Everglades Tomato Doesn’t Disappoint
For me, tomatoes are the most difficult (and expensive) vegetable to grow. I even try to discourage people from growing tomatoes in Florida. Tomatoes are susceptible to damage from a plethora of diseases and insect pests AND they require a lot of maintenance and...
Japanese beetle – Be Aware of the Potential Threat, Stay Informed.
Credit: Worrel Diedrick, Florida A&M University They are known for their voracious feeding habits, targeting a wide range of plants, including ornamentals, fruit trees, and vegetables. I speak of no other than the Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica) an invasive...
Ouch! What Bit Me?
In the heat of the summer biting flies become very active during the day. Deer flies, horse flies, and especially yellow flies inflict a fierce bite on people and other animals. All three species are in the Tabanidae family, commonly referred to as tabanids. Like...
The Ancient Journey of Native Vegetables
Flint corn is one of the oldest varieties of corn and has been cultivated by Native American tribes for thousands of years. Photo by Gerald Holmes, Strawberry Center, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Bugwood.org. The Ancient Journey of Native Vegetables The Americas are not...
Don’t Water When it’s Already Wet
It amazes me that even under flood conditions, people still water their lawns. I’m sure you’ve seen it too - we get enough rain to cause some areas to flood and yet you see irrigation systems going full blast. Lawn irrigation should be applied on an as needed basis....
Selecting Wind-Resistant Trees for Hurricane Season
The Pensacola area has had its fair share of rough weather lately. While the recent storms were not hurricanes, the rainfall totals rivaled many tropical storms, and the lighting and wind were disastrous. A tornado caused significant damage, including a tragic death,...
Native Pollinators: Furrow Bees
When you hear the word “pollinator”, what is the first insect that comes to mind? If I had to guess, you would probably say honey bee. European honey bees play an important role in agriculture as pollinators and honey producers, but there are hundreds of native...
Spiders in the Landscape and Garden
Unknowingly we interact with many small creatures in our everyday lives. Spiders are one of these groups that are beneficial to the function of human activity. This group receives much publicity as being dangerous to people and our pets. While there is...
Tree Removal…After the Storm
Moderate to strong El Nino conditions were predicted for this summer and I think this revelation has come true. The heat and humidity in the latter part of June were on the verge of being unbearable and the precipitation cycle is unpredictable. In the middle of the...
Frogfruit as a Turf Companion
Homeowners may consider growing Frogfruit, Phyla nodiflora as a companion plant in turf areas. Learn the qualities of this groundcover with UF IFAS Extension Escambia County. https://youtu.be/9tHy6c7HG8w