“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds,” wrote 19th century philosopher and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson. What he was saying, in a highbrow and antiquated way, was not to do the same thing repeatedly without thought. Luckily, the local plants do not concern themselves with consistency. Most are currently recovering from a dry…Read more
Category: Main Stories
Crabgrass: Beneficial to Some, Bane to Others
With the return of consistent, if not excessive, rain after a dry patch during May and the first half of June, lawns are actively growing in Florida’s panhandle. This results in some positive aspects and some negative. The major positive feature is a lush, green lawn. No matter the turf species, there is a unique…Read more
Composting: Tips and Tricks
Composting is the biological process of recycling organic matter (i.e., leaves, lawn clippings, plant food scraps, etc.) into a valuable fertilizer that can enrich soil and plants. When organic waste is recycled, the resulting product, compost, can be used to improve soil quality and help plants grow. Home gardeners have relied on compost for generations….Read more
The Timeless Songbird of Old Hollywood Fame
Exceptionally few entertainers have been able to transition across the generations and still amuse a wide variety of audiences. The theatrical acts which held the attention of crowds in 1936 usually bore theater goers of 2021, but there are a few exceptions. W.C. Fields still has a strong fan base thanks, in part, to the…Read more
The Mimosa Tree: Beauty With a Catch
With the onset of summer, the many trees and plants have already bloomed and are settling into the green background. An exception are the Mimosa trees, Albizia julibrissin, which are blooming profusely. These once popular small trees are commonly found in the yards of older homes in the panhandle where the display of prolific pink…Read more
A Plague Upon the Garden
The winter of 2020/21 was the one for which most people had been wishing. The refrain “I want a cold winter to kill all the bugs,” had been a frequently express preference during the hot humid days of August and September 2020. Still, it was nowhere near cold enough to deplete panhandle Florida’s insect population…Read more
The Importance of Proper Tree Maintenance
If you own a home on a lot with large trees, it is wise to evaluate the health of the trees and whether they present any threat to persons or property which may result in a liability risk to you. This includes threats to your own property and to adjacent properties or public rights-of-way. To…Read more
Greens for the Sweet Tooth: Horse-Sugar
Ask any panhandle horse owner and they will say their horse has a sweet tooth. In addition to sugar cubes there are apples, pears and many other fruits with a high sugar content which are attractive to equines everywhere. Feed stores even offer a sweet feed for horses. The rolled and cut grains are sprayed…Read more
Palm Pruning: Guidelines and Techniques
Palms are a prominent part of our Florida landscapes. They are often included because they are considered low maintenance. It is important to remember that low maintenance does not mean no maintenance. One of the maintenance tasks which must be performed is pruning. Palms require regular pruning to keep them attractive and safe. Knowing how palms grow is…Read more
Cicadas: A Chorus of Legions
Summer nights in the panhandle are unique for their frenetic activity and riotous sounds. In contrast to local February evenings with their silence broken by the occasional barred owl, this summer (technically late spring) month is nearing the pinnacle of activity for bugs, birds and animals of all kinds. Anyone taking an early evening walk…Read more