White, Fluffy, Woolly Stuff on My Plants
Homeowner accounts of white fluffy woolly masses on woody ornamentals, oak trees and Muhly grass have been on the rise. The good news is they are native insects that need a nursery for their young and will cause little harm to the host plant. The bad news...
Select and Plant Trees for Florida’s High Wind Climate
Many future problems can be avoided by paying attention to tree selection, planting and maintenance in Florida’s high wind climate. We may think of tropical storms causing tree damage but our typical summer thunderstorms can produce winds in excess of 50 miles per...
Fall color in the Panhandle
Perpetual Question Do any of the leaves change color down here in the fall? The most common answer is that there is none here in the land of evergreens. The prevalence of oaks (Quercus spp.) and pines (Pinus spp.) see to that. There is hope....
Video: Thryallis – A Florida-Friendly Shrub for Your Yard
Homeowners are able to select Thryallis as a low maintenance shrub for the North Florida landscape. Learn the characteristics of this Florida Friendly plant with UF IFAS Extension Escambia County! https://youtu.be/Xzv-fUz5p48
Plant of the Week: ‘Cora’ Vinca
I wish I had a nickel for every time in my Extension career that I’ve heard someone ask me what they can plant in a container or flower bed that will give them no-maintenance color. They just want to plant something, forget about it, and be able to enjoy flowers for...
What’s that Webbing on My Tree Trunk?
There are numerous insects and insect relatives that can produce webbing, and webbing can be a sign that something unwanted is near. Arachnophobes might grow uneasy at the sight of a spiderweb, and gardeners might frown to see the tiny filaments that spider mites...
Plan on Doing a Fall Garden, Plan Now!
Yay, we are halfway through with August and our summer is winding down! This is the perfect time to start prepping for that fall garden. Growing a productive fall vegetable garden requires thoughtful planning and good cultural practices. This...
Yellow Jacket Wasp – Aggression and Understanding
It is late summer and many of us enjoy being outdoors in the landscape and taking early morning walks before the temperature rises for the day. There are precautions to take while being outdoors and the activities as many insects are very active, including the...
Math for the Home Gardener
Math isn't always fun! Here is Euclid explaining math in Raphael's The School of Athens. Credit: Creative Commons. There are a lot of things gardeners need to know to cultivate a beautiful landscape. Between plant zones, scientific names, soil chemistry, and pest...
Summer Tasks
Summer should be the time to relax and enjoy the fruit of all the hard work performed in the landscape over the previous winter and spring. However, there are still some essential tasks that need to be completed during the summer. Perform them in short...