The Symbiosis Beneath Our Feet
If you have taken an elementary school science class, you have probably learned the basics of photosynthesis. In case you are a bit rusty, photosynthesis is the process by which plants capture sunlight to manufacture their food. They absorb carbon dioxide from the...
Weeping Yaupon Offers Year-Round Interest to the Landscape
If you are looking for an interesting native plant that attracts wildlife and makes a statement, look no further than Weeping Yaupon Holly Ilex vomitoria ‘Pendula’. The weeping growth habit with olive green leaves and white bark are attractive year-round. A bonus are...
Video: Soil Moisture Sensing Helps Deliver Water as Needed to Turf
Applying the right amount of water to the lawn when the turf actually needs water is not always the easiest task for busy homeowners. UF IFAS Extension Escambia County Master Gardener Volunteer Greg Leach shares information about a soil moisture monitoring system that...
Water Quality Improves with a Chemical-Free Zone Along Your Shore
Our Gardening in the Panhandle blogs cover many horticultural topics concerning yards, however let us not forget about properties that contain a body of water (pond, lake, retention or detention basin, stream, river or Gulf of Mexico). Out of the nine...
Beach Vitex
One of the biggest problems with beach vitex (Vitex rotundifolia) is its beauty. It has rounded, deep green leaves (with a silvery gray cast) and a beautiful little lavender-purple bloom. Like most weedy invasive plants, the plant was imported and sold as an...
New Home Construction and Impacts of Existing Plants
Communities are popping up in the Panhandle of Florida through new home construction and renovation of existing properties. Can the objectives of building a new home and managing to protect the health plants that already exist be accomplished? Yes, they can with planning and teamwork.
Who’s Digging Up My Yard‽
Lawns and landscapes are greening up this time of year, and it’s not just plants showing signs of activity. All sorts of creatures are out there living their lives, and some of them are doing some digging. From little piles of dirt to big mounds and long tunnels, it...
(Video) Prepare for the Storm: Trees and Property Lines
There are often questions about who is responsible when storm-damaged trees end up on a neighbor's property. UF IFAS Escambia County Extension discusses a few common situations using legal interpretations from the UF publication HANDBOOK OF FLORIDA FENCE AND PROPERTY...
Descending from the Trees: The Forest Tent Caterpillar
A number of landowners in our region have been noticing a number of caterpillars coming down from the treetops. Sometimes appearing in vast numbers, the forest tent caterpillar has been found throughout Florida and the United States. Several years of heavy infestation...
How to Not Fail Growing Crape Myrtles
Crape Myrtle season is almost upon us. Soon, every roadside, landscape, and gas station parking lot in the deep south will be lit up in gaudy colors from white to hot pink to fire engine red. A well-placed Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia hybrids) can turn even the most...