Author Archives: Kathy Foster

May Planting Calendar from IFAS ………..

What to Plant Annuals/Bedding Plants: Plants that can take summer heat include salvia, angelonia, wax begonia, and ornamental pepper. See Annuals: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_annual_landscape_plants Bulbs: Planting early-, mid-, and late-blooming varieties of daylily ensures months of color from these low-maintenance plants. SeeDaylilies: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_daylilies and Bulbs for Florida: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_bulbous_flowers Herbs: Continue to plant heat-loving herbs, including basil, oregano,… Read More »

New Vegetable Gardener — Organic Practices in the Backyard Vegetable Garden …………………..

Released by UF/IFAS By Ed Thralls When a group of backyard gardeners get together and talk about the organic practices they use in the vegetable gardens you will often hear information that is confusing. Such answers as I don’t use chemicals in my garden, I use only natural products in my garden, organically grown vegetable… Read More »

Tour the Crown Jewel of Southern Georgia – Visit Pebble Hill ……………

Released by Pebble Hill Plantation, 1251 U.S. Hwy 319 South, Thomasville, Georgia …

Food Canning 101 ……………

Released by UF/IFAS … by Martha Maddox Food Preservation has played a big role in my growing up, I remember picking vegetable in the garden and helping my parents preserve the produce. Living in a small rural community my family preserved most of our food from our large garden, cattle and swine we raised. I… Read More »

It’s Spring Planting Season

We all want a beautiful, flourishing, healthy landscape. Before you go and spend a bunch of money at the garden center, here are a few things to consider so you won’t waste your time and money. USDA hardiness zone map Make sure the plant is for our zone. Pinellas County has two USDA hardiness zones. … Read More »

It is March and Snakes are on the Move

by Rick O’Connor Most people know that snakes are ectothermic and the environment is what regulates their body temperature. However, many do not know that they like to maintain their temperature close to 98 F like us. To do this they must move to locations where they can either warm (like basking in the sun… Read More »

March Gardening in the Panhandle …………..

Released by UF/IFAS Extension … Some dos and don’ts of gardening. Plan to Enhance Your Shade Many landscapes have areas with tree canopies that lend themselves to becoming an attractive low maintenance garden area. Too often… Read More »

March is Florida Archaeology Month! ……………………….

Released by the Florida Public Archaeology Network’s Northwest Regional Center … March is Florida Archaeology Month! “Look to the past to inform the future,” the bird and heart symbols here represent the concept of “Sankofa” from the Akan people of West Africa. The bird moves forward while looking back to grab an egg that… Read More »

The History of Valentine’s Day – Tomorrow is Valentine Day ……….

The history of Valentine’s Day is obscure and legends abound, but the roots of the holiday are firmly anchored in the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, a fertility celebration commemorated annually on February 15. Pope Gelasius I tried to remodel the celebration in the year 496 as a Christian feast day, declaring February 14 to be ‘St.… Read More »

It’s bat time again: Check your home before maternity season …………………

Released by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission … Bat maternity season is almost here, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is reminding the public to check their homes and other structures for bats and seal potential entry points. Are there cracks in your chimney or holes in your siding? Bats… Read More »

It’s time to clean your Bluebird Box …………….

Released by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources … Winter is the perfect time to clean your bluebird box(s). While bluebirds will usually build on top of old nests, this sometimes can be harmful to the birds by attracting diseases and parasites. Nestlings can also become easy targets for predators when nests get… Read More »

It is tree planting time – here are some easy tree-planting solutions ………..

Beth Bolles Horticulture Agent, Escambia County Trees are a landscape asset for many homeowners. When a new tree is installed in our landscapes, we can’t wait for it to mature to provide shade or landscape interest. The heartbreak for many homeowners comes when this important part of their landscape, begins to decline five to ten years… Read More »

January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month …….

Human Trafficking Awareness By Florida Department of Health, Office of Communications In support of Human Trafficking Awareness Month, the Florida Department of Health is highlighting the important role that health care providers play in identifying and helping victims of human trafficking, many of whom are minors. It is estimated that more than 20 million men,… Read More »

North Florida Gardening: January ………

The Gardening Calendar gives Florida gardeners a monthly guide for what to plant and do in their gardens and includes links to useful gardening websites, all based on University of Florida research and expertise. According to this map Levy County is in the North Florida area. Gardening: What to Plant in January What to Plant… Read More »

It’s Potato Planting Time ………

Provided by UF/IFAS Americans love eating potatoes and farmers love planting them on Valentine’s Day, a tradition that seems to go back generations. Potato planting time in North Florida is during the coolest months of January to March, although February 14th seems to be a popular planting day. Look for seed potatoes at your local… Read More »