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Study: Where bison roam could spread microbes

June 26, 2023
A new study from University of Florida and Kansas State University researchers found that bison carry plant-associated fungi in their saliva, with the potential to spread fungi across the prairie. The study raises questions about other grazing mammals and the role of the collection of microbes in an ecosystem. As some of North America’s earliest…

Weekly “What is it?:” Wind Resistant Trees

June 23, 2023
      Branches and trees fell in west Pensacola during heavy rains and a tornado last week. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension The Pensacola area has had its fair share of rough weather lately. While the recent storms were not hurricanes, the rainfall totals rivaled many tropical storms, and the lighting and wind…

Leave that Tree

June 23, 2023
What do we really lose when we lose a tree? A thousand silent voices removed from the universal chorus. The tree is not a stand-alone unit, a single entity, a monument of stony bark, the tree is they. A connected symbiosis of lichens, fungi, epiphytes, ferns, mammals, birds, reptiles, and multitudes of insects. A mature,…

The Largest Plant Family

June 22, 2023
Dear King Phillip Thousands upon thousands of plants exist in the world. To better understand the thousands of plants, we use plant taxonomy to organize and classify different plant groups. You may remember the phrase from high school biology, “Dear King Phillip came over for good soup.” This mnemonic allows us (or me) to remember the varying levels of taxonomic classifications we…

Turfgrass- Frequently Asked Questions

June 22, 2023
As a commercial horticulture agent, I have been asked many questions about turfgrass. The following are some of the questions and answers. ■ Can I use an herbicide to control torpedograss in the St Augustine lawn?  Ans: No herbicide is available to control torpedograss that will not injure St Augustine grass. ■ Is ProVista St. Augustine more resistant…

Celebrating National Pollinator Week

June 21, 2023
Happy National Pollinator Week! Please join us in celebrating a week full of pollinators of all shapes, colors, and sizes! First incepted by the US Senate on September 21, 2006, National Pollinator Week was initiated to “recognize the importance of pollinators to our ecosystem health and agriculture.” Really, the importance of pollinators cannot be understated.…

Celebrating National Pollinator Week: June 19 – 25, 2023

June 21, 2023
Gulf Fritillary butterfly on native scarlet salvia. A. Marek, UF/IFAS If you’ve noticed a decline in butterflies, bees and birds, you’re not alone. Worldwide, pollinators are in drastic decline. Approximately 3 billion birds from the United States to Canada are gone, and 90% of monarch butterflies in North America have vanished. And for the first time…

A View to Florida Water

June 20, 2023
Many of you may love to travel by plane, and if you’re anything like me, you may enjoy getting a window seat.  I think that there is something wonderful about looking down on the earth, seeing     Groundwater discharges into freshwater springs and is affected by higher groundwater nitrogen. people moving about their day, fields in…

Fire in Florida Forests: Rekindling the Flame

June 20, 2023
Let’s travel back in time—to an early 16th century summer. You’re standing in an uncut longleaf pine forest in Florida; you have a ¼ mile view in every direction. Yellow and purple flowers dot the landscape of wiregrass, saw palmetto, and blueberry bushes. In one step, you cross over a hundred species of plants. A…

Pesticides and Pollinators: Protecting Our Pals

June 19, 2023
 Hello Avid Readers and welcome back! This week we will be celebrating slightly in advance of Pollinator Week. Our vegetable and flower gardens serve as a point of pride for many of us green thumbs. We want to protect our veggies from pests, but it is important to keep our pollinator friends in mind. So,…

June Gardening May Include Visit to Plant Clinic

June 19, 2023
June offers hotter temperatures, humidity and possible thunderstorm activity. In addition, school is out and many people take time to go on vacation. This leaves less time for landscape and garden chores. But there are things to do in the June landscape and garden here in the Northwest Florida area.  In today’s article, I’ll share…

Summer Sun Safety

June 16, 2023
The sun is shining and the heat is here…it’s summertime in Florida! Whether you’re a native Floridian or just visiting, it’s always important to remember to practice sun safety here in the “Sunshine State.” What are the best ways to protect your skin from the sun? Wear a wide brimmed hat; a wide-brimmed hat will…
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