March in panhandle Florida is a transitional gardening month. Both spring and winter gardens are being tended, with the winter crops soon coming to an end and the spring crops developing. From a weather perspective, the year 2024 has been kind to vegetable gardening. The temperatures and rain have been close to seasonally average. Most…Read more
Category: Main Stories
Seasonal Tips for Cultivating a Healthy Garden
It currently looks like the winter of 2024 has finished a bit ahead of schedule, at least in panhandle Florida. The storm systems which are still heaping snow and ice on the northern tier states are producing showers locally. Those showers, hopefully minus the destructive winds, are producing copious flowers, both wild and domestic. That…Read more
The Apex of the Sunshine State’s Native Wildlife
The warming weather and lengthening days of late winter/early spring instigate a variety of events, both natural and otherwise. The frenetic spring break traffic heading to sunny coastal spots is one example of “otherwise”. The emergence of dormant plants can be credited to the natural cycle, and local reptiles are more active, too. In addition…Read more
Why Exotic Invasives Are a Problem
In a few weeks it will be common to see clusters of bright pink puffs erupting on low-growing trees along north Florida’s roadsides. A closer look will reveal the attractive ferny foliage and delicately beautiful pink-and-white flowers which resemble shaving brushes. This attractive plant is the Mimosa tree, Albizia julibrissin. These once popular small trees…Read more
The Golden Weeks of Spring
Most societies have a “Golden Age” of some sort. The pinnacle of a culture’s development is represented by a variety of accomplishments which forever denote the character of the generations which produced the successes. The hallmarks of the zenith vary widely in the eyes of historians. There can be complex philosophies on the meaning of…Read more
A Problem Plant That Isn’t Worth It
Two for the price of one is a popular marketing tactic. It leaves the buyer with the sensation of getting a real bargain. In landscaping this concept is usually seen by the homeowner as getting blooms and foliage from plants. If searching for a border plant this combination is challenging, except for fishermen. There is…Read more
The Spring Renewal Is on the Way
Panhandle Florida’s winter of 2023/24 has had some frigid nights. The frosty mornings have not been a rarity. Even so, there are signs winter is grudgingly retreating. Aside from the occasional warm day, the daylight hours are obviously increasing. Officially spring is still four and a half weeks away, beginning on March 19, 2024. This…Read more
A Great Opportunity to Learn About Bees
The hobby of beekeeping has gained considerable popularity in recent years. As such, the Apalachee Beekeepers Association is offering a beginning beekeeping short course on February 24, 2024. The class will be held at the UF/IFAS Extension Office in Crawfordville, located at 84 Cedar Avenue. Topics will include the fundamentals of beekeeping, beekeeping equipment, hive…Read more
The Majesty of Fishing From the Skies
Living in panhandle Florida has a variety of exceptional benefits. The natural environment is a feature that visitors travel great distances to experience and enjoy during their leisure periods. While some residents may take this advantage for granted after a while, a short stopover to another part of the state or country helps put this…Read more
Amazing Living Fossils Roaming Below the Waves
The pace of 21st century life continues to accelerate unabated. There seems to be an unending stream of new, improved, and enhanced products and services at every sunrise. The stress and expense it takes on the citizenry is difficult to gauge and measure. The adjustment may be as simple as a change in a food…Read more