Most, if not all, of the migratory birds have reached their summer destination and have begun the nesting process. Incubating eggs and raising chicks is currently ongoing in warmer environs. Residential birds are doing the same here in panhandle Florida. Watching the broods and fledglings is a popular pastime with many residents. While songbirds, wading…Read more
Things to Do for a Healthy Summer Garden
Officially, summer begins on June 20, 2025. The thermometer and humidity have already reflected this reality and the plants are responding with unrestrained growth and production. Ample moisture encourages lush growth from both ornamental horticulture specimens and fruit and vegetable production. As such, there is plenty to do in the gardens and landscapes in panhandle…Read more
Natural Pest Control at a Snail’s Pace
The pace of life typically slows in panhandle Florida as the temperature rises. For the youth, the exhilaration of freedom from the daily schooling grind passes into a leisurely lull which requires forethought only about the next snack. For most air conditioner acclimated adults, it is all about the thermometer readings and the rain. The…Read more
Taking Good Care of Your Trees Before It’s Too Late
News sometimes feels like it is rarely good news. Politics, the economy, the national debt and the list goes on. To add potential injury to all the cheerless information, the storm prognosticators are forecasting an above average number and intensity of hurricanes for 2025… the bad news never ends! Anyone who has lived in panhandle…Read more
Protecting Your Trees and Their Surroundings
The 2025 Atlantic Hurricane season will begin in two weeks. If you own a home with large mature trees, it would be wise to give some thought to the health of your trees and whether they present any threat to persons or property. That risk may result in liability to you. This not only includes…Read more
Signs of Summer and What Comes After
In case it has escaped anyone’s attention, May 2025 is turning out to be a hot and humid month. This trend is not a surprise for anyone who has lived in panhandle Florida for at least a year, but there are many new residents to the region who are having their first experience with north…Read more
A Natural Alternative for a Sweet Tooth
Getting children interested in home gardening is, to say the least, a challenge. Instead of relaxing on soft cushions in climate-controlled comfort where the WIFI signal is strong, the youngster must put down the electronic device and go outside. When in the great outdoors, there are hand tools to be used which require physical exertion….Read more
A Time for Tomatoes and More in the Sunshine State
Two popular vegetables will soon be producing in panhandle Florida vegetable gardens. One will come to the end of its season in a few weeks, and the other one is just beginning. Tomatoes and peppers have a long history in the region’s home gardens and a much longer history of being cultivated in the New…Read more
A Bountiful Buffet for Beautiful Butterflies
One of the seemingly permanent casualties of the COVID-19 pandemic has been salad bars. This restaurant offering had mass appeal to the public and as such, there were many to be found. Diners on a diet could feast on a variety of leafy greens and raw vegetables. There were, of course, a few high caloric…Read more
Making Compost (And Making It Work)
With spring in full swing, gardeners everywhere are often inclined to apply soil nutrients in the form of commercial fertilizer products in hopes of getting better performance from their plants. Annuals, perennials, ornamentals, vegetables and even trees will respond to the addition of these elements in proper amounts to further nourish home landscapes and gardens….Read more