Winter Planting and Spring Preparing
It is freezing cold this week and hard to believe that we are already talking about "What to Plant" and "What to Do" to get started early. In North Florida there are cool-season annuals that can be planted now. The list includes pansies, violas, petunias, and...
Paths and Walks: Adventures in Nature
There are multiple ways to creatively construct avenues for foot traffic to areas in your landscape, community and public access areas. Over the years I have observed and enjoy many walks that curve and snake around well landscaped corners either created or provided...
Gardening in the Panhandle LIVE! 2022
The UF/IFAS Extension Northwest District Horticulture Team is excited to announce our third season of Gardening in the Panhandle LIVE! free webinars! Please plan to join us this Spring and Fall for all new episodes where we will tackle gardening issues relevant to the...
Using Clover as a Winter Garden Cover Crop
One of the major recent movements in production agriculture has been the widespread adoption of cover crops. This practice gives farmers a host of benefits, from erosion prevention to nutrient retention and recycling. However, using cover crops isn’t just for large...
Which are the Sturdiest Trees?
Florida’s state observance of Arbor Day falls on January 21st in 2022. On this day, people are encouraged to plant trees and recognize their importance. Trees provide us with shade and shelter, filter air and water, and increase biodiversity as well as acting as a...
Update on Citrus Greening in North Florida
In late 2016, as many of us were enjoying the harvests from our backyard citrus, a bacterial plant disease that can affect all citrus, citrus greening, was widespread in central and south Florida but had not made it this far north. That year, the vector, the insect...
Winter Care of Landscape Plants
January and February are typically the coldest months in Florida. Low temperatures can damage even the more cold-hardy plants. However, there are measures that can be done to help cold-damaged plants recover. After a frost or freeze, see if your plants are dry. Even...
Let Citrus Ripen on the Tree
Q. When is citrus fruit ready to harvest? A. Florida uses five indexes to determine maturity of citrus, including soluble solids, juice content, acid level, soluble solids/acid ratio and skin color. But, the home gardener can easily decide when most citrus types are...
What Does a Vegetable Garden Cost?
It's never too early to start thinking about your spring vegetable garden. Have you ever wondered how much it costs to grow your own vegetables? Does it cost less to grow your own vegetables or buy them from the grocery store or farmers market? A number of factors...
January is Tree-Planting Time
The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second-best time is Arbor Day. Florida recognizes the event on the third Friday in January but planting any time before spring will establish a tree quickly. Arbor Day is an annual observance that celebrates the...