
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...

Deer Deterrents
Attracting wildlife is one of the Florida Friendly Landscaping principles. However, some species are better observed from long distance. Deer are beautiful creatures and taste pretty good too, but they can wreak havoc to a landscape and to fruits and vegetables. ...

Beekeeping in the Panhandle Conference returns to Chipley April 4-5, 2025!
Are you an experienced beekeeper looking to expand your education? Are you a new beekeeper or maybe just considering jumping into honey bees? Do you want to see hands-on demonstrations with live honey bees? If you can answer yes to of the questions above, you don’t...

Red Buckeye Signals Spring is Coming
One plant that signals our change in season is beginning to bloom in natural areas and woodland gardens. The Red buckeye, Aesculus pavia, is forming large spikes of red flowers and the attractive palmate leaves are unfurling. If you enjoy a more natural landscape, Red...

Roadside Red Blooms – Red Maples Showing Off This Spring
A month ago, when the Panhandle was covered in snow, it would have been hard to imagine that spring was just around the corner. But warm spring weather has arrived, and with it, the first of our native trees to bloom each year – the venerable Red Maple (Acer rubrum)....