by Joshua Criss | Nov 6, 2025
Another North Florida winter is here! With that comes a new plants from leafy greens to snapdragons. It also means the inevitable freeze is on the way. It is prudent for all gardeners to review what needs to be done to protect your non-freeze hardy plants.
Hardiness Zones
Before we get into what actions you may need to take, let’s examine plant hardiness zones. These are geographic areas created by the US Department of Agriculture defined by their average extreme minimal temperature. In the Panhandle these are zones 8b through 9b. In winter we will likely see low temps between 15 – 30 degrees depending on your zone. Sourcing plants appropriate for your zone can mitigate quite a bit of cold damage in your landscape. If you like plants susceptible to the cold, you can interplant them to add a little protection.
Microclimates
Find and utilize your yard’s microclimates. Areas under larger trees are likely to remain warmer in the winter. This is also true behind a windbreak, or near a structure with high sun exposure. Look around your yard and plant any cold sensitive plants in these areas.
This area is likely to have multiple microclimates. UF/IFAS Photo
Full Season Plant Care
Cold protection begins with warm season plant care. Pay close attention to the irrigation and fertilization needs of your landscape plants. Apply these properly to ensure stress free plants moving into the colder months as these will perform better as the mercury begins to drop.
Imminent Freeze Actions
Ok, now that everything is planned, we know our microclimates, and we’ve cared for our landscape through the year let’s see what can be done when a freeze is imminent.
Water the morning prior to a freeze event. Wet soils retain warmth better than dry. That heat will be re-radiated through the freezing night keeping your plant slightly warmer. Adding some mulch will aid this effort. Watering again the next day will break any ice formed in the soil. Keep in mind that prolonged saturation could be detrimental to root systems. Scout your plants regularly after using this strategy to ensure plant health.
Protect potted plants by bringing them indoors. Those that are too big to move should be padded with extra mulch, and clustered together when possible. Make sure to move them back in place when the warmth returns.
For those trees with graft points (i.e. Citrus), tree wraps may be used as protection. If you don’t have these, pile mulch around the base of the tree to insulate the graft. The idea here being that even if the branches above the graft succumb to the cold, the tree can rebranch above the graft thus keeping the desired fruit of that tree.
Finally, cover your plants. Covers are more useful for frost than freezing temps but are better than direct exposure to cold air. Keep these off the plant’s foliage while ensuring they reach all the way to the ground. Think ghosts over lollipops. Taking them to the ground will capture any heat radiated out of the soil overnight. The addition of lights underneath the cover can help keep that area a little warmer. Be very cautious when doing this as too much heat under the cover could be dangerous.
Plants covered above the foliage, and to the ground. UF/IFAS Photo
You may see some nurseries apply irrigation via sprinklers through the freeze as protection. While this method does work, it requires some specialty equipment. Additionally, you’ll need to apply the water prior to the freeze setting in and continue until the temps return. It not a practical solution for homeowners.
Once the cold passes, keep an eye on your plants. Wait until you see new growth before pruning damaged plant tissue. If in doubt you can slightly scrape the bark. If the cambium beneath the scrape is green, it is still alive.
For more information on cold protection or any other horticultural topic contact you local UF/IFAS Extension office.
by Ben Hoffner | Nov 5, 2025
When making plans for a fall or spring garden it is important to consider which methods of planting and raising your crops will work best for you. Traditional ground plots can be very effective but like with anything there can be negatives. Issues with space and soil fertility will be your biggest challenges with ground plots. Raised Beds are a very popular choice for several reasons like being aesthetically pleasing, mitigation of poor or no soil, decreases runoff/erosion, positive use of space, and maintenance.
Site Selection – Before creating your raised bed there should be a couple of key factors that are considered. Sunlight is the most important factor. Areas where the raised beds are constructed must have full sun for a minimum of 5 to 6 hours per day for best results. It is ideal to have morning sun do it less intense heat in the morning and dries due off the plant. Staying clear of structures, large trees, tree lines will help to have ample sunlight. Access to a water source close by is imperative for a successful raised bed. Make sure it is placed on well drained level ground away from tree roots that could compete with your crops.
Construction – The most “traditional” raised bed structure are made with wood. Consider pressure treated vs. non-treated wood. Pressure treated wood post 2004 is unlikely to contaminate food crops and will have a longer shelf life. Non-pressure treated will be a less up-front cost but will end up costing more overtime due to having to replace the boards earlier and more often. Screws and nails are appropriate methods to secure the corner but be sure to dispose of them correctly. Concrete corner blocks found at stores like Lowes or Home Depot have become a popular mothed to secure the corners. A 4’x8’ bed is the most popular size due to easy maintenance and construction. To construct this sized bed all you will need is three 2”x6”x8’ boards and four concrete corner blocks. After the outline of the bed has been created, you will need to create a base layer to kill the grass below, so it does not grow up through the soil. You can use materials like cardboard or mulch to accomplish this. The raised beds should be filled with either a mix made for raised beds or a 50-50 mix of compost/organic matter and topsoil. 1 cubic yard of material will fill a 4’x8’ raised bed.
Raised beds can be an effective and fun way to garden at home. Consider all factors discussed to make sure your raised beds are successful. For more information on raised beds contact your local UF/IFAS Extension Office. 
4’x8′ Raised bed – Photo taken by Ben Hoffner – Jefferson
by Joshua Criss | Oct 10, 2025
Planning landscaping is undoubtedly not easy. The primary concern relegated to each individual homeowner is what you want out of your yard. Many are content with just grass, while others desire a diverse array of plant life. One aspect oft overlooked is your landscape’s capacity to be a boon for local wildlife. With a bit of planning, your property could be literally buzzing with insect pollinators, wild birds, and even our reptilian friends.
Where to Start
For this article, let’s begin with a newly established development. What has happened in this scenario from an ecological perspective, with what we’d call primary succession? In short, this means an area that experienced a complete reset of its plant communities. In nature, this would be the result of events such as a volcanic eruption, but in Florida, it’s far more likely due to bulldozers.
Now, the good news in this scenario is that you won’t be receiving your property in this condition. The developer has fast-tracked the process by planting grasses and some basic trees by the time you’ve purchased the property. It’s from this basic setup that you, my new homeowning friends, can begin your husbandry of our local animals.
Begin by investigating the where your new home was built. If it began as a wetland, you’ll want to select plants appropriate for that environment. The same is true if you’ve moved into what was forest land. This thought aligns directly with the first of our FL Friendly Landscaping principles: right plant, right place. There is little sense in putting plants that don’t like wet feet into a poorly draining soils common in wetlands.
UF/IFAS Photo: J. Criss
Consider Your Environment
You’ll also want to investigate the wildlife that is endemic to those environments and areas. Knowing what is there, and what you’d like to attract to your landscape, will help you decide which plants will be best. For instance, replacing a crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) with a red maple (Acer rubrum) in what was previously a wetland environment puts a tree better suited to that environment, which will require less maintenance from the homeowner. Additionally, red maples are known to be an early-season nectar source for a multitude of moths and butterflies while providing nesting sites for local birds.
Red maples are a great example of plant selection and what it can do to attract wildlife to your yard, but there are other guidelines with which you’ll want to be familiar should this be your goal.
Guidelines for Attracting Wildlife
Water is critical to all life on the planet, including wildlife. Providing water features in your garden will increase the chance for animals visits to your garden. This can be as basic or as elaborate as you’d like. Everything from a pond to a simple dish of water will suffice. One common water feature challenge to consider for Florida gardeners are mosquitos. Avoiding these pesky creatures could be as easy as creating flowing water features. Solar fountains are an easy and cheap way to accomplish that goal.
Shelter is another critical aspect to attract wildlife. Either natural or man-made, it is essential to attracting and keeping various species in your yard. Bird, bat, or owl houses are perfect solutions to this issue. Just ensure you site them correctly to provide the correct environment for the animal in question.
Design your landscape to be layered. In this instance, this means integrating shrubs, trees, herbaceous plants, and groundcover. Doing so will provide some cover for feeding while providing visual interest to your home.
Last and certainly not least, choose plants known to be a food source. When doing so, you’ll want to research how those animals you’d like to attract eat. For instance, hummingbirds (Trochilidae) have a small, curved beak. If this is the species you’d like, you’ll want to select plants rich in nectar with tubular flowers. Firebush (Hamelia patens) is an excellent example of a plant for this purpose.
UF/IFAS Photo
Conclusion
Bringing local wildlife into your yard is an excellent way to get to know the small creatures living in your area. A few simple changes may go a long way toward reintroducing habitat to an area where it may be waning. For more information on attracting wildlife or any horticulture topic, refer to your local Extension office
by Danielle S. Williams | Oct 3, 2025
Peanuts, also known as groundnuts, earthnuts or goobers have a long history of cultivation. Unlike tree nuts, peanuts are grown underground which is how they earned the nicknames groundnut or earthnut. Originally native to South America, peanuts made their way to North America from Africa, where they were introduced by African slaves in the early 1800’s.
Overturned peanuts in a field ready to be harvested. UF/IFAS Photo by Tyler Jones
First grown in Virginia, peanuts were grown mainly for oil, food, and as a cocoa substitute. During this time, they were regarded as food for livestock and the poor. It wasn’t until the late 1800’s did their demand increase as there was a need for an affordable, high-protein food during the Civil War and World Wars. Their popularity also increased when showman, P.T. Barnum began selling hot roasted peanuts at his traveling circuses.
In the 1900’s, peanuts became a significant agricultural crop when the cotton boll weevil threatened the South’s cotton crop. Through the research findings and suggestions of Dr. George Washington Carver, peanuts were grown as a successful cash crop and contributed greatly to the sustainability of the farm. Though Dr. Carver did not invent peanut butter, he did invent more than 300 new uses for the peanut and peanut byproducts including shaving cream, leather dye, coffee, ink and shoe polish.
Jar of peanut butter surrounded by loose shelled peanuts. UF/IFAS Photo by Tyler Jones
Today, peanuts are grown in 13 states, across the United States and the U.S. is the third largest producer of peanuts in the world. In 2024, Florida harvested 157,000 acres of peanuts, averaging about 3,500 pounds per acre with a production value of roughly $149.5 million (Annual Crop Production 01/10/2025).
Peanut Fun Facts:
- 99% of peanut farms are family-owned, businesses averaging 200 acres
- There are four different types of peanuts – Runner, Valencia, Spanish and Virginia
- Peanut plants are legumes and fix beneficial nitrogen back into the soil
- Peanut butter is an excellent source of niacin, and a good source of vitamin E and magnesium
- Peanuts do not contain cholesterol and are low in saturated fat
- Peanut butter accounts for half of all peanuts eaten in the U.S.
- It takes about 540 peanuts to make a 12-ounce jar of peanut butter
- There are enough peanuts in one acre to make 35,000 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
- The average person will eat almost 3,000 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in their lifetime
- Women and children prefer creamy peanut butter, while most men opt for chunky
- Peanut allergies affect about 1.8% of U.S. children and 1.1% of adults the U.S. population
UF/IFAS Peanut Butter Challenge
Help us fight hunger by donating unopened, unexpired jars of peanut butter to the Peanut Butter Challenge! Every year UF/IFAS Extension Offices across the state coordinate the Peanut Butter Challenge to address hunger and food insecurity in our area. You can support the challenge and help fight hunger by donating unopened, unexpired jars of peanut butter, now through October 31st, 2025 to your local UF/IFAS Extension office. Thanks to support from the Florida Peanut Producers Association and the Florida Peanut Federation, your peanut butter donations go even further!
by Lauren Goldsby | Sep 25, 2025
While planning my fall garden I have been partaking in one of my favorite pastimes—shopping for seeds. This is always more fun to me than planting the seeds. Seeds come in many different packages and just like wine, you can be drawn in just from the carefully crafted label. Many of the seed labels I encountered shared the same marketing phrase, “non-GMO seeds”, which is like seeing a gluten free label on your pineapple. It was never an option!
Genetically engineered plants take decade(s) to produce, test and release. They are expensive and are not typically sold in small quantities. These patented seeds will not be sold to you by accident. GMO crops that are grown and sold in the US on a commercial scale include alfalfa, apple (Arctic), canola, corn, cotton, eggplant, papaya, pineapple (pink), potato, soybean, squash, sugarbeet, and sugarcane. More information about each crop here: https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/be/bioengineered-foods-list
Recently, a few GE seeds have been developed for the home gardener.
The Firefly Petunia glows in the dark thanks to the insertion of genes from a bioluminescent mushroom. More info
The Purple Tomato has purple skin and purple flesh thanks to the insertion of snapdragon genes. This is the first genetically engineered food crop developed for the home gardener. More info
These seeds are only available from certain retailers, and you will pay a premium for this technology.
When purchasing seeds consider other factors like season and variety. “Right plant, right place” – you hear us say those four words again and again here at the Extension Office. That’s because plant selection is one of the most important things to consider for gardening success. If you were to start a watermelon from seed right now it may do well at first. However, they thrive in the heat of the summer, and they will not like the short, cool fall days. A plant growing in the wrong environment will be stressed. That stress attracts pests and can make a plant more susceptible to pathogens.
Set yourself up for success by growing plants when they are in season. Don’t be tempted by the seeds you see on the aisle end caps. These are not always specific to each region and just because they are selling it now does not mean it should be grown right now. Decide what you are going to grow before you go to the store! The Florida Panhandle Planting Guide is a great resource to use for planning your garden. If you find that you purchased seeds for the wrong season save them for the next one—and consider that your newest hobby may be seed collecting.
by Ben Hoffner | Sep 11, 2025
Photo credit to Daniel Leonard, Calhoun County Extension Agent
When maintaining proper care of your trees and shrubs in your lawn or landscape it is important to not damage stems and trunks. It is best practices to keep the area around the tree clean, but it needs to be done properly. Mowing and weed eating is not recommended due to the possibly of severe damage to the trunk and stems. Repeated damage from mowers and weed eaters cause damage called girdling. There are a few very effective ways to protect the trunk and stems from damage such as mulching and using tree rings/tubes.
Repeated damage to the base of the tree and stems will affect the cambium layer. The cambium layer is a thin layer of living tissue directly under the bark of the tree, and it supports the growth and well-being of the tree, actively dividing cells located between the xylem (wood) and phloem(bark). Constant damage of this layer will cut off the flow of carbohydrates to the roots, which will cause the tree to die. This layer is the green material you see after the bark of the tree has been damaged. It is imperative to keep the cambium layer damage free to insure the best tree health.
Photo credit to Daniel Leonard, Calhoun County Extension Agent
Taking preventive measures will ensure the prolonged life of your tree. Using mulch around the perimeter of the tree for protection from injury is the most effective method of protection. There are different mulch types like straw, bark, leaves, needles, wood or grass. These are examples of organic mulches. Tree rings and tubes can be helpful to protect young trees. If mulch is not the best option for the plant, other materials such as cut sections of plastic pipe or rubber tires could be an option for protection.
Mulch is not only a great way to protect your trees from injury. It also helps with retaining moisture, erosion control, weed suppression, organic accumulation and aesthetic appeal. Following simple guidelines when using mulch will make sure that you are maximizing the material used. Maintain a 2-to 3-inch layer around your established trees. Avoid “volcano mulching”. “Volcano mulching” is when mulch is piled against the base of the tree, it holds moisture. High amounts of moisture can cause the trunk to rot.
To prolong the life of your trees and shrubs you must protect them from injury that can cause girdling. Avoid constant contact with lawn mowers and weed eaters that will destroy the cambium layer. Using mulch is a very effective way for protection as well as retaining moisture, erosion control, weed suppression, organic accumulation, and aesthetic appeal.
For more information contact your local UF/IFAS Extension Office.
