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...
Sweet Onion and Strawberry Success, a Matter of Variety and Timing
Strawberries are being harvested in North Florida now and sweet onions will be harvested soon. Spring is the time to harvest these crops, however; fall is the time to plant these crops in our area. Planting time and variety selection are keys to sweet onion and...
The Brahminy Blind Snake
Part of the Extension job entails having friends and clientele reach out when they come across something odd while outdoors. I’ve been the recipient of random texts and emailed photos of bizarre-looking squishy finds from the beach, unusual plants, and snakes…lots and...
Stopping Tomato Blossom-End Rot Before It Starts
It’s the moment you’ve been waiting for – after weeks of careful tending, the first set of tomatoes is beginning to form. Each day, you check your plants with anticipation, imagining the juicy, homegrown harvest to come. But one morning, while inspecting your...
What Vegetables Can I Plant in April?
Some years it can be hard to tell that the season has shifted from winter to spring in Northwest Florida, but this year we are seeing ideal temperatures for summer vegetable gardens as we shift into April. Soil temperature is affected by ambient temperature and the...
GIP Live Foodscaping: Questions and Answers
The Northwest District Agents discussed foodscaping by answering questions submitted by program participants. Included are the panelist's answers along with supporting publications for the questions. You may view the session on YouTube at...
Blooms Can Be Deceiving
It’s hard to miss the clusters of lavender colored flowers that seem to be growing everywhere right now. That’s because they are an invasive wisteria, doing what invasive plants do best: growing everywhere. We often notice the invasive Chinese wisteria...
Why Are Sand Dunes & Sea Oats So Important?
Florida is synonymous with sand dunes and sea oats and evidence can be seen across the state’s vast shoreline landscape. Sand dunes are an important part of both the ecosystem and as a storm protection measure for coastal communities. Sea oats play an integral role in...
Witches’ Brooms
Our topic today might seem better suited to late October, but it can be observed in the woods year-round. During a recent Master Naturalist class, we discussed the various species of pines that grow in northwest Florida. All seven Florida native species—longleaf,...
The Good Guys: Beneficial Insects in Your Garden
When most people think of insects, they think of the bad ones, but not all insects are bad! Insects are labeled as bad or ‘pests’ when they start causing harm to people or the things we care about such as plants, animals, and buildings but most insects are GOOD! In...