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Cat’s-claw vine

March 14, 2024
At last, spring is here!* With the warming weather and longer day lengths, plants that have been dormant over the winter start to wake up. New leaves are growing on the trees, flowers are beginning to bloom, and if you have a loved one with allergies, you will have noticed that oak tree pollen is…

Virginia Pepperweed – Wild Weeds

March 14, 2024
Wild Weeds – Weed of the Month Virginia Pepperweed Lepidium virginicum Virginia Pepperweed begins growing in a low-growing rosette, yet soon enough branching stems emerge with elongated racemes of tiny whitish flowers. You can easily spot this plant by looking for wispy white “bottle brushes” on the ground. The flowers are hermaphroditic, meaning they have…

Reduce Food Waste: 10 Ways to Use Rotisserie Chicken

March 13, 2024
Why reduce food waste? This simple procedure can save you money and help the environment. It takes the farming and agriculture industry a lot of time and resources to grow/raise, produce, and bring food to your table. It is economical to avoid wasting food in your home and it feels good too. Check your refrigerator…

Love Food? Check Out “Food Check-Out Week”

March 13, 2024
I will admit it.  I am not really one to “celebrate” all these new week-labels we’ve added to our calendars.  But I do like food and food statistics.  When I heard about “Food Check-Out Week” I knew I had to learn more. Food Check-Out Week is the time in the new year when the average American…

Weed of the Month: Crabgrass

March 12, 2024
A winter lawn can often look like something out of the apocalypse – large patches of what resembles scorched earth. The cause is not a rider on a pale horse, but something his horse might graze upon – crabgrass. Once considered a potential forage crop, it is now a notorious annual weed that thrives in…

UF/IFAS research: Can artificial intelligence outsmart invasive species?

March 12, 2024
This Argentine black and white tegu was captured in St. Lucie County, where the population has grown.Argentine black and white tegus are large non-native invasive lizards posing a threat to the biodiversity and natural balance of Florida’s ecosystems. Tegus have a diverse diet including fruits, vegetables, insects, small animals and protected wildlife. They can…

Mining Bees of Late Winter

March 11, 2024
The mining bees or adrenids are often seen in areas of landscapes that have little ground vegetation and loose soil.  They are also commonly seen in North Florida turf areas while grass is still dormant. After mating, the female bee will excavate a very small tunnel in the ground that has several small cells…

Leap into Learning: Flea Beetles

March 8, 2024
The enlarged femora of an alligatorweed flea beetle (Agasicles hygrophila) (Credit: Rodrigo Diaz, University of Florida, Bugwood.org)The daytime call of birdsong heralds our gentle transition into the spring season. Light rainstorms ensure that our soils are saturated and that our plants are nourished. The sun’s rays work in tandem to encourage the emergence of fresh, lush,…

No Mow March | Duval County Bees Thank You!

March 7, 2024
© Tonya Ashworth, Extension Agent, Duval CountyConsider No Mow March Spring will be upon us before you know it, and with it will come of flurry of growth and activity in our gardens.  Our native bees who are responsible for a large portion of pollination duties will emerge and start looking for flowers to…

Why are plants important to aquatic ecosystems?

March 7, 2024
Duck potato (Sagittaria lancifolia) is one of Florida’s many native aquatic plants. As Floridians, we love our freshwater resources. Did you know Florida has over 1 million acres of freshwater? That’s about the size of Rhode Island! Many of our fondest memories are of boating, fishing, or water skiing in freshwater systems across the state. Other…
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