by Carrie Stevenson Bamboo shoots. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson Standing in the midst of a stand of bamboo, it’s easy to feel dwarfed. Smooth and sturdy, the hollow, sectioned woody shoots of this fascinating plant can tower as tall as 70 feet. Unfortunately, bamboo is a real threat to natural ecosystems, moving quickly through wooded areas,… Read More »
Provided by UF/IFAS Pine snapped by hurricane Trees felled by hurricanes cause tremendous damage. They bring down power lines, destroy property, and injure humans. Because of this, some people choose not to replace their downed trees. But this thinking can be misguided: we need trees now more than ever. Trees have many proven benefits. They:… Read More »
Have you ever wanted to try new propagation methods in the garden? Maybe air layering is for you! Courtesy of UF/IFAS Created by John Terry, UF/IFAS Clay County Master Gardener. Materials Needed Sphagnum moss and optional rooting hormone A sharp knife Alcohol swabs Water and a container to moisten the moss Aluminum Foil… Read More »
Courtesy of UF/IFAS Trees, shrubs, grass, row crops, et cetera all need essentially the same key components for maximizing growth and maintaining a healthy plant. Essential needs for plant growth include: water availability, soil drainage, soil aeration, access to sunlight, temperature, soil pH, and availability of essential elements. At the top of the list of… Read More »
Courtesy of UF/IFAS Bees, butterflies and other insects play important roles as pollinators in our environment. Over 50 major crops in the United States and at least 13 crops in Florida depend on honey bees. Many native plants in natural areas also depend on insect pollinators for reproduction. In Florida, over 300 bee species… Read More »
Provided by UF/IFAS Crape Myrtle at Sunset Pruning your Crape Myrtle One of the attractive flowering trees in the landscape is the Crape Myrtle, Lagerstroemia sp. Their shape, bark color, and flowers are a highlight of the summer landscape in Florida. As is easier to see over the winter months, however, many landscapers and homeowners top… Read More »
Provided by UF/IFAS My pine trees don’t look so good, in fact, they may be dying, what is happening? There are many causes for declining pine tree health. Trees can be easily stressed. Drought, prolonged or repeated, flooding for periods longer than normal, excessive cold or heat, root damage, bark damage can all affect… Read More »
Provided by UF/IFAS Extension A Ghost in the Woods Imagine you are enjoying perfect fall weather on a hike with your family, when suddenly you come upon a ghost. Translucent white, small and creeping out of the ground behind a tree, you stop and look closer to figure out what it is you’ve just seen.… Read More »
Small Scale Shiitake Mushroom Production: a TASTY and SAFE backyard project by Michelle Huber, UF/IFAS If you are a mushroom fancier, you have at one time or another probably considered or even taken part in the harvesting of edible wild fungi. This is a common practice by many people and… Read More »
Correcting Crape Murder by Daniel J. Leonard Are you guilty of “Crape Murder”, the dreaded horticultural sin that involves lopping off your beautiful Crape Myrtles fence post high and creating gnarly looking knuckles? No need to raise hands, you know who you are! Despite the cruelness of this act, all is not lost; there… Read More »
Courtesy of UF/IFAS If you grow a garden, you may be interested in protecting your crops from the weather. Even a light frost can damage crops, and the hottest weather in the summer can do the same. While we usually think of a greenhouse as protection from cold, a versatile structure can do more… Read More »
by Whitney Elmore When starting a vegetable garden or even orchard, you may wonder if you need two or more plants of a certain variety to cross-pollinate each other or if you can get away with just one. This will depend on if you have a monoecious or dioecious plant. Monoecious plants are often… Read More »
When should I prune my fruit trees? Provided by UF/IFAS Facebook When Should I Prune My Fruit Trees? Every winter season in the Florida Panhandle is different. It can be wet or dry, frigid cold or unseasonably warm. We may have early frosts and early springs, or cold snaps in late… Read More »
Vermicomposting is composting with worms. The worms eat organic materials ideally balanced with both carbon and nitrogen elements. They produce castings – worm “poop.” The castings become the end product, vermicompost, a wonderful soil additive. Soil improvements Vermicompost is used by gardeners to improve soil structure, increase water-holding capacity and add nutrients and beneficial microbes… Read More »
Provided by UF/IFAS GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Gardeners seek out the University of Florida IFAS Extension Master Gardener program to expand their love of gardening with a commitment to serve their community. But when the time spent fundraising for the program crowded out time spent in community garden projects, one volunteer looked at the root of… Read More »