Anne

Use a Rain Barrel to Collect Condensate from Your Air Conditioner!

Polk County Master Gardener, Carol Leffler, has generously shared her experience attaching a barrel to her air conditioner unit to catch condensation for watering around the garden. I was truly surprised to learn how much water she collected in a 55-ga…

Your Composting Problems Solved!

Composting is an easy way to create a usable garden amendment. There are different methods of composting, different types of bins, and of course, different problems that can occur in your compost pile. The good thing is that most of the problems that o…

New Publications Will Help You Design Your Florida-Friendly Yard

The Florida-Friendly Landscaping Program has new publications designed to help you choose plants and design your Florida-Friendly yard. The Florida-Friendly Landscaping Pattern Book (zone 9A) and the Florida-Friendly Landscaping Pattern Book (zone 9B) …

Have You Signed Up For Master Gardener Training?

Do you like to garden?Do you want to learn more about gardening in Central Florida?Do you want to give back to the community?Then Master Gardener training is for you! Polk County Master Gardener training starts September 14th and training is held each …

Kyra Infotech Receives First Commercial Water Star Gold Certification!

At a ceremony in Lakeland this morning, Kyra Infotech received recognition for receiving the first commercial Florida Water Star Gold recognition in the Southwest Florida Water Management District. Florida Water Star is a voluntary certification prog…

Asiatic Jasmine, A Versatile Groundcover

Asiatic Jasmine (Trachelospermum asiaticum) is not actually a jasmine at all. In fact, it is closely related to another non-jasmine, Confederate Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides)! These examples demonstrate how important it is to know the botanica…

What Does Your County Extension Service Do For You?

What’s Wrong with Your Grass?

There could be many things wrong with your turfgrass at this time of year, and it is important to determine what problem you have before you treat your grass with pesticides that may not combat the problem. Fungal issues, insects, and over watering can…

Florida-Friendly Yards Grow Smart!

Florida-Friendly yards grow smart! Your yard can grow smart too if you design and maintain your yard following the nine principles of Florida-Friendly Landscaping™.1. Right plant, right place2. Water efficiently3. Fertilize appropriately4. Mulch5. At…

What Plants are Thriving Now?

Coontie Cycads Mexican Sage Bromeliads Elliott’s Love Grass SucculentsCoreopsis

Florida-Friendly Landscaping Tips for Existing Landscapes

Moving into a new home can be an adventure. There are probably many things you love about the house but also many things you wish to change. The same thing goes with an existing landscape. You may love the yard for the great towering oak trees, but fin…

Have You Taken an Online Gardening Class?

The Florida Yards & Neighborhoods Program at the UF/IFAS Polk County Extension Service has online classes available! Learn about Florida-Friendly Landscaping on your own time!New classes posted this week:Rain BarrelsFlorida-Friendly YardsTo take …

New Watering Restrictions

New watering restrictions go into effect on July 1. Visit the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s website for more information on the new restrictions.

Florida-Friendly Plant: Scorpion-Tail Heliotrope

Scorpion-Tail Heliotrope (Heliotropium amplexicaule)Scorpion-Tail Heliotrope is a low-growing, sprawling perennial. It will grow to about 6 inches tall and 3 feet wide. It is a Florida-Friendly plant that grows well in full sun. It is very drought-tole…

Ten Plants that Beat the Heat

Welcome to summer! The Florida heat makes both people and plants wilt at this time of year. Are you looking for some plant options that do well in this weather? Here is a list of ten tough plants that that thrive in Florida’s summer. These plants are a…

Learn about Landscaping Online!

The UF/IFAS Polk County Extension Service Florida Yards & Neighborhoods Program is now offering online workshops. Learn how to add a little Florida-Friendly to your yard…while sitting at home in your pajamas!New workshops added today! Online Work…

Let’s Review the Nine Principles of Florida-Friendly Landscaping!

It has been a while since we discussed the nine principles of Florida-Friendly Landscaping. Many people are actively working in their landscapes, so it is a great time for a review. Remember to incorporate the nine principles when you are designing, …

Stormwater Runoff Pollution Solutions

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, stormwater runoff is the number one water quality issue in Florida. Stormwater runoff occurs with rain or irrigation water flows over the ground. Impervious surfaces prevent the water from naturally soa…

What’s Blooming Now?

Loblolly BayGordonia lasianthusWhirling ButterfliesGaura lindheimeriPurple ConeflowerEchinacea purpurea White ConeflowerEchinacea purpurea ‘White Swan’Black-Eyed SusansRudbeckia hirtaSalviaSalvia ‘Mystic Spires’

Learn More About Florida-Friendly Landscaping Online!

The Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Program is now offering education that you can get while still in your pajamas! Downloadable Power Point presentations and narrated online workshops are now available here. Check back often as we will be adding mor…

Feijoa: A Florida-Friendly Plant

Feijoa sellowiana, or as it is commonly known, Pineapple Guava, is a drought-tolerant plant that thrives in the Central Florida landscape. It is a large shrub that can reach heights of fifteen feet and will grow just as wide. It can also be pruned i…

Using Plants to Create Privacy in Your Yard

Many people want to create a private area in their yards or have views they wish to screen—whether it is a neighbor’s overgrown yard or a utility box. A great way to create a screen or hedge is with plant material. Fences are often expensive, hard …

Have You Visited a Florida-Friendly Demonstration Garden?

There are fifteen Florida-Friendly Demonstration Gardens in Polk County. If you are planning a landscape renovation, looking for new landscaping ideas, or just want to find a hardy plant for your yard, visit one of the gardens today! The gardens range …

Looking for Tough Plants for Central Florida?

It can be hard to find plants for your Central Florida yard. This list includes groundcovers, perennials, ornamental grasses, shrubs, trees, and palms that will withstand our temperature and humidity. Use this plant list to choose tough plants for yo…

What’s Blooming Now?

Last week I visited the Hillsborough County Extension Service in Seffner and there were quite a few flowers in bloom. These three flowering perennials were thriving and full of colorful blooms. Visit a local botanical garden or Florida-Friendly demon…

Florida-Friendly Fertilization

Many homeowners use fertilizer in their landscapes. Fertilizer can be used to increase fruit production, encourage faster growth, produce larger and more abundant blooms or green up leaves. Whatever the case, it is important to know what kind of ferti…

Get All of Your Gardening Questions Answered This Saturday!

This Saturday, the Polk County Master Gardeners will be at two Lakeland locations to answer all of your gardening questions! Bring your soil samples, plant and insect identification questions, and collect helpful UF/IFAS Polk County Extension Service l…

Great Groundcovers

Groundcovers are landscape plants that are low-growing and can cover large (or small) areas of your landscape. They may be alternatives to grass, particularly in very shady or hard to maintain areas of the yard. They can be used on slopes for erosion c…

The Many Benefits of Mulch

There are many reasons to use mulch in your landscape. It can replace turf or groundcover in areas that are difficult to mow or irrigate. It can be used as paths or walkways or in areas that are so shady plants won’t grow. It adds nutrients to the so…

Agri-Fest 2010

Sign-Up Now for Summer Gardening Classes!

For a full list of classes and events go to: http://polkfyn.ifas.ufl.edu/calendar.shtmlRain Barrel WorkshopSaturday, May 29, 9:00 am-10:30 amPolk County Extension Service1702 Highway 17 South, BartowRain barrels are a great way to collect and use rainw…

Fringetree in Bloom!

The Pygmy Fringetree (Chionanthus pygmaeus) is just beginning to bloom in the gardens at the UF/IFAS Polk County Extension Service. This small tree is a Florida native that only grows to about ten feet tall. The Pygmy Fringetree is different than the…

April Events

Sun N Fun Fly-InTuesday, April 13-Sunday, April 18, 9:00 am-6:00 pmLakeland Linder Regional AirportLakeland, FloridaVisit the Sun N Fun GreenSpace to receive information about water conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping™, and other environmental…

More Spring Blooms!

Spiderwort (Tradescantia spp.)Dogwood (Cornus florida) White Coneflower (Echinacea spp.)Doghobble (Leucothoe fontanesiana)Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)Dwarf Simpson’s Stopper(Myrcianthes fragrans ‘Compacta’) Poppies, Dianthus, Snapdragons

Time to Plant: Right Plant, Right Place

Tough winter weather may have left your landscape bare in some places. Start your springtime planting on the right foot by following the Florida-Friendly principle of Right Plant, Right Place. Right Plant, Right Place is all about choosing plants that …

What’s Blooming Now: Chickasaw Plum

There is nothing quite as showy as the Chickasaw Plum right now! I snapped some photographs at the UF/IFAS Polk County Extension Service in Bartow this morning, but if you want to see it for yourself visit the demonstration gardens soon as the blooms d…

Your Lawn: What to do Now

Most lawns around Central Florida are still brown from all of the cold winter weather. We are all anxious for them to turn lush and green again, but it is important that we maintain them properly to ensure they are healthy throughout the rest of the y…

Spring Obsession

Spring Obsession has me ready for spring! I hope you were able to attend the gardening event on Saturday in Munn Park as it was a beautiful (but windy) day to buy some plants and garden decor! I took a few photographs around the park when I could get a…

Spring Flowering Plants

It looks like the weather is going to start warming up in Central Florida, and the people aren’t the only ones that are happy about that! There are plants waking up and putting on a beautiful show right now! These spring flowering plants are easy to no…

Resources for Landscape Professionals

The University has so many wonderful lawn and landscape publications for both homeowners and landscape professionals. I have compiled this list for landscape professionals. Forward it to your lawn maintenance company and make sure they are practicing …

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