Monthly Archives: September 2022

Family Game Night: Technology Not Required

  No doubt about it!! Technology has changed our lives. Did you know there are nearly 7.3 Billion cell phones in use? That’s nearly 1 phone for every person on the planet. So digital technology is literally at your fingertips. The Google play store and Apple’s App store have so many games a player could…

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Fall Snake Encounters

As many of you know, I do programs with snakes and receive a lot of calls about them.  But in recent weeks I have seen an increase in the number of calls and the number of encounters inside of homes.  Though most of the home invasions have been in the garage, one found a gray…

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Oceanway Senior Center Vegetable Patch

Photo of Senior Center Vegetable Patch by Tonya Ashworth In the northern part of the county, three Master Gardeners are picking up where Covid left off at the Oceanway Senior Center Garden.  The garden, as it is now, is inviting; a productive senior center vegetable patch.  A series of raised beds are surrounded by mulched pathways. …

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Florida Farm Pests: Stink Bugs

There are various common pests in Florida known to cause serious damage to plants. One of these common pests are Soldier Bugs also known as Stink Bugs. These pests if not control properly can cause serious economic damage to both crops and ornamental plants.   Do they really stink? Stink Bugs get their name because…

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Weekly “What is it?”: Lovebugs

      Adult lovebugs are often attracted to light-colored surfaces. These mating pairs will only live 3-4 days. Photo credit: Debra Young Lovebugs can be SO annoying. In May, and again this time of year (September), hordes of the small, fragile insects float through the air, searching for mates. They are harmless—no biting or stinging—but…

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Don’t Just Talk Trash, Take Action

Every time I go to the beach, I love to walk along the shoreline to see what may have washed up from the ocean – usually several beautiful shells, oftentimes sargassum seaweed, maybe even part of a crab exoskeleton. Unfortunately, I usually also come across several pieces of trash – a bottlecap, cigarette butts, and…

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Pollinators: it’s not all about the bees

Do you enjoy a hot cup of coffee in the morning? Or a perfectly ripe watermelon for dessert? Perhaps a tasty blueberry, strawberry, and banana smoothie? If so, then thank a pollinator. Pollinators play a vital role in supporting commercial food production. Approximately 75% of food crops depend on pollination to some extent, but pollinators…

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Cover Crops for Citrus

Cover crops protect the soil from sunlight, wind, and heavy rain, which enhances soil microbial populations and improves soil structure, water infiltration, and root penetration. Reduced soil crusting, erosion, runoff, and nutrient leaching are further advantages. Through improved nitrogen cycling and nutrient retention, cover crops increase soil fertility. Row crop producers frequently employ cover crops…

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