Annoying Gnats Abound in Northwest Florida this Summer
If you’ve been outside this spring, you’ve probably been bothered by gnats. These tiny flies relentlessly congregate near the face getting into the eyes, nose, mouth and ears. Eye gnats come right up to the faces of people and animals because they feed on fluids...
Video: Okra in the Summer Garden
Learn about okra in summer's heat and when to harvest for tender fruit with UF / IFAS Extension Escambia County. https://youtu.be/i8_7wQ_4X2k
Now is Time to Use Solar Power Against Soil Pests
North Florida vegetable gardeners have made it to summer and now the plants and gardeners are starting to give in to the heat and humidity. The squash has likely succumbed to squash vine borers, many of the tomato varieties are having trouble setting fruit, stink bugs...
Video: Lilies in the Coastal South
Lilies offer one of our most striking flowers in the garden. Learn a few basics about growing lilies in your own garden with UF IFAS Extension Escambia County Master Gardener Volunteers. https://youtu.be/56I16QPdUYI
Mulch Matters in the Garden and Landscape
A lot can go wrong in a garden or landscape, but proper preparation can help to avoid many of these problems from popping up in the first place. For some of these problems, a good preventative measure is mulch. Mulch is any material that’s spread over the surface of...
It’s Almost Never Too Late for Sunflowers
Sunflowers, Helianthus spp., are a great choice for gardeners who are looking for some cheerful color in their landscape. Here in Florida, we have the main ingredient for success, lots of sunshine! Sunflowers are short-lived annuals. The average time between planting...
Summertime figs
Summer is full of simple pleasures—afternoon rainstorms, living in flip flops, and cooling off in a backyard pool. Among these, one of my favorites is walking out my door and picking handfuls of figs right from the tree. Before we planted our tree, my only prior...
Pruning Makes All The Difference
I live in the woods, so I mainly have a "natural" landscape. I remove trees, shrubs, and weeds as I see fit, but for the most part things just grow wild. However, there are a few spots in the yard where the previous owners did a little landscaping. Unfortunately,...
Celebrate our Pollinators This Week (and Every Week!)
For the 13th year we celebrate National Pollinator Week June 22-28 to bring awareness to the importance of our pollinators and the challenges they face. This is an opportunity to learn about ways to protect pollinators in our own landscapes. Every one of us can make a...
Video: Diagnosing a Black Twig Borer Problem
The bay laurel tree in the Escambia County Demonstration Garden had some dead branches on the outer canopy. Further investigation led us to the culprit, the black twig borer. Learn more In the Garden with UF IFAS Extension Escambia County....