European honeybees are the most commonly known pollinators and are returning from their hives to our local landscapes as the days lengthen. While not native to this continent, honeybees are beneficial to the environment and critically important to agricultural production.…
Red and green are the traditional colors of the holiday season, and there’s one particuarly iconic way to display them. Poinsettias are the ever-popular potted plants that fit the color scheme. While they are native to Central America, poinsettias are…
With their uncanny ability to silently function in total darkness and hang out in creepy locales, it is no wonder that bats are the perfect icon for Halloween. Florida is home to 13 species—some common and some relatively rare. A…
Local scale insects are plant parasites that feed on the juices drawn directly from the plant’s vascular system. In general, they can be divided into two main categories: armored or soft. North Florida has both kinds. Some are very particular…
Most birds have a few distinctive calls that identify them. The northern mockingbird is the exception, with its ability to mimic or mock the call of other birds, hence the common name. They have also been observed imitating non-avian sounds.…
Vaccinium is a low maintenance native plant genus with dependable spring blooms. The plant also produces edible berries that are a favorite of birds. Sparkleberry (Vaccinium arboretum) is the only North American member of the Vaccinium genus capable of reaching…
From a home landscape perspective, the winter months should be free from pests. But while insect activity is at an absolute minimum, foliage is still at risk. White-tailed deer, a native herbivore, frequently stray into suburbia during the depths…
One often overlooked landscape task during late autumn is watering the lawn and landscape.
One of the many beneficial changes associated with the cooler season in the Tallahassee area is the severe reduction in insect activity.
Late autumn into early winter is the ideal time to brighten any home landscape with the Taiwan Cherry.
Fall is the time to start removing milkweed from the residential wildflower garden. To prepare for next year’s crop of milkweed, collect seed now.
Master gardener offers advice for moving plants to new locations in your landscape
Everything you need to know about domesticating wildflowers seed beds
Quench your lawn’s thirst, but don’t drown it
Autumn and early winter offer many opportunities for home landscape and garden activities
Now is the time to add annuals and bedding plants to the home landscape to complement the autumn season’s color. These may be started with seeds in some cases, and there are many species and cultivars readily available in retail…
