Florida is one of the world’s highest lightning strike regions. Securely grounding homes and buildings is a common practice (and building code requirement) to mitigate the damage done by random hits from these high voltage events. This same type of system can be used on trees to improve their chances of surviving a lightning strike….Read more
Category: Main Stories
A Spicy Addition to the Home Garden in the Sunshine State
Panhandle Florida’s gardens are still producing in August, at least in plots where the weeds have not overtaken the remaining vegetable plants. Granted, the choice of crops is limited to a few stalwarts able to handle the 90-degree plus temperatures, the high humidity and the intermittent rains, some of which have been brutal in their…Read more
Plants Best Avoided in the Sunshine State
Late summer is the time for enjoying panhandle Florida’s great outdoors. There is gardening, boating, cycling, hiking and numerous other leisure time activities which enhance the area’s pleasant natural environment. It is easy to forget that not all nature has to offer is an enjoyable experience. One consideration before tromping off into unfamiliar forests, and other…Read more
Not All Wasps Are Grumpy
The generalized reputation of any group is always suspect because the actions of a few can tint or taint the collective perception of all members. Any assemblage has its saints and sinners, but most of those associated are just going quietly about their assigned tasks. This concept applies to humans, and also to insects. Wasps…Read more
Techniques for When Your Trees Need a Little Extra Support
When reviewing trees for safety, identifying hazardous or weak limbs which may fail is an important part of the evaluation. Poor structure, decay caused by disease or other defects may be the cause of the problem bough. The usual remedy for resolving the threat is the removal of the dangerous limbs that have the potential…Read more
Coastal Residents Looking for Safe New Homes
Finding the right residence can be an exceptionally challenging activity, especially during this summer of excessively high demand. There are so many features and factors for the prospective occupant to consider, especially if not the original owner. The home has to have the necessary space and the other amenities suitable for the new owner’s position…Read more
Keeping Palms Healthy in the Sunshine State
Technically panhandle Florida is on the borderline of the sub-tropics by virtue of its latitudinal location. It is roughly halfway between the tropical zone and the northern temperate zone, getting, by most estimates, the best of both worlds. There are winters here and they are usually pretty mild, at least by Minnesota standards. A light…Read more
One Way a Storm’s Effects Can Be Seen Long Into the Future
The likely aftermath of Hurricane Debby has the potential to be anywhere from inconvenient for some panhandle Florida homeowners to severe for others. At the very least there will be many twigs, branches and limbs to remove from the yard and landscape. Many will experience the loss of a favored tree, or its severe damage….Read more
Summer’s Nightly Chorus in the Sunshine State
The dog days of August are settling over panhandle Florida. This period is typified by the hot, humid days and nights which induce languid behavior in most of the residents, human or not. Dog days began during the ancient Roman Empire when Sirius, identified as the Dog Star, was present in the skies. If Sirius…Read more
A Fine Native Addition to the Garden
Spring is typically considered the season of flowers in panhandle Florida. While there are blooms during the rest of the year, in the relatively moderate climate of panhandle Florida, it is spring which displays the majority of the blossoms. It is true that Juan Ponce de Leon named this state, albeit indirectly. He landed somewhere…Read more