Look Between the Blooms
While the azalea blooms are beautiful, it’s hard to remember what the leaves looked like last summer. But, if you look carefully, you may see some off-colored, bleached out leaves. Those are from a piercing-sucking insect. Its azalea lace bug, Stephanitis...
Herb Gardening: When Oregano is Flavorless
As an avid herb gardener, I have often wondered why my oregano is often flavorless when incorporated into meals but still smells strong when handled in the garden. Thankfully our herb demonstration garden at UF/IFAS Extension Washington County Office was a site of a...
Winter Lawn “weeds,” a Place for Pollinators & Eggs
As a boy I remember our St. Augustinegrass lawn. I fondly remember winter annual weeds in that lawn. Many of these so called “weeds” are native wildflowers. And a number of pollinators use these wildflowers. To see clumps of winter annuals in our yard and in...
Keep a Salad on the Table All Year With Heat-Loving Greens
New Zealand spinach has a mild flavor, flourishes in the heat, and can serve as a nutritious summer salad. Photo by Forest and Kim Starr. If you’ve ever tried growing lettuce (Lactuca sativa), true spinach (Spinacia oleracea), or crops in the cabbage family (Brassica...
Book & Garden Lovers Unite
The UF/IFAS Extension Bay County Pollinator Garden is the proud recipient of a Little Free Library built, stocked, and installed by the Bay County Library Foundation. We were incredibly fortunate the foundation had the perfect box designed and painted by local artist...
Gardening in the Panhandle LIVE! Program Summary: Small Scale Vegetable Gardening
A mixed vegetable garden. Photo Credit: eXtension.org. It doesn't get much better than eating fresh vegetables out of your own garden. I guess you could add a beverage to the mix to improve the experience. A dry chenin blanc would probably go well. Unfortunately, this...
Magnolias
About a year ago, one of my regular blog readers asked if magnolia trees (Magnolia grandiflora) had any particularly redeeming qualities. The one in her yard was constantly dropping leaves and seedpods, and she was tired of it. Little did she know, she had stepped...
Companion Planting: What is it?
Did you know that Petunias repel asparagus beetle or that Marigolds planted among potatoes discourage Colorado Potato beetles? Are you aware that cabbage planted near lettuce has an adverse effect on the growth and flavor? In this article I would like to talk about...
Laziness Encouraged: No Mow March Promotes Pollinators in the Panhandle
Need an excuse to not mow your lawn this month? UF/IFAS Extension agents in the Florida Panhandle are asking residents to skip their soon-to-be-weekly outdoor chore until the calendar flips to April. The idea for “No Mow March” is borrowed from “No Mow May,” a concept...
Every Rose has its Thorn: Growing Roses in North Florida
Article written by: Khadejah Scott, Extension Agent, UF/IFAS Extension - Wakulla County Roses are renowned for their exquisite blossoms throughout the world. They can bloom for at least nine months of the year here in North Florida. Roses can be incorporated into...