fence height of at least 8 feet is recommended.
- Electric Fencing – Peanut butter can be spread on a single strand of electric wire to encourage deer to check it out. More permanent electric fences can be installed, but are significantly more expensive.
Scare Items – Deer are skittish to things that are unfamiliar to them. However, it doesn’t take them long to adapt.
- Ribbons and Tape – Light-weight ribbons and tape fluttering in the wind can help deter deer. Holographic and iridescent foil materials have shown the best results because they reflect sunlight and create more noise in the wind.
- Motion Activated Sprinklers – Hitting a deer directly and the sound of water being turned on are deterrents for deer and other wildlife. It is best to periodically move the location of these sprinklers to improve their effectiveness.
- Noisemakers – Whistles, firecrackers, and propane cannons can annoy deer, and people too. Unfortunately, deer become accustomed to these tactics. It is best to use noisemakers in combination with other deterrent methods.
- Dogs – Just having a dog around can help keep deer away. Even if it’s a dog that has no care to bark at or chase a deer, its scent alone may be enough to deter them.
A motion activated sprinkler used to deter wildlife from a raised bed garden. Photo Credit: Matt Lollar, UF/IFAS Extension – Santa Rosa County
Chemical Repellents – A plethora of chemicals are marketed as deer deterrents. These products can work as odors, create bad tastes, or incite fear. Common ingredients include capsaicin, predator urine, egg solids, garlic, and soap. A number of factors can contribute to the effectiveness of chemical repellents including the growth stage of the plants to be protected and frequency of reapplication,
Resistant Plants – Deer eat almost anything. They sometimes even eat so-called “deer resistant plants”. However, the plants listed below are less desirable to deer. For a more comprehensive list of plant susceptibility to deer damage please visit the archived publication “Ornamental plant susceptibility to damage by deer in Florida”.
- Trees – Deer will rub on almost any tree, but a few they are less likely to eat include: bottlebrush, sabal palm, crape myrtle, edible fig, loquat, live oak, magnolia, and yaupon holly.
- Shrubs – Some shrubs that deer are less likely to eat include: mahonia, viburnum, wax myrtle, juniper, and most evergreen azaleas.
- Annuals and Perennials – There are quite a few annuals and perennials that have shown signs of resistance to deer including: black-eyed Susan, bush daisy, cone flower, dusty miller, marigold, and salvia.
More detailed information on wildlife deterrents can be found in the publication “How to Use Deterrents to Stop Damage Caused by Nuisance Wildlife in Your Yard”.
by Matt Lollar | Jan 30, 2025
Planting annuals is a great way to add color and texture to the landscape. Annuals can provide an added visual component to the garden regardless of if they’re planted in the ground or in containers, or even better—both. An annual plant completes its life cycle (growing, flowering, seed set, and death) in a single growing season. Annuals can stay in good health and last longer if they are pruned back when they get leggy and by pinching off any fading flowers (deadheading). To help plan your garden beds and container plantings please click below to enlarge the image of the handy “North Florida Annual Planting Guide”. Please note the suggested planted dates in this guide are based on average monthly temperatures, but every year is different. Some years we may have a late frost around Easter, other years we won’t have a cold front after February.
by Matt Lollar | Jan 2, 2025
It’s a new year and if you’re still contemplating resolutions, here’s one for you. Stay organized with your vegetable planting schedule. Since it’s January, let’s start with what you can do now. Crops like beets, broccoli, and Brussels are best planted as transplants in January. But carrots and celery can be started from seed and potatoes can be planted as seed potatoes, which are usually pieces of potato tubers containing at least 3 buds (eyes). January is also a good time to start transplants indoors for the spring garden. Tomato and pepper transplants can be planted in the garden as early as February or March depending on the year. If all this planting talk is overwhelming, then at least consider collecting and mailing off a soil sample for nutrient analysis. More information on soil testing can be found on askIFAS. This will give you a head start on adjusting pH with lime and improving soil health with compost and other organic materials. To help plan this “Year of the Vegetable Garden” please click below to enlarge the image of the handy “Florida Panhandle Planting Guide”.
