FL Master Gardener Volunteer Program@FloridaMGs
16h
Ghostly! Powdery mildew can make plants look deathly pale by leaving a dusty white or gray coating on the leaves. This eerie fungal disease damages a wide range of plants causing stunted leaves, buds and fruit. Learn more at @UF_IFAS Gardening Solutions: gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/care/pests-and…
Photo of squash plant, its leaves covered in a whitish dust. Includes illustrated cutesy ghosts watering potted plants.
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FL Master Gardener Volunteer Program@FloridaMGs
Oct 28
Bats! These small mammals are far from the imaginary, coffin-inhabiting night-stalkers. While most Florida bats eat insects like mosquitos, some feed on fruit, nectar and pollen, serving as pollinators. More bat benefits at @UF_IFAS Gardening Solutions: gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/design/gardeni…
Headline reads Not-so-scary Florida bats, above a photo of many small bats flying out from a large bat house resembling a tall pole barn on the University of Florida campus at twilight.
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FL Master Gardener Volunteer Program@FloridaMGs
Oct 26
This frightful fungus will bring out the dead (grass) to frolic on any lawn that it plagues. Large-patch disease, aka rhizoctonia blight, hits once temps drop below 80°F. More about this pathogen, including management tips, @UF_IFAS Gardening Solutions: gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/lawns/problems…
Silly dancing skeletons and text reading Frightful large-patch fungal disease over photo of affected turfgrass with obvious, circular patches several feet wide of dead grass on otherwise green lawn. Photo by M. L. Elliott, UF/IFAS.
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FL Master Gardener Volunteer Program@FloridaMGs
Oct 23
With Halloween approaching, @UF_IFAS Extension Polk County shares tips on giving your garden a hauntingly beautiful mood with plant pairings and spooky décor. blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/polkco/2024/10…
Photos courtesy of Ann Yasalonis and Julie Schelb, UF/IFAS.
Spooky-season containers with four photos: dark purple foliage plant Persian shield in urn-like pot with Spanish moss spilling over, a green mossy concrete birdbath with spiky aloe plants plus a black plastic jack o' lantern, colorful container of orange and yellow foliage and flowers in front of three metal sunflower signs, and a large pot with green/yellow croton, orange/yellow blanket flowers, wine-colored coleus and marigolds.
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FL Master Gardener Volunteer Program@FloridaMGs
Oct 22
Instead of bagging fallen leaves, consider letting them be! On the ground, the leaves serve as refuge and nesting habitat for beneficial insects. They also amend the soil as they break down. Wildlife-friendly winter care @UF_IFAS Gardening Solutions: gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/design/gardeni…
I Didn't Know That! Leave the Leaves. For many pollinators, leaf litter acts like a cozy blanket. It insulates against cold and moisture, giving them a safe place to survive winter. The leaves and sticks in your yard could be sheltering next spring's butterflies, bees, moths and even fireflies! Help pollinators this fall by leaving the leaves on the ground, by raking or blowing, but don't shred, wait for spring to pick up. Think small! Leaving even a small corner can help! go.nps.gov/idkt
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FL Master Gardener Volunteer Program@FloridaMGs
Oct 21
Looking for a nutrient-packed plant that's beneficial for gut health *and* being studied by NASA? You're in luck! More than just a garnish, tiny microgreens are not only nutritious, but might be the first "space crop." Get into microgreen microbiology: blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/microcelldept/…
A variety of microgreens growing in a greenhouse, some look like clover, while others are deep magenta in color. Others look like tiny lily pads. UF/IFAS photo.
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FL Master Gardener Volunteer Program@FloridaMGs
Oct 20
Trick or treat? How about both? Chew on a fruit from the miracle berry plant and then try something savory or sour. It will taste sweet like candy! This tropical shrub would be fun for a South Florida garden. Wendy has more for our October newsletter: gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/mastergardener…
Miracle berry is a tropical shrub with leathery green leaves longer than wide and usually about two inches in length. The fruit is small, red and oval slightly pointed at the end. Photo courtesy of Wendy Wilber, please do not use without credit to both her and the University of Florida.
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FL Master Gardener Volunteer Program@FloridaMGs
Oct 19
Let the sun shine, let the sun shine in! 🎶 The aster family includes many native flowers that will thrive in Florida gardens, like swamp sunflower and rudbeckia. More yellow daisies @UF_IFAS Gardening Solutions: buff.ly/UcZW5OG
(+ link to video w/ audio captioning)
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FL Master Gardener Volunteer Program@FloridaMGs
Oct 16
Historically restricted to the south by their sensitivity to freezing temperatures, mangrove trees are slowly finding their way north (like this one in St. Augustine). How they move and what it means for Florida wetlands: @UF_IFAS Gardening Solutions: buff.ly/8FL3p9E
A black mangrove tree grows in a salt marsh in St. Augustine, Florida. Photo courtesy of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC).
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FL Master Gardener Volunteer Program@FloridaMGs
Oct 15
Have you ever felt pressure to have the "perfect" landscape, or compare your yard to others? Gardening should be fun, or at least satisfying. There are benefits to embracing imperfection, for you and your environment. More at @UF_IFAS Gardening Solutions: gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/design/outdoor…
A yellow toy dump truck filled with tiny succulent plants in a shady green garden.
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FL Master Gardener Volunteer Program@FloridaMGs
Oct 14
Affected by the storm? Your county government will start collecting debris soon. UF/IFAS Extension Walton County shared this graphic with guidance on placing storm debris out for collection. Contact your county for details specific to your community. buff.ly/I7KB8O8
Don't place anything from the sidewalk up to your property. Don't include normal household trash. Separate debris into six categories: vegetative materials like leaves and tree branches, construction debris including carpet furniture and drywall, appliances like freezers and stoves, electronics like television and other corded devices, and lastly hazardous waste like cleaning supplies, batteries, pesticides and lawn chemicals. Don't stack or lean debris on trees, poles, fire hydrants. If you don't have a sidewalk or ditch place debris at the edge of your property before the curb.
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FL Master Gardener Volunteer Program@FloridaMGs
Oct 14
Houseplants bring nature indoors -- especially nice for those with limited outdoor space or mobility challenges. Tips on keeping a few of the most popular houseplants healthy in our controlled climates, on @UF_IFAS Gardening Solutions: gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/housepl…
Young fiddle-leaf fig trees in a greenhouse, their foliage already broad and deep green.
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FL Master Gardener Volunteer Program@FloridaMGs
Oct 12
Looking for creative ways to cook your autumn squash harvest? A new cookbook by Julia Rutland, “Squash: 50 Tried and True Recipes” is available at the UF/IFAS online bookstore. Learn more about the recipes and the author at @UF_IFAS News: blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/ifascomm/2024/…
The cover of the cookbook features dishes made with squash including pie, chili, cookies and salad.
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FL Master Gardener Volunteer Program@FloridaMGs
Oct 9
Did you know that mangroves are migrating? Find out why in this month's Neighborhood Gardener. Plus: TLC for finicky indoor plants, embracing imperfection in the garden and more. Read the October issue on our website: gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/mastergardener…
Green, shrubby mangroves in gulf waters, their long arching prop roots visible above and into the water.
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FL Master Gardener Volunteer Program@FloridaMGs
Oct 8
Successful gardening starts with the soil. Improve your soil’s resilience by using organic soil amendments, smarter watering methods like microirrigation and more. A new publication from Ask IFAS has more on caring for soils in a changing environment: ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/SS….
You can make your own organic soil amendments like compost. You can buy a small composting bin or go big like this handmade,, large wooden composter with three compartments. Black tubes provide drip irrigation to a newly planted raised bed. This is just one method for integrated water management.
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FL Master Gardener Volunteer Program@FloridaMGs
Oct 7
It's National Kale Day! While it's not always as dazzling as this colorfully lit bunch at the @UF_IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center, kale IS a superfood packed with nutrients. Learn more at UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions: gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/edibles…
A man stands in a small space in front of a wall of vertically growing lacinato kale under purple LED lights, part of the Smart Farm at NFRC in Suwannee Valley.
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FL Master Gardener Volunteer Program@FloridaMGs
Oct 5
Fall harvest time! Seminole pumpkin, butternut squash, acorn squash and calabaza grow well in Florida and are ready for your kitchen. These nutritious gourds are delicious in soups, casseroles and more. More winter squash @UF_IFAS Gardening Solutions: gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/home/plants/ed…
Seminole pumpkin is more closely related to butternut squash than traditional pumpkins, but it is shaped like a pumpkin and often has a dull, tan to orange rind.Butternut squash typically have a smooth, hard tan rind with a narrow neck near the stem and a bulbous end, but this one is almost pear-shaped and ridged. It will still have firm orange flesh.
Acorn squash are typically (but not always) dark green and ridged. Smaller than traditional pumpkins, they taper at the end like an acorn; this is their most distinguishing feature. They comes a variegated forms and sometimes have orange markings on them.Calabazas are also called tropical pumpkin and are closely related to butternut squash and Seminole pumpkins. They resemble the latter but tend to be rounder and with ridges that are less deeply grooved.
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FL Master Gardener Volunteer Program@FloridaMGs
Oct 2
Chilli thrips are major pests of strawberries. Instead of pesticides, UF researchers like Sriyanka Lahiri are studying "banker plants" like marigolds, planted alongside strawberries to attract beneficial insect predators. Learn more at Ask IFAS: buff.ly/gc8zcXT
Associate professor Sriyanka Lahiri in a strawberry field at the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center.
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FL Master Gardener Volunteer Program@FloridaMGs
Oct 1
October is a good month to plant dianthus, a cool-season annual for your flowerbed. It blooms throughout winter and into spring, providing color to the landscape when other plants might be dormant. More about dianthus @UF_IFAS Gardening Solutions: gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/ornamen…
A naturalized plot full of bright pink dianthus flowers, very simple with five petals.
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FL Master Gardener Volunteer Program@FloridaMGs
Sep 30
Using rocks or artificial turf instead of groundcovers or organic mulch isn't a good idea. These replacements don’t support wildlife and increase temperatures in the landscape. Our top 10 gardening mistakes at @UF_IFAS Gardening Solutions: gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/care/florida-f…
Photo of a front yard that's mostly rocks and pavement, with a few plants in the gravel. There's a big red "X" on the photo.
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