University of West Florida’s New Heritage Roots Garden
Just about a year ago, a dream team of history and plant nerds assembled around a common goal. The idea was to transform an open, weedy space adjacent to the University of West Florida (UWF) Archaeology Institute into a lush garden. The garden would be unique,...
Snakes of the Panhandle
Snakes of the Panhandle Love them or hate them, snakes are a common sight in the Florida panhandle. It can be tempting to lump all snakes into the category of ‘kill it on sight!’, but that approach isn’t the best. They can be harmful or beneficial – nobody wants a...
Planning and Planting for Wildlife
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...
Katydids
The intricate camouflage developed within the animal kingdom never fails to fascinate me. From fish that look like seagrass blades to butterflies that look like tree bark—or a pair of eyes—the variety, color, and textures are just mind-boggling. Among those are the...
2025 Peanut Butter Challenge!
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...
Fall Gardening Spotlight: Collard Greens
Fall Gardening Spotlight: Collard Greens When cooler weather finally rolls into the Panhandle, collard greens (Brassica oleracea var. acephala) are one of the most reliable crops you can grow. Members of the cabbage family, Brassicaceae, collards are hardy,...
Non-GMO Seeds at the Garden Center? They All Are!
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...
When the Ground Moves.
When the Ground Moves. It started with a quiet day, and a curious bag of sand brought into the extension office but inside was more than just sand. It was crawling with tawny crazy ants (Nylanderia fulva), one of Florida’s fastest-spreading invasive pests. Known for...
2025 Gardening in the Panhandle LIVE! Great Southeast Pollinator Census – Bee a Citizen Scientist! Wrap Up
Last month we focused on the 2025 Great Southeast Pollinator Census and how Florida residents and visitors could join in this citizen scientist project. Since this was only the second year Florida participated, we knew you would have lots of great questions! Below is...
Improve Butterfly Habitat with Trees
Many gardeners enjoy plants that attract butterflies and there is no shortage of beautiful flowering plants to supply nectar for all our pollinators. One critical part of making habitat for butterflies that we may need to improve upon is supplying plenty of host...