Deer Damage in the Landscape
Many different Florida wildlife pass through a home landscape daily in search of food. Possibly the most destructive animal to landscape plants in northwest Florida is the White-Tailed Deer. Extensive amounts of damage can be observed after they have passed...
What is Drilling Holes in My Trees?
They are often very prevalent on trees in our area; a strange string of shallow holes drilled in the bark of a tree. Often this is oozing sap, especially on pines and hardwoods with heavy sap flow, and more holes keep appearing as the sap dries up in others. I get...
Snails
On occasion, homeowners report being troubled by certain slimy visitors to their gardens. Perhaps not the first pest most people would think about in their landscapes, snails are nonetheless a source of frustration for some. While many species are harmless or even...
Tiny Invaders
In Florida, we have plenty of native critters trying to find their way into our homes – cockroaches, mosquitoes, lizards, squirrels, mice, and even alligators and bears every now and again. So, we don’t really need any more non-native critters to worry about, but we...
Herb Gardens: A Tasty Way to Learn
As spring approaches, the time to plan and implement gardens is at hand. If you have wanted to get into this hobby but have been intimidated by the avalanche of information, consider an herb garden. This collection of plants is grown primarily for their aromatic...
Crabgrass and Summer Annual Weed Control
Spring is approaching and the main thing on my mind is controlling annual weeds. The most effective way to control crabgrass and other summer annual weeds is with a pre-emergent herbicide. Pre-emergent herbicides should be applied prior to weed seed germination. They...
Rainfall Revives Resurrection Fern
Rainfall in the Florida Panhandle can be described as feast or famine, alternating between daily rain and weeks without a drop. Plants can struggle in these circumstances and if not well adapted to the area may need a little help from gardeners. One plant that is...
Taking Care of the Plants Inside
Winter is probably the easiest time of year to kill the plant you brought in from the cold. And, the fastest way is by overwatering. Grueling growing conditions like lower light levels, dry air, shorter days and chilly temperatures really stress out plants, which...
Rollercoaster Temperatures in NW Florida
Fall, winter and even early spring can be a rollercoaster ride of temperatures here in Northwest Florida. One week it dips to freezing for a short time and the next week it rises to spring-like temperatures. We need to hold on for this ride of up and down temperatures...
The Science of Germination
When a pea seed germinates, it goes through a series of stages: imbibition, activation of enzymes, and radicle and root emergence. Photo by Bogdan Wankowicz, Adobe Stock. The Science of Germination Navigating through a few recent hard freezes, the Florida Panhandle's...