Update on My Powderpuff Mimosa Yard
Since so many people are asking questions about alternatives to lawns, I wanted to provide an update on the growth of Powderpuff Mimosa (Mimosa strigillosa) in my own home lawn. Almost a year ago, I made a video about using this native plant as a companion plant in...
Grass is Growing; Time for Mowing
Mowing a lawn isn’t always as simple as making sure there’s gas in the mower. Lawns are alive, and treating turfgrass without care can cause problems in the long run. To make sure your lawn is healthy, follow these guidelines. Know your turfgrass! Different grasses...
Fun Facts About Ferns
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...
Gardening in the Panhandle LIVE! Program Summary: Freeze Friendly Foliage Plants
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...
Herbs for the Summer Gardener
Herbs are one of the best ways to add diversity to your garden or patio in the summer as they have many uses and unique traits. Summer is the season where herbs truly shine. There are many benefits of growing and using herbs at home, such as adding flavor to foods and...
Barefoot Beware: Lawn Burweed!
If you’ve ever walked barefoot through a patch of burweed, you know this is a very unpleasant experience. Lawn burweed, also called spurweed or stickerweed, is a low growing winter annual that produces hard, spiny burs that contains the plant’s seeds. These burs or...
Ecological Benefit and Upkeep of Florida Lawns
Lawns are as American as apple pie, and Granny’s cookies. It’s where you play ball with your kids, and have summer cookouts. It’s also quite likely a huge source of frustration. How much water, how much fertilizer, how much work, and why bother? All of these are...
Video: Mistletoe in the Garden
In the garden, mistletoe is not a plant we want to see. This parasitic plant can cause issues for some of our trees and we need to address the issue when we are able. Learn more about mistletoe in our landscape plants with UF IFAS Extension Escambia County....
Another Plea to End Crape Murder
Crape Myrtle is likely the most popular landscape tree in the South, for good reason. This species, comprised of varieties in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and colors, is tough as nails, thriving from the most manicured landscape to neglected parking lot islands. ...
The Bold and the Beautiful in Your Landscape – Snapdragons
Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus) add vibrant color to fall and winter gardens in North Florida with their wide range of hues. Colors include red, orange, yellow, and maroon. Their growth varies; tall varieties reach 2–3 feet, intermediates 1–2 feet, bedding types 6–15...